Effective support for community resource management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ansink, E.; Bouma, J.A.

2013-01-01

A popular alternative to state-led resource management is community resource management. This decentralised approach is potentially more efficient, but is not necessarily stable. We study this issue using coalition theory, arguing that some of the conditions for effective community resource

The rebound effect of resource efficiency; Het reboundeffect bij resource efficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oosterhuis, F.; Bouma, J. [Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken IVM, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Hanemaaijer, A. [Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving PBL, Den Haag (Netherlands)

2013-12-15

As a result of efficient use of natural resources production and use of goods and services can be made cheaper, which increases demand. However, that might partially offset savings in energy and other natural resources. This so-called 'rebound effect' can not be ignored. It is therefore worthwhile to keep that in formulating 'resource efficiency' policy [Dutch] Door efficienter om te gaan met natuurlijke hulpbronnen kunnen de productie en het gebruik van goederen en diensten goedkoper worden, waardoor de vraag ernaar toeneemt. Dat kan de besparingen op energie en andere natuurlijke hulpbronnen deels weer teniet doen. Dit 'rebound-effect' is niet verwaarloosbaar. Het is zinvol om hier bij beleid gericht op 'resource efficiency' rekening mee te houden.

Comparative cost analyses: total flow vs other power conversion systems for the Salton Sea Geothermal Resource

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wright, G.W.

1978-09-18

Cost studies were done for Total Flow, double flash, and multistage flash binary systems for electric Energy production from the Salton Sea Geothermal Resource. The purpose was to provide the Department of energy's Division of Geothermal Energy with information by which to judge whether to continue development of the Total Flow system. Results indicate that the Total Flow and double flash systems have capital costs of $1,135 and $1,026 /kW with energy costs of 40.9 and 39.7 mills/kW h respectively. The Total Flow and double flash systems are not distinguishable on a cost basis alone; the multistage flash binary system, with capital cost of $1,343 /kW and energy cost of 46.9 mills/kW h, is significantly more expensive. If oil savings are considered in the total analysis, the Total Flow system could save 30% more oil than the double flash system, $3.5 billion at 1978 oil prices.

Principles of resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness for risk-informed applications: Reducing burdens by improving effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vesely, W.E.

1999-01-01

Principles of resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness are presented which systematically compare the resources expended on a requirement or activity versus its risk importance. To evaluate resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness, cost-benefit analysis principles are generalized to resource versus risk importance principles. It is shown that by applying resource-importance analyses, current requirements and activities can be systematically evaluated for their resource-effectiveness and their risk-consistency. Strategies can then be developed to maximize both resource-effectiveness and risk-consistency which reduces unnecessary burdens while maintaining risk or reducing risk. The principles, approaches, and implementation schemes which are presented provide a systematic process for evaluating and optimizing resource-effectiveness and regulatory-effectiveness. The illustrations that are presented show that current NRC and industry actions are not resource-effective. By improving their resource-effectiveness and risk-consistency, significant burden reductions are achievable while risk, e.g. core damage frequency, is maintained or is reduced. The illustrations show that by optimizing industry resources and NRC resources with regard to their risk-effectiveness, significant burden reductions are achievable for both the industry and NRC. Algorithms and software exist for broad-scale implementations. Because of the burden reductions which are identified and the improvements in risk-consistency which result, resource-importance analysis should be the first step in risk-informed applications. Resource-importance analysis is so important and can provide such large benefits that it needs to be carried out on all current requirements that are addressed by risk-informed applications

Creating the Total Quality Effective School.

Science.gov (United States)

Lezotte, Lawrence W.

This book shows how Deming's Total Quality Management (TQM) theory for organizational management can be integrated with the effective-schools literature. Part 1 compares the 14 principles of TQM with the tenets of effective-schools research. The second part develops a blueprint for creating the total quality effective school. The conceptual…

The Impact of Personal Resources on Turnover Intention: The Mediating Effects of Work Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Woocheol; Hyun, Young Sup

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate mediating effects of employees' work engagement in the relationships between their personal resources (i.e. self-efficacy, organizational-based self-esteem and optimism) and turnover intention within Korean organizations. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 571 survey responses collected from Korean…

Total internal reflection effect on gyrotropic interface

Science.gov (United States)

Glushchenko, Alexander G.; Glushchenko, Eugene P.; Zhukov, Sergey V.

2018-02-01

This article considers the physical features of total internal reflection at gyrotropic and isotropic interfaces for two cases: electrical gyrotropy (plasma) and magnetic gyrotropy (ferrite). It is shown that the plasma magnetization may lead to the formation of the total internal reflection effect, which does not occur in isotropic plasma. The threshold values of the magnetic field, which are necessary for the total internal reflection effect, are determined. The total internal reflection effect on a ferrite-dielectric interface for waves emanating from different angles is observed in various frequency ranges and magnetization fields. The study points out the possibility of changing the total internal reflection angle value in large limits due to a change in the external magnetic field magnitude. The calculation results of the total internal reflection angle dependence on the external magnetic field magnitude are presented. The formulas are elaborated for calculating the total internal reflection angles of different interfaces for gyrotropic and isotropic media. The generalized formulas are defined for calculating the Doppler effect in the gyrotropic media. The study demonstrates how the velocity of the media interface affects the limiting angle of total internal refection.

Effects of dispersal on total biomass in a patchy, heterogeneous system: analysis and experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Bo; Liu, Xin; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Ni, Wei-Ming; Wang, G Geoff

2015-01-01

An intriguing recent result from mathematics is that a population diffusing at an intermediate rate in an environment in which resources vary spatially will reach a higher total equilibrium biomass than the population in an environment in which the same total resources are distributed homogeneously. We extended the current mathematical theory to apply to logistic growth and also showed that the result applies to patchy systems with dispersal among patches, both for continuous and discrete time. This allowed us to make specific predictions, through simulations, concerning the biomass dynamics, which were verified by a laboratory experiment. The experiment was a study of biomass growth of duckweed (Lemna minor Linn.), where the resources (nutrients added to water) were distributed homogeneously among a discrete series of water-filled containers in one treatment, and distributed heterogeneously in another treatment. The experimental results showed that total biomass peaked at an intermediate, relatively low, diffusion rate, higher than the total carrying capacity of the system and agreeing with the simulation model. The implications of the experiment to dynamics of source, sink, and pseudo-sink dynamics are discussed.

Effective Management of Human Resources for Business and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Manpower is one of the many resources of an organization. Its relevance cannot be over emphasized as it combines other resources such as capital, materials, and machines, together to achieve organizational goal. Therefore effective management of human resources is pertinent for business and church growth.

Total pollution effect of urban surface runoff.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Hongbing; Luo, Lin; Huang, Gu; Liu, Ping; Li, Jingxian; Hu, Sheng; Wang, Fuxiang; Xu, Rui; Huang, Xiaoxue

2009-01-01

For pollution research with regard to urban surface runoff, most sampling strategies to date have focused on differences in land usage. With single land-use sampling, total surface runoff pollution effect cannot be evaluated unless every land usage spot is monitored. Through a new sampling strategy known as mixed stormwater sampling for a street community at discharge outlet adjacent to river, this study assessed the total urban surface runoff pollution effect caused by a variety of land uses and the pollutants washed off from the rain pipe system in the Futian River watershed in Shenzhen City of China. The water quality monitoring indices were COD (chemical oxygen demand), TSS (total suspend solid), TP (total phosphorus), TN (total nitrogen) and BOD (biochemical oxygen demand). The sums of total pollution loads discharged into the river for the four indices of COD, TSS, TN, and TP over all seven rainfall events were very different. The mathematical model for simulating total pollution loads was established from discharge outlet mixed stormwater sampling of total pollution loads on the basis of four parameters: rainfall intensity, total land area, impervious land area, and pervious land area. In order to treat surface runoff pollution, the values of MFF30 (mass first flush ratio) and FF30 (first 30% of runoff volume) can be considered as split-flow control criteria to obtain more effective and economical design of structural BMPs (best management practices) facilities.

Total lymphocyte count as a substitute to cd4 count in management of hiv infected individuals in resource limited society

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daud, M.Y.; Qazi, R.A.

2015-01-01

Pakistan is a resource limited society and gold standard parameters to monitor HIV disease activity are very costly. The objective of the study was to evaluate total lymphocyte count (TLC) as a surrogate to CD4 count to monitor disease activity in HIV/AIDS in resource limited society. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out at HIV/AIDS treatment centre, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Islamabad. A total of seven hundred and seventy four (774) HIV positive patients were enrolled in this study, and their CD4 count and total lymphocyte count were checked to find any correlation between the two by using Spearman ranked correlation coefficient. Results: The mean CD4 count was (434.30 ± 269.23), with minimum CD4 count of (9.00), and maximum of (1974.00). The mean total lymphocyte count (TLC) was (6764.0052 ± 2364.02) with minimum TLC (1200.00) and maximum TLC was (20200.00). Using the Pearson's correlation (r) there was a significant and positive correlation between TLC and CD4 count. (r2=0.127 and p=0.000) at 0.01 level. Conclusion: Our study showed a significant positive correlation between CD4 count and total lymphocyte count (TLC), so TLC can be used as a marker of disease activity in HIV infected patients. (author)

[The Effectiveness of a Strategy for the Flexible Management of Nursing Human Resources: A Pilot Study].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chung-I; Lu, Meei-Shiow

2017-12-01

The flexibility of a hospital's nursing-related human resource management policies affects the working willingness and retention of nurses. To explore the effectiveness of a flexible nursing-related human resource management strategy. This quasi-experimental research used a one group pretest-posttest design. Supervisors at participating hospitals attended the "Application of Flexible Nursing Human Resources Management Strategies" workshop, which introduced the related measures and assessed nurses' pretest satisfaction. After these measures were implemented at the participating hospitals, implementation-related problems were investigated and appropriate consultation was provided. The posttest was implemented after the end of the project. Data were collected from nurses at the participating hospitals who had served in their present hospital for more than three months. The participating hospitals were all nationally certified healthcare providers, including 13 medical centers, 17 regional hospitals, and 3 district hospitals. A total of nurses 2,810 nurses took the pretest and 2,437 took the posttest. The research instruments included the "Satisfaction with working conditions and system flexibility" scale and the "Flexible nursing human resource management strategies". The effectiveness of the implemented strategy was assessed using independent samples t-test and variance analysis. The result of implementing the flexible strategies shows that the total mean of pretest satisfaction (Likert 5 scores) was 3.47 (SD = 0.65), and the posttest satisfaction was 3.52 (SD = 0.65), with significant statistical differences in task, numerical, divisional, and leading flexibility. Due to the good implementation effectiveness, the authors strongly suggest that all of the participating hospitals continue to apply this strategic model to move toward a more flexible nursing system and work.

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Cretaceous-Tertiary Composite Total Petroleum System, Taranaki Basin Assessment Unit, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Wandrey, Craig J.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Klett, Timothy R.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

2013-01-01

The Cretaceous-Tertiary Composite Total Petroleum System coincident Taranaki Basin Assessment Unit was recently assessed for undiscovered technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) World Energy Resources Project, World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 487 million barrels of oil, 9.8 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 408 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Evaluating Effect of Knowledge Management Strategy on Human Resource Management Performance Using BSC Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Mansoori

2012-02-01

Full Text Available This research provided a model for evaluating the effect of knowledge management strategy on human resource management performance in higher education institutes and academic libraries. This research was a descriptive survey. According to the research literature and expert opinions, in human resource level, 38 indicators were produced for evaluating KM, then these indicators were classified in 10 total factors in terms of balanced scorecard approach. The results of evaluating knowledge management in Yazd academic libraries showed that, this strategy on customer perspectives, internal processes, learning and growth perspective had a good performance. But in terms of financial and Labor productivity indicators and training programs it did not have a good outcome for Yazd academic libraries.

Reverse-total shoulder arthroplasty cost-effectiveness: A quality-adjusted life years comparison with total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachman, Daniel; Nyland, John; Krupp, Ryan

2016-02-18

To compare reverse-total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) cost-effectiveness with total hip arthroplasty cost-effectiveness. This study used a stochastic model and decision-making algorithm to compare the cost-effectiveness of RSA and total hip arthroplasty. Fifteen patients underwent pre-operative, and 3, 6, and 12 mo post-operative clinical examinations and Short Form-36 Health Survey completion. Short form-36 Health Survey subscale scores were converted to EuroQual Group Five Dimension Health Outcome scores and compared with historical data from age-matched patients who had undergone total hip arthroplasty. Quality-adjusted life year (QALY) improvements based on life expectancies were calculated. The cost/QALY was $3900 for total hip arthroplasty and $11100 for RSA. After adjusting the model to only include shoulder-specific physical function subscale items, the RSA QALY improved to 2.8 years, and its cost/QALY decreased to $8100. Based on industry accepted standards, cost/QALY estimates supported both RSA and total hip arthroplasty cost-effectiveness. Although total hip arthroplasty remains the quality of life improvement "gold standard" among arthroplasty procedures, cost/QALY estimates identified in this study support the growing use of RSA to improve patient quality of life.

Discussing the Effective Factors on Maintenance of Human Resources

OpenAIRE

Bahare Shahriari

2016-01-01

In this research, the author has elaborated on detection of effective factors on maintenance and retention of human resources. Since human resources are the most resources for obtaining competitive advantage, it is essential to pay attention to different dimensions of human resources management. One of these dimensions is retention of human resources. Factors such as providing correct and valid information at the time of recruitment, assigning tasks based on competence, existence of a clear c...

Effects of Resource Availability on Children's Behavior and Conflict Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Enora R.

1996-01-01

Examined the effect of resource availability on dyadic interaction of African American three- to five-year olds in a painting activity conducted under two resource conditions. Limited resources promoted more resource and task conflict, while plentiful resources promoted more nonconflictive social and task interactions. Results underscored the role…

Resource-Mediated Indirect Effects of Grassland Management on Arthropod Diversity

Science.gov (United States)

Simons, Nadja K.; Gossner, Martin M.; Lewinsohn, Thomas M.; Boch, Steffen; Lange, Markus; Müller, Jörg; Pašalić, Esther; Socher, Stephanie A.; Türke, Manfred; Fischer, Markus; Weisser, Wolfgang W.

2014-01-01

Intensive land use is a driving force for biodiversity decline in many ecosystems. In semi-natural grasslands, land-use activities such as mowing, grazing and fertilization affect the diversity of plants and arthropods, but the combined effects of different drivers and the chain of effects are largely unknown. In this study we used structural equation modelling to analyse how the arthropod communities in managed grasslands respond to land use and whether these responses are mediated through changes in resource diversity or resource quantity (biomass). Plants were considered resources for herbivores which themselves were considered resources for predators. Plant and arthropod (herbivores and predators) communities were sampled on 141 meadows, pastures and mown pastures within three regions in Germany in 2008 and 2009. Increasing land-use intensity generally increased plant biomass and decreased plant diversity, mainly through increasing fertilization. Herbivore diversity decreased together with plant diversity but showed no response to changes in plant biomass. Hence, land-use effects on herbivore diversity were mediated through resource diversity rather than quantity. Land-use effects on predator diversity were mediated by both herbivore diversity (resource diversity) and herbivore quantity (herbivore biomass), but indirect effects through resource quantity were stronger. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing both direct and indirect effects of land-use intensity and mode on different trophic levels. In addition to the overall effects, there were subtle differences between the different regions, pointing to the importance of regional land-use specificities. Our study underlines the commonly observed strong effect of grassland land use on biodiversity. It also highlights that mechanistic approaches help us to understand how different land-use modes affect biodiversity. PMID:25188423

Effects of mindfulness, reappraisal, and suppression on sad mood and cognitive resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Keng, Shian-Ling; Tan, Elysia Li Yan; Eisenlohr-Moul, Tory A; Smoski, Moria J

2017-04-01

The present study investigated the relative effects of mindfulness, reappraisal and suppression in reducing sadness, and the extent to which implementation of these strategies affects cognitive resources in a laboratory context. A total of 171 Singaporean undergraduate participants were randomly assigned to receive brief training in mindfulness, reappraisal, or suppression prior to undergoing a sad mood induction. Individual adherence to Asian cultural values was assessed as a potential moderator of strategy effectiveness. Participants rated their mood and completed a Color-Word Stroop task before and after mood regulation instructions. Analyses using multi-level modelling showed that the suppression condition caused less robust declines in sadness over time compared to mindfulness. There was also a nonsignificant trend in which mindfulness was associated with greater sadness recovery compared to reappraisal. Suppression resulted in lower average sadness compared to mindfulness among those high on Asian cultural values, but not those low on Asian cultural values. Both mindfulness and reappraisal buffered against increases in Stroop interference from pre-to post-regulation compared to suppression. The findings highlight the advantage of mindfulness as a strategy effective not only in the regulation of sad mood, but also in the preservation of cognitive resources in the context of mood regulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategic Resource Use for Learning: A Self-Administered Intervention That Guides Self-Reflection on Effective Resource Use Enhances Academic Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Patricia; Chavez, Omar; Ong, Desmond C; Gunderson, Brenda

2017-06-01

Many educational policies provide learners with more resources (e.g., new learning activities, study materials, or technologies), but less often do they address whether students are using these resources effectively. We hypothesized that making students more self-reflective about how they should approach their learning with the resources available to them would improve their class performance. We designed a novel Strategic Resource Use intervention that students could self-administer online and tested its effects in two cohorts of a college-level introductory statistics class. Before each exam, students randomly assigned to the treatment condition strategized about which academic resources they would use for studying, why each resource would be useful, and how they would use their resources. Students randomly assigned to the treatment condition reported being more self-reflective about their learning throughout the class, used their resources more effectively, and outperformed students in the control condition by an average of one third of a letter grade in the class.

MonitoringResources.org—Supporting coordinated and cost-effective natural resource monitoring across organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Bayer, Jennifer M.; Scully, Rebecca A.; Weltzin, Jake F.

2018-05-21

Natural resource managers who oversee the Nation’s resources require data to support informed decision-making at a variety of spatial and temporal scales that often cross typical jurisdictional boundaries such as states, agency regions, and watersheds. These data come from multiple agencies, programs, and sources, often with their own methods and standards for data collection and organization. Coordinating standards and methods is often prohibitively time-intensive and expensive. MonitoringResources.org offers a suite of tools and resources that support coordination of monitoring efforts, cost-effective planning, and sharing of knowledge among organizations. The website was developed by the Pacific Northwest Aquatic Monitoring Partnership—a collaboration of Federal, state, tribal, local, and private monitoring programs—and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), with funding from the Bonneville Power Administration and USGS. It is a key component of a coordinated monitoring and information network.

What is the Quality of Online Resources About Pain Control After Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Science.gov (United States)

Schairer, William W; Kahlenberg, Cynthia A; Sculco, Peter K; Nwachukwu, Benedict U

2017-12-01

With the growing opioid crisis in the United States, there has been a push to reduce the utilization of opioids in favor of multimodal analgesia options. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality of online resources that patients may use to learn about pain control after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We identified websites using a combination of search terms about TKA and pain control. A novel grading rubric was created with 25 maximum points, consisting of items that were deemed important for patients to know about the subject. Three authors then independently graded websites and the results averaged. Flesch-Kinkaid reading level was also evaluated. After identifying 166 unique websites, 32 met final inclusion criteria. The overall scores were low-4.7 of 25 total points (18.8%), written at an average 10th grade level. Subgroup scores were 50% for route of administration, 40% for types of analgesia, 23% for opioid-specific items, and 30% for general guidance. Only about half discussed the risks of opioid dependency. The top 3 website total scores ranged from 10.7-12.5 of 25 points. There is a paucity of online information for TKA patients to read about pain control. Most websites provide limited educational content, particularly about opioids. Higher quality information is needed to help patients make decisions with their physicians and to help combat the opioid epidemic. Given the lack of quality information available, there is an opportunity for subspecialty organizations to take a leadership role in such efforts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Resource Bundling on Third-party Logistics Providers’ Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noorliza Karia

2015-03-01

resource bundling (excluding advanced technology is required to achieve cost leadership. The effects of other resources on performance are mediated mainly by the demand management interface capability and knowledge resources. This is a novel attempt to justify the interaction and mediation effects of resources and capabilities on performance. The research highlights the needs for 3PL managers to focus on developing and bundling their demand management interface capability and knowledge resources in order to achieve cost leadership, and further combine advanced technology into such bundling of resources and capabilities to achieve innovation in customer service. It advances the application of resource-based view (RBV theory in logistics research by identifying resources that play supporting roles and examining the capabilities for enhancing 3PLs’ competitive performance.

THE ANALYSIS OF TOTAL EXPENSES AT 1000 LEI TOTAL REVENUES AND OF THE RESULT OF THE GROWTH OF THEIR EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

LĂPĂDUŞI MIHAELA LOREDANA

2013-12-01

Full Text Available act The analysis of the company’s expenses is mainly important in the management and control activity, because it highlights the way in which are used the resources (material, human, financial and the impact of their allocation on the company’s performances. The optimization of the level of costs or the their reduction, where it is possible, without affecting the quality of the products and working conditions of the activity, represent the primary objectives of the management of companies.[9] Expenses have been and will remain one of the key indicators of a company requiring continuous application of a control and monitoring mechanism because when it comes to expenses we never speak of their growth, but their reduction. This reduction is the main objective of any economic agent that will result in increasing the efficiency of the entire activity. The costs of a company reflect in cash the total consumption of material, human and financial resources used in manufacturing and selling of the products. The level, dynamics and structure of these expenses reflect synthetically the activity of industrial enterprises when using effectively the available resources. The purpose of this article is to analyze synthetically a company's expenses efficiency based on the efficiency ratio of total expenses at 1000 lei total revenues and the purpose of the article results in a set of conclusions that will highlight a number of important issues concerning the role and the importance of the efficiency of total expenses related to total revenue, as well as the result of the growth of the efficiency of total expenses.

Single event effects and total ionizing dose effects of typical VDMOSFET devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lou Jianshe; Cai Nan; Liu Jiaxin; Wu Qinzhi; Wang Jia

2012-01-01

In this work, single event effects and total ionizing dose effects of typical VDMOSFET irradiated by 60 Co γ-rays and 252 Cf source were studied. The single event burnout and single event gate rupture (SEB/SEGR) effects were investigated, and the relationship between drain-source breakdown voltage and ionizing dose was obtained. The results showed that the VDMOSFET devices were sensitive to SEB and SEGR, and measures to improve their resistance to SEB and SEGR should be considered seriously for their space applications. The drain-source breakdown voltage was sensitive to total ionizing dose effects as the threshold voltage. In assessing the devices' resistance to the total ionizing dose effects, both the threshold voltage and the drain-source breakdown voltage should be taken into account. (authors)

Direct cost comparison of totally endoscopic versus open ear surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, N; Mohammadi, A; Jufas, N

2018-02-01

Totally endoscopic ear surgery is a relatively new method for managing chronic ear disease. This study aimed to test the null hypothesis that open and endoscopic approaches have similar direct costs for the management of attic cholesteatoma, from an Australian private hospital setting. A retrospective direct cost comparison of totally endoscopic ear surgery and traditional canal wall up mastoidectomy for the management of attic cholesteatoma in a private tertiary setting was undertaken. Indirect and future costs were excluded. A direct cost comparison of anaesthetic setup and resources, operative setup and resources, and surgical time was performed between the two techniques. Totally endoscopic ear surgery has a mean direct cost reduction of AUD$2978.89 per operation from the hospital perspective, when compared to canal wall up mastoidectomy. Totally endoscopic ear surgery is more cost-effective, from an Australian private hospital perspective, than canal wall up mastoidectomy for attic cholesteatoma.

TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND CREATIVITY: AN EVALUATION WITH THE EXTENT OF THE FUNCTION OF HUMAN RESOURCES (A COMMENT)

OpenAIRE

Seymen, Oya Aytemiz; Bolat, Tamer

2014-01-01

Together with total quality management, effort for creativity have been seen not only under the responsibility of certain people or departments but turn to be a structure that covers all the staff working fort he business. Of course, within the business resources, these efforts do not mean much if they are not contributed by components like training, performance evaluation, areer planning and fair awarding that give importance to human and its development. They won’t be reasonable if they lac...

DEVELOPMENT OFINDICATORSFOR EFFECTIVE USE OF INTERIMMATERIAL RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klimuk V. V.

2014-03-01

evaluating the effectiveness of the use of material resources existing material-intensive enterprises.

Increasing Organizational Effectiveness through Better Human Resource Planning and Development

Science.gov (United States)

Schein, Edgar H.

1977-01-01

Discusses the increasing importance of human resource planning and development for organizational effectiveness, and examines how the major components of a human resource planning and development system should be coordinated for maximum effectiveness. Available from Alfred P. Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,…

Energy Resource Planning. Optimal utilization of energy resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miclescu, T.; Domschke, W.; Bazacliu, G.; Dumbrava, V.

1996-01-01

For a thermal power plants system, the primary energy resources cost constitutes a significant percentage of the total system operational cost. Therefore a small percentage saving in primary energy resource allocation cost for a long term, often turns out to be a significant monetary value. In recent years, with a rapidly changing fuel supply situation, including the impact of energy policies changing, this area has become extremely sensitive. Natural gas availability has been restricted in many areas, coal production and transportation cost have risen while productivity has decreased, oil imports have increased and refinery capacity failed to meet demand. The paper presents a mathematical model and a practical procedure to solve the primary energy resource allocation. The objectives is to minimise the total energy cost over the planning period subject to constraints with regards to primary energy resource, transportation and energy consumption. Various aspects of the proposed approach are discussed, and its application to a power system is illustrated.(author) 2 figs., 1 tab., 3 refs

Flexible resource management and its effect on project cost and duration

Science.gov (United States)

Pinha, Denis C.; Ahluwalia, Rashpal S.

2018-06-01

In practice, most projects result in cost overruns and schedule slippage due to poor resource management. This paper presents an approach that aims at reducing project duration and costs by empowering project managers to assess different scenarios. The proposed approach addresses combinatorial modes for tasks, multi-skilled resources, and multiple calendars for resources. A case study reported in the literature is presented to demonstrate the capabilities of this method. As for practical implications, this approach enhances the decision-making process which results in improved solutions in terms of total project duration and cost. From an academic viewpoint, this paper adds empirical evidence to enrich the existing literature, as it highlights relevant issues to model properly the complexity of real-life projects.

The effects of climate change on agriculture, land resources, water resources, and biodiversity in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

2008-06-01

This report provides an assessment of the effects of climate change on U.S. agriculture, land resources, water resources, and biodiversity. It is one of a series of 21 Synthesis and Assessment Products (SAP) that are being produced under the auspices...

The Job Demands-Resources Model: An Analysis of Additive and Joint Effects of Demands and Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Qiao; Schaufeli, Wilmar B.; Taris, Toon W.

2011-01-01

The present study investigated the additive, synergistic, and moderating effects of job demands and job resources on well-being (burnout and work engagement) and organizational outcomes, as specified by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. A survey was conducted among two Chinese samples: 625 blue collar workers and 761 health professionals. A…

Application of random effects to the study of resource selection by animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillies, Cameron S; Hebblewhite, Mark; Nielsen, Scott E; Krawchuk, Meg A; Aldridge, Cameron L; Frair, Jacqueline L; Saher, D Joanne; Stevens, Cameron E; Jerde, Christopher L

2006-07-01

1. Resource selection estimated by logistic regression is used increasingly in studies to identify critical resources for animal populations and to predict species occurrence. 2. Most frequently, individual animals are monitored and pooled to estimate population-level effects without regard to group or individual-level variation. Pooling assumes that both observations and their errors are independent, and resource selection is constant given individual variation in resource availability. 3. Although researchers have identified ways to minimize autocorrelation, variation between individuals caused by differences in selection or available resources, including functional responses in resource selection, have not been well addressed. 4. Here we review random-effects models and their application to resource selection modelling to overcome these common limitations. We present a simple case study of an analysis of resource selection by grizzly bears in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains with and without random effects. 5. Both categorical and continuous variables in the grizzly bear model differed in interpretation, both in statistical significance and coefficient sign, depending on how a random effect was included. We used a simulation approach to clarify the application of random effects under three common situations for telemetry studies: (a) discrepancies in sample sizes among individuals; (b) differences among individuals in selection where availability is constant; and (c) differences in availability with and without a functional response in resource selection. 6. We found that random intercepts accounted for unbalanced sample designs, and models with random intercepts and coefficients improved model fit given the variation in selection among individuals and functional responses in selection. Our empirical example and simulations demonstrate how including random effects in resource selection models can aid interpretation and address difficult assumptions

Effects of adjusting cropping systems on utilization efficiency of climatic resources in Northeast China under future climate scenarios

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Jianping; Zhao, Junfang; Xu, Yanhong; Chu, Zheng; Mu, Jia; Zhao, Qian

Quantitatively evaluating the effects of adjusting cropping systems on the utilization efficiency of climatic resources under climate change is an important task for assessing food security in China. To understand these effects, we used daily climate variables obtained from the regional climate model RegCM3 from 1981 to 2100 under the A1B scenario and crop observations from 53 agro-meteorological experimental stations from 1981 to 2010 in Northeast China. Three one-grade zones of cropping systems were divided by heat, water, topography and crop-type, including the semi-arid areas of the northeast and northwest (III), the one crop area of warm-cool plants in semi-humid plain or hilly regions of the northeast (IV), and the two crop area in irrigated farmland in the Huanghuaihai Plain (VI). An agro-ecological zone model was used to calculate climatic potential productivities. The effects of adjusting cropping systems on climate resource utilization in Northeast China under the A1B scenario were assessed. The results indicated that from 1981 to 2100 in the III, IV and VI areas, the planting boundaries of different cropping systems in Northeast China obviously shifted toward the north and the east based on comprehensively considering the heat and precipitation resources. However, due to high temperature stress, the climatic potential productivity of spring maize was reduced in the future. Therefore, adjusting the cropping system is an effective way to improve the climatic potential productivity and climate resource utilization. Replacing the one crop in one year model (spring maize) by the two crops in one year model (winter wheat and summer maize) significantly increased the total climatic potential productivity and average utilization efficiencies. During the periods of 2011-2040, 2041-2070 and 2071-2100, the average total climatic potential productivities of winter wheat and summer maize increased by 9.36%, 11.88% and 12.13% compared to that of spring maize

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-comparative effectiveness research infrastructure investments: emerging data resources, tools and publications.

Science.gov (United States)

Segal, Courtney; Holve, Erin

2014-11-01

The Recovery Act provided a substantial, one-time investment in data infrastructure for comparative effectiveness research (CER). A review of the publications, data, and tools developed as a result of this support has informed understanding of the level of effort undertaken by these projects. Structured search queries, as well as outreach efforts, were conducted to identify and review resources from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 CER projects building electronic clinical data infrastructure. The findings from this study provide a spectrum of productivity across a range of topics and settings. A total of 451 manuscripts published in 192 journals, and 141 data resources and tools were identified and address gaps in evidence on priority populations, conditions, and the infrastructure needed to support CER.

Effects of constraints to acquisition of information resources in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study was on the Effects of Constraints to Acquisition of Information Resources in Academic Libraries in Southwest Nigeria: a study of UNILAG and KDL main libraries. Library acquisition is defined as the department of a library responsible for the selection and pur chase of materials or resources for the library. Survey ...

The effects of environmental resource and security on aggressive behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Henry Kin Shing; Chow, Tak Sang

2017-05-01

Exposure to different environments has been reported to change aggressive behavior, but previous research did not consider the underlying elements that caused such an effect. Based on previous work on environmental perception, we examined the role of environmental resource and security in altering aggression level. In three experiments, participants were exposed to environments that varied in resource (High vs. Low) and security (High vs. Low) levels, after which aggression was measured. The environments were presented through visual priming (Experiments 1-2) and a first-person gameplay (Experiment 3). We observed a consistent resource-security interaction effect on aggression, operationalized as the level of noise blast (Experiment 1) and number of unpleasant pictures (Experiments 2-3) delivered to strangers by the participants. High resource levels associated with higher aggression in insecure conditions, but lower aggression in secure conditions. The findings suggest that the adaptive value of aggression varies under different environmental constraints. Implications are discussed in terms of the effects of adverse environments on aggression, and the nature's effects on social behavior. Aggr. Behav. 43:304-314, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Attentional Resources-effectiveness Measure in Complex Diagnostic Tasks in NPPs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2007-07-01

The main role of the human operators in main control rooms (MCRs) of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is generally to supervise and operate the system. The operator's tasks in NPPs are performed through a series of cognitive activities: monitoring the environment, detecting data or information, understanding and assessing the situation, diagnosing the symptoms, decision-making, planning responses, and implementing the responses. In NPPs, there are a lot of information sources that should be monitored but the operators have only limited capacity of attention and memory. Because it is impossible to monitor all information sources, the operators continuously decide where to allocate their attentional resources. This kind of cognitive skill is called selective attention. In order for operators to effectively monitor, detect, and thus understand the state of a system, the operator should allocate their attentional resources to valuable information sources. Hence, the effectiveness of selective attention is expected to be able to reflect the effectiveness of monitoring, detection, and eventually understanding. In this study, an attentional resources effectiveness measure is proposed which based on cost benefit (or resource-effectiveness) principle.

An Attentional Resources-effectiveness Measure in Complex Diagnostic Tasks in NPPs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

2007-01-01

The main role of the human operators in main control rooms (MCRs) of nuclear power plants (NPPs) is generally to supervise and operate the system. The operator's tasks in NPPs are performed through a series of cognitive activities: monitoring the environment, detecting data or information, understanding and assessing the situation, diagnosing the symptoms, decision-making, planning responses, and implementing the responses. In NPPs, there are a lot of information sources that should be monitored but the operators have only limited capacity of attention and memory. Because it is impossible to monitor all information sources, the operators continuously decide where to allocate their attentional resources. This kind of cognitive skill is called selective attention. In order for operators to effectively monitor, detect, and thus understand the state of a system, the operator should allocate their attentional resources to valuable information sources. Hence, the effectiveness of selective attention is expected to be able to reflect the effectiveness of monitoring, detection, and eventually understanding. In this study, an attentional resources effectiveness measure is proposed which based on cost benefit (or resource-effectiveness) principle

Life course models: improving interpretation by consideration of total effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Michael J; Popham, Frank

2017-06-01

Life course epidemiology has used models of accumulation and critical or sensitive periods to examine the importance of exposure timing in disease aetiology. These models are usually used to describe the direct effects of exposures over the life course. In comparison with consideration of direct effects only, we show how consideration of total effects improves interpretation of these models, giving clearer notions of when it will be most effective to intervene. We show how life course variation in the total effects depends on the magnitude of the direct effects and the stability of the exposure. We discuss interpretation in terms of total, direct and indirect effects and highlight the causal assumptions required for conclusions as to the most effective timing of interventions. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Ultraviolet resources over Northern Eurasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chubarova, Natalia; Zhdanova, Yekaterina

2013-10-05

We propose a new climatology of UV resources over Northern Eurasia, which includes the assessments of both detrimental (erythema) and positive (vitamin D synthesis) effects of ultraviolet radiation on human health. The UV resources are defined by using several classes and subclasses - UV deficiency, UV optimum, and UV excess - for 6 different skin types. To better quantifying the vitamin D irradiance threshold we accounted for an open body fraction S as a function of effective air temperature. The spatial and temporal distribution of UV resources was estimated by radiative transfer (RT) modeling (8 stream DISORT RT code) with 1×1° grid and monthly resolution. For this purpose special datasets of main input geophysical parameters (total ozone content, aerosol characteristics, surface UV albedo, UV cloud modification factor) have been created over the territory of Northern Eurasia. The new approaches were used to retrieve aerosol parameters and cloud modification factor in the UV spectral region. As a result, the UV resources were obtained for clear-sky and mean cloudy conditions for different skin types. We show that the distribution of UV deficiency, UV optimum and UV excess is regulated by various geophysical parameters (mainly, total ozone, cloudiness and open body fraction) and can significantly deviate from latitudinal dependence. We also show that the UV optimum conditions can be simultaneously observed for people with different skin types (for example, for 4-5 skin types at the same time in spring over Western Europe). These UV optimum conditions for different skin types occupy a much larger territory over Europe than that over Asia. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

OPAC Design Enhancements and Their Effects on Circulation and Resource Sharing within the Library Consortium Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael J. Bennett

2007-03-01

Full Text Available A longitudinal study of three discrete online public access catalog (OPAC design enhancements examined the possible effects such changes may have on circulation and resource sharing within the automated library consortium environment. Statistical comparisons were made of both circulation and interlibrary loan (ILL figures from the year before enhancement to the year after implementation. Data from sixteen libraries covering a seven-year period were studied in order to determine the degree to which patrons may or may not utilize increasingly broader OPAC ILL options over time. Results indicated that while ILL totals increased significantly after each OPAC enhancement, such gains did not result in significant corresponding changes in total circulation.

Evaluation of mineral status in feed resources and effects of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evaluation of mineral status in feed resources and effects of supplementation to farm animals in northern Ghana. ... Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science ... A survey was conducted on the mineral concentration of available feed resources at three locations in the northern Guinea Savannah Zone between 1992 and 1997.

The Influence of Human Resource Practices on Internal Customer Satisfaction and Organizational Effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irfan Ullah

2013-08-01

Full Text Available It is generally believed that the impact of Human Resource Practices on internal customer satisfaction can create comparative advantage for the organizational performance. The main objective of this study was to find out the impact of Human Resource Practices on internal customer satisfaction and organizational effectiveness. The impact of human resource practices on the overall performance of organizations has been a leading subject of research and the results have been encouraging, indicative of positive relationship between Human Resource practices and organizational effectiveness. Data was collected through personally administered questionnaire-based survey from 290 banking personnel of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the anticipated model. The results showed that some Human Resource Practices appear to be linked to internal customer satisfaction and organizational effectiveness. The implications for practitioners were to modify and emphasize certain human resource practices, and to emphasize the role of internal customers for organizational effectiveness enhancement. These findings revealed the importance of internal customers in enhancing employee morale, organizational commitment, employee productivity, turnover rate and the organization’s ability to attract talent.

Resource analysis of the Chinese society 1980-2002 based on energy-Part 5: Resource structure and intensity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, G.Q.; Chen, B.

2007-01-01

This paper is the continuation of the fourth part on fishery and rangeland. The total resource inflow to the Chinese society from 1980 to 2002 is investigated in four parts published afore. The total resource energy input corresponds to GDP is presented in comparison with the purchasing power parity in this paper. The structure of the resource energy inflow is also outlined. Finally, a novel concept referred to as resource intensity is suggested to serve as a basic indicator to illustrate the real status of the economic development in China

Pulsed total dose damage effect experimental study on EPROM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Yinhong; Yao Zhibin; Zhang Fengqi; Guo Hongxia; Zhang Keying; Wang Yuanming; He Baoping

2011-01-01

Nowadays, memory radiation effect study mainly focus on functionality measurement. Measurable parameters is few in china. According to the present situation, threshold voltage testing method was presented on floating gate EPROM memory. Experimental study of pulsed total dose effect on EPROM threshold voltage was carried out. Damage mechanism was analysed The experiment results showed that memory cell threshold voltage negative shift was caused by pulsed total dose, memory cell threshold voltage shift is basically coincident under steady bias supply and no bias supply. (authors)

Effective factors on bank resource mobilization

OpenAIRE

Saeid Ghorbannejad Maleki; Jafar Beikzad

2012-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to detect effective factors on mobilization of East Azarbaijan Agricultural Bank resources in terms of deposits absorption. In order to reaching this goal, six hypotheses have been arranged and a questionnaire including 28 questions has been designed. So after justifiability and perpetuity evaluation, the questionnaires are distributed among managers of these banks. We have analyzed the data using multi variable regression analysis, Pearson's R and Variant an...

Resource nationalism in Indonesia—Effects of the 2014 mineral export ban

Science.gov (United States)

Lederer, Graham W.

2016-09-27

Resource nationalism encompasses a broad range of political and economic actions taken by Governments to regulate the extraction of natural resources within their borders. Policies such as increased tariffs or export restrictions can have far-reaching economic effects on international trade. As the Governments of several developing countries consider enacting nationalistic policies, an examination of the 2014 mineral export ban in Indonesia provides an instructive example of the possible impacts of resource nationalism. Significant changes in the production and trade of unprocessed (that is, ores and concentrates) and processed (that is, refined metal) aluminum, copper, and nickel before and after the export ban form the basis of this study.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Minerals Information Center (NMIC) tracks production and trade of mineral commodities between producer and consumer countries. Materials flow studies clarify the effects of an export ban on different mineral commodities by assessing changes in production, processing capacity, and trade. Using extensive data collection and monitoring procedures, the USGS NMIC investigated the effects of resource nationalism on the flow of mineral commodities from Indonesia to the global economy.

Industry Efficiency and Total Factor Productivity Growth under Resources and Environmental Constraint in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Tao

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The growth of China's industry has been seriously depending on energy and environment. This paper attempts to apply the directional distance function and the Luenberger productivity index to measure the environmental efficiency, environmental total factor productivity, and its components at the level of subindustry in China over the period from 1999 to 2009 while considering energy consumption and emission of pollutants. This paper also empirically examines the determinants of efficiency and productivity change. The major findings are as follows. Firstly, the main sources of environmental inefficiency of China's industry are the inefficiency of gross industrial output value, the excessive energy consumption, and pollutant emissions. Secondly, the highest growth rate of environmental total factor productivity among the three industrial categories is manufacturing, followed by mining, and production and supply of electricity, gas, and water. Thirdly, foreign direct investment, capital-labor ratio, ownership structure, energy consumption structure, and environmental regulation have varying degrees of effects on the environmental efficiency and environmental total factor productivity.

Industry efficiency and total factor productivity growth under resources and environmental constraint in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Feng; Li, Ling; Xia, X H

2012-01-01

The growth of China's industry has been seriously depending on energy and environment. This paper attempts to apply the directional distance function and the Luenberger productivity index to measure the environmental efficiency, environmental total factor productivity, and its components at the level of subindustry in China over the period from 1999 to 2009 while considering energy consumption and emission of pollutants. This paper also empirically examines the determinants of efficiency and productivity change. The major findings are as follows. Firstly, the main sources of environmental inefficiency of China's industry are the inefficiency of gross industrial output value, the excessive energy consumption, and pollutant emissions. Secondly, the highest growth rate of environmental total factor productivity among the three industrial categories is manufacturing, followed by mining, and production and supply of electricity, gas, and water. Thirdly, foreign direct investment, capital-labor ratio, ownership structure, energy consumption structure, and environmental regulation have varying degrees of effects on the environmental efficiency and environmental total factor productivity.

Industry Efficiency and Total Factor Productivity Growth under Resources and Environmental Constraint in China

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Feng; Li, Ling; Xia, X. H.

2012-01-01

The growth of China's industry has been seriously depending on energy and environment. This paper attempts to apply the directional distance function and the Luenberger productivity index to measure the environmental efficiency, environmental total factor productivity, and its components at the level of subindustry in China over the period from 1999 to 2009 while considering energy consumption and emission of pollutants. This paper also empirically examines the determinants of efficiency and productivity change. The major findings are as follows. Firstly, the main sources of environmental inefficiency of China's industry are the inefficiency of gross industrial output value, the excessive energy consumption, and pollutant emissions. Secondly, the highest growth rate of environmental total factor productivity among the three industrial categories is manufacturing, followed by mining, and production and supply of electricity, gas, and water. Thirdly, foreign direct investment, capital-labor ratio, ownership structure, energy consumption structure, and environmental regulation have varying degrees of effects on the environmental efficiency and environmental total factor productivity. PMID:23365517

Perspectives of Increase of University Education Effectiveness: Use of Private Educational Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Tyurina, Yulia; Troyanskaya, Maria

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the perspectives of increase of effectiveness of university education, related to the use of private educational resources. Design/Methodology/ Approach: In order to determine the dependence of effectiveness of university education on the use of private educational resources, this work uses the…

Effects of background noise on total noise annoyance

Science.gov (United States)

Willshire, K. F.

1987-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to assess the effects of combined community noise sources on annoyance. The first experiment baseline relationships between annoyance and noise level for three community noise sources (jet aircraft flyovers, traffic and air conditioners) presented individually. Forty eight subjects evaluated the annoyance of each noise source presented at four different noise levels. Results indicated the slope of the linear relationship between annoyance and noise level for the traffic noise was significantly different from that of aircraft and of air conditioner noise, which had equal slopes. The second experiment investigated annoyance response to combined noise sources, with aircraft noise defined as the major noise source and traffic and air conditioner noise as background noise sources. Effects on annoyance of noise level differences between aircraft and background noise for three total noise levels and for both background noise sources were determined. A total of 216 subjects were required to make either total or source specific annoyance judgements, or a combination of the two, for a wide range of combined noise conditions.

When are stakeholder pressures effective? An extension of slack resources theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Xiao, Chengyong; Wang, Qian; van Donk, Dirk Pieter; van der Vaart, T.

There has been an intense debate on when stakeholder pressures are effective in driving firms to contribute to sustainable development. Drawing upon institutional theory and slack resources theory, we theorize that country-level sustainability performance interacts with slack resources in shaping

The Job Demands-Resources model: Further evidence for the buffering effect of personal resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maxime A. Tremblay

2011-05-01

Research purpose: Using the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R model as a theoretical framework, the present study examined the role of compassion satisfaction, conceptualised as a personal resource, in buffering the relationship between job demands and job strain. Motivation for the study: Accordingly, four demanding aspects of the job (i.e. role overload, insufficiency, ambiguity and conflict and one personal resource (i.e. compassion satisfaction were used to test the central hypothesis that the interaction between (high job demands and (low personal resources produces the highest levels of anxiety and depression as indicators of job strain. Research design, approach and method: Hypotheses were tested amongst 122 military chaplains. Main findings: Results showed that compassion satisfaction partially moderated the relationship between job demands and job strain. More specifically, when compassion satisfaction was high, the effect of role overload on job strain was significantly reduced. However, the relationships between the other three role stressors and job strain were not offset by compassion satisfaction. Practical/managerial implications: The theoretical and practical implications of these findings for the JD-R model are discussed. Contribution/value-add: Despite the limitations of this study, the present findings still have important implications for future research and practice. Our findings highlight the fact that the empowerment of employees’ personal resources, as outlined in the JD-R model, may not only be of value for employees to thrive, but may also be particularly beneficial in terms of compassion satisfaction being viewed as a protective factor to adverse working conditions.

Effects of resource activities upon repository siting and waste containment with reference to bedded salt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashby, J.; Rowe, J.

1980-02-01

The primary consideration for the suitability of a nuclear waste repository site is the overall ability of the repository to safely contain radioactive waste. This report is a discussion of the past, present, and future effects of resource activities on waste containment. Past and present resource activities which provide release pathways (i.e., leaky boreholes, adjacent mines) will receive initial evaluation during the early stages of any repository site study. However, other resource activities which may have subtle effects on containment (e.g., long-term pumping causing increased groundwater gradients, invasion of saline water causing lower retardation) and all potential future resource activities must also be considered during the site evaluation process. Resource activities will affect both the siting and the designing of repositories. Ideally, sites should be located in areas of low resource activity and low potential for future activity, and repository design should seek to eliminate or minimize the adverse effects of any resource activity. Buffer zones should be created to provide areas in which resource activities that might adversely affect containment can be restricted or curtailed. This could mean removing large areas of land from resource development. The impact of these frozen assets should be assessed in terms of their economic value and of their effect upon resource reserves. This step could require a major effort in data acquisition and analysis followed by extensive numerical modeling of regional fluid flow and mass transport. Numerical models should be used to assess the effects of resource activity upon containment and should include the cumulative effects of different resource activities. Analysis by other methods is probably not possible except for relatively simple cases

Water Resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abira, M.A.

1997-01-01

Water is essential for life and ecological sustenance; its availability is essential component of national welfare and productivity.The country's socio-economic activities are largely dependent on the natural endowment of water resources. Kenya's water resources comprises of surface waters (rivers, lakes and wetlands) and ground water. Surface water forms 86% of total water resources while the rest is ground water Geological, topographical and climatic factors influence the natural availability and distribution of water with the rainfall distribution having the major influence. Water resources in Kenya are continuously under threat of depletion and quality degradation owing to rising population, industrialization, changing land use and settlement activities as well as natural changes. However, the anticipated climate change is likely to exacerbate the situation resulting in increased conflict over water use rights in particular, and, natural resource utilisation in general. The impacts of climate change on the water resources would lead to other impacts on environmental and socio-economic systems

Contrasting Foraging Patterns: Testing Resource-Concentration and Dilution Effects with Pollinators and Seed Predators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandria Wenninger

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Resource concentration effects occur when high resource density patches attract and support more foragers than low density patches. In contrast, resource dilution effects can occur if high density patches support fewer consumers. In this study, we examined the foraging rates of pollinators and seed predators on two perennial plant species (Rudbeckia triloba and Verbena stricta as functions of resource density. Specifically, we examined whether resource-dense patches (densities of flower and seeds on individual plants resulted in greater visitation and seed removal rates, respectively. We also examined whether foraging rates were context-dependent by conducting the study in two sites that varied in resource densities. For pollinators, we found negative relationships between the density of flowers per plant and visitation rates, suggesting dilution effects. For seed predators, we found positive relationships consistent with concentration effects. Saturation effects and differences in foraging behaviors might explain the opposite relationships; most of the seed predators were ants (recruitment-based foragers, and pollinators were mostly solitary foragers. We also found that foraging rates were site-dependent, possibly due to site-level differences in resource abundance and consumer densities. These results suggest that these two plant species may benefit from producing as many flowers as possible, given high levels of pollination and low seed predation.

Total Water Management - Report

Science.gov (United States)

There is a growing need for urban water managers to take a more holistic view of their water resource systems as population growth, urbanization, and current operations put different stresses on the environment and urban infrastructure. Total Water Management (TWM) is an approac...

Total Knee Replacement in A Resource Constrained Environment: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-03-06

Mar 6, 2017 ... care patronage, and the recent trends of religious/faith healings. • Beliefs ... Prevalence and Pattern of Knee Osteoarthritis in a North Eastern. Nigerian Rural ... epidemiology of total knee replacement in South Korea: national.

Assessing the effects of adaptation measures on optimal water resources allocation under varied water availability conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Dedi; Guo, Shenglian; Shao, Quanxi; Liu, Pan; Xiong, Lihua; Wang, Le; Hong, Xingjun; Xu, Yao; Wang, Zhaoli

2018-01-01

Human activities and climate change have altered the spatial and temporal distribution of water availability which is a principal prerequisite for allocation of different water resources. In order to quantify the impacts of climate change and human activities on water availability and optimal allocation of water resources, hydrological models and optimal water resource allocation models should be integrated. Given that increasing human water demand and varying water availability conditions necessitate adaptation measures, we propose a framework to assess the effects of these measures on optimal allocation of water resources. The proposed model and framework were applied to a case study of the middle and lower reaches of the Hanjiang River Basin in China. Two representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP4.5) were employed to project future climate, and the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrological model was used to simulate the variability of flows under historical (1956-2011) and future (2012-2099) conditions. The water availability determined by simulating flow with the VIC hydrological model was used to establish the optimal water resources allocation model. The allocation results were derived under an extremely dry year (with an annual average water flow frequency of 95%), a very dry year (with an annual average water flow frequency of 90%), a dry year (with an annual average water flow frequency of 75%), and a normal year (with an annual average water flow frequency of 50%) during historical and future periods. The results show that the total available water resources in the study area and the inflow of the Danjiangkou Reservoir will increase in the future. However, the uneven distribution of water availability will cause water shortage problems, especially in the boundary areas. The effects of adaptation measures, including water saving, and dynamic control of flood limiting water levels (FLWLs) for reservoir operation, were

Total, Direct, and Indirect Effects in Logit Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karlson, Kristian Bernt; Holm, Anders; Breen, Richard

It has long been believed that the decomposition of the total effect of one variable on another into direct and indirect effects, while feasible in linear models, is not possible in non-linear probability models such as the logit and probit. In this paper we present a new and simple method...... average partial effects, as defined by Wooldridge (2002). We present the method graphically and illustrate it using the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988...

Impact Assessment of Abiotic Resources in LCA: Quantitative Comparison of Selected Characterization Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rørbech, Jakob Thaysen; Vadenbo, Carl; Hellweg, Stefanie

2014-01-01

Resources have received significant attention in recent years resulting in development of a wide range of resource depletion indicators within life cycle assessment (LCA). Understanding the differences in assessment principles used to derive these indicators and the effects on the impact assessment...... results is critical for indicator selection and interpretation of the results. Eleven resource depletion methods were evaluated quantitatively with respect to resource coverage, characterization factors (CF), impact contributions from individual resources, and total impact scores. We included 2247...... groups, according to method focus and modeling approach, to aid method selection within LCA....

The Urban Transition Performance of Resource-Based Cities in Northeast China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juntao Tan

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Resource-based cities face unique challenges when undergoing urban transitions because their non-renewable resources will eventually be exhausted. In this article, we introduce a new method of evaluating the urban transition performance of resource-based cities from economic, social and eco-environmental perspectives. A total of 19 resource-based cities in Northeast China are studied from 2003 to 2012. The results show that resource-based cities in Jilin and Liaoning provinces performed better than those in Heilongjiang province. Liaoyuan, Songyuan and Baishan were ranked as the top three resource-based cities; and Jixi, Yichun and Heihe were ranked last. Multi-resource and petroleum resource-based cities performed better than coal and forestry resource-based cities. We also analyzed the factors influencing urban transition performance using the method of the geographic detector. We found that capital input, road density and location advantage had the greatest effects on urban transition performance, followed by urban scale, remaining resources and the level of sustainable development; supporting policies and labor input had the smallest effects. Based on these insights, we have formulated several recommendations to facilitate urban transitions in China’s resource-based cities.

Effects of distances and company resources for enterprise export performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Givanildo Silva

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to evaluate the effect of distance on the export performance of companies in Santa Catarina, and to what extent this effect is moderated by organizational resource characteristics. Multiple linear regression and variance analysis were used for a perception survey of export managers with a final sample of 49 exporting producers. The constructs showed internal validity and allowed the data to be analyzed. The results only revealed evidence regarding the effect of psychic distance, showing a positive relationship with export performance. Also, the model estimation showed that the organization's resources moderate the relation between distance and export performance. Finally the study also shows that the export team and the organizational structure moderate the effect of distance on the performance and future performance expectations of the companies.

Resource rents: The effects of energy taxes and quantity instruments for climate protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenack, Klaus; Edenhofer, Ottmar; Kalkuhl, Matthias

2012-01-01

Carbon dioxide emissions correspond to fossil resource use. When considering this supply side of climate protection, crucial questions come to fore. It seems likely that owners of fossil resources would object to emission reductions. Moreover, policy instruments such as taxes may not be effective at all: it seems individually rational to leave no fossil resources unused. In this context, it can be expected that economic sectors will react strategically to climate policy, aiming at a re-distribution of rents. To address these questions, we investigate the effectiveness, efficiency, and resource rents for energy taxes, resource taxes, and quantity rationing of emissions. The analysis is based on a game theoretic growth model with explicit factor markets and policy instruments. Market equilibrium depends on a government that acts as a Stackelberg leader with a climate protection goal. We find that resource taxes and quantity rationing achieve this objective efficiently, energy taxation is only second-best. The use of quantity rationing to achieve climate protection generates substantial rents for resource owners. - Highlights: ► Resource taxes and quantity rationing (carbon budgets) are efficient. ► Carbon budgets increase resource rents, while taxes decrease rents. ► Resource owners may support climate protection. ► Climate protection introduces a climate rent.

Uranium resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gangloff, A.

1978-01-01

It is first indicated how to evaluate the mining resources as a function of the cost of production and the degree of certainty in the knowledge of the deposit. A table is given of the world resources (at the beginning 1977) and resources and reserves are compared. There is a concordance between requirements and possible production until 1990. The case of France is examined: known reserves, present and future prospection, present production (In 1978 2200 T of U metal will be produced from 3 French processing plants), production coming from Cogema. A total production of 2000 T in 1980 and 10.000 in 1985 is expected [fr

Reducing LTE Uplink Transmission Energy by Allocating Resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauridsen, Mads; Jensen, Anders Riis; Mogensen, Preben

2011-01-01

The effect of physical resource block (PRB) allocation on an LTE modem's transmit power and total modem energy consumption is examined. In this paper the uplink resource blocks are scheduled in either a Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) manner......, to determine if low transmission power & long transmission time or high transmission power & short transmission time is most energy efficient. It is important to minimize the LTE modem's energy consumption caused by uplink transmission because it affects phone battery time, and because researchers rarely focus...

Preliminary Radiation Analysis of the Total Ionizing Dose for the Resource Prospector Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Rojdev, Kristina; Tylka, Allan J.; Atwell, William

2015-01-01

NASA's Resource Prospector (RP) is a collaborative project between multiple centers and institutions to search for volatiles at the polar regions of the Moon as a potential resource for oxygen and propellant production. The mission is rated Class D and will be the first In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) demonstration on the lunar surface and at the lunar poles. Given that this mission is rated Class D, the project is considering using commercial off the shelf (COTS) electronics parts to reduce cost. However, COTS parts can be more susceptible to space radiation than typical aerospace electronic parts and carry some additional risk. Thus, prior to parts selection, having a better understanding of the radiation environment can assist designers in the parts selection process. The focus of this paper is to provide a preliminary analysis of the radiation environment from launch, through landing on the surface, and some surface stay as an initial step in determining worst case mission doses to assist designers in screening out electronic parts that would not meet the potential dose levels experienced on this mission.

Factors driving deforestation in common-pool resources in northern Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Verdin, Gustavo; Kim, Yeon-Su; Hospodarsky, Denver; Tecle, Aregai

2009-01-01

The theory of collective action has been extensively used to explain the relationship between common-based property regimes and the conservation of natural resources. However, there are two key components of the theory that literature reports as puzzles in which no consensus exists about their effect on the performance of common-pool resources. These are group size and heterogeneity. This study analyzes the effects of these two key components on the effectiveness of community-based forestry, called ejidos, to protect their forest resources in northern Mexico. We used a multinomial logit model to determine the contribution of 16 explanatory variables to the dependent variable, a measure of success of ejidos defined by the presence of deforested, degraded, or forested conditions. The results show that corn yield, marginality, percent of forest area, total population, a forest value index, distance to markets, roads and towns, were all statistically significant in driving deforested conditions. Deforestation becomes more attractive for poor communities and as corn yield and distance to towns, roads, and markets decrease. In general, group size and heterogeneity had no significant effects on the presence of deforested conditions. Deforestation is driven by resource-specific characteristics, such as location and soil productivity, not by ejidos' attributes, such as total area or number of members. We argue that current institutional policies focusing on the structure of property right arrangements should be shifted (1) to provide better technology for land cultivation; (2) to reduce the marginality problem in poor communities; and (3) to strengthen local institutions.

Total nitrogen and total phosphorus removal from brackish aquaculture wastewater using effective microorganism

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamad, K. A.; Mohd, S. Y.; Sarah, R. S.; Mohd, H. Z.; Rasyidah, A.

2017-09-01

Aquaculture is one of dominant food based industry in the world with 8.3% annual growth rate and its development had led to adverse effect on the environment. High nutrient production in form of nitrogenous compound and phosphorus contributed to environmental deterioration such as eutrophication and toxicity to the industry. Usage of Effective Microorganism (EM), one of the biological approaches to remove Total Nitrogen (TN) and Total Phosphorus (TP) in aquaculture pond was proposed. Samples were obtained from the Sea Bass intensive brackish aquaculture wastewater (AW) from fish farm at Juru, Penang and the parameters used to measure the removal of nitrogenous compounds include, pH, EM dosage, shaking, contact time and optimum variable conditions. From the study, for effective contact time, day 6 is the optimum contact time for both TN and TP with 99.74% and 62.78% removal respectively while in terms of optimum pH, the highest TN removal was at pH 7 with 66.89 %. The optimum dosage of EM is 1.5 ml with ratio 1:166 for 81.5 % TN removal was also found appropriate during the experiment. At varied optimum conditions of EM, the removal efficiency of TN and TP were 81.53% and 38.94% respectively while the removal mechanism of TN was highly dependent on the decomposition rate of specific bacteria such as Nitrobacter bacteria, Yeast and Bacillus Subtilis sp. The study has established the efficacy of EM's ability to treat excessive nutrient of TN and TP from AW.

Natural Resources, Openness and Income Inequality in Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sayed Mahdi Mostafavi

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to survey the relationship among natural resource, income inequality and openness in Iran by using the Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL model in the period 1980-2009. The stationary test reveals that our variables are both I(0 and I(1, so for that reason, we used the ARDL approach to estimate long run and the short run relations between the variables. The results show that, in the long-run and the short-run, the GDP per capita, Land, Openness and literacy rate have a negative effect on income equality; the total natural resource rents has a positive effect on income equality. The oil revenue has a negative effect on income inequality in the short run, and it has a positive effect on income equality in the long run.

Genetic diversity of flavonoid content in leaf of hawthorn resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Y.; Wang, G.; Liu, Z.

2014-01-01

Hawthorn (Cratageus spp.) are important medicinal plants. Flavonoids are the main active ingredient in hawthorn. With the help of hawthorn leaf flavonoids efficient detection system, vitexin, rhamnosylvitexin, hyperin, rutin and quercetin of 122 hawthorn resources was precisely measured.The flavonoid contents of 10 hawthorn species were explicited. The comparation of flavonoids revealed the abundant genetic diversity of hawthorn flavones. Large variable coefficient has been observed among 5 flavonoid monomer traits. The coefficients of variation were 44.17%, 132.2%, 157.08%, 113.91% and 31.05 for Vitexin, Rhamnosylvitexin, Hyperoside, Rutin and Quercetin respectively. The sum of these 5 flavonoid monomer contents represented the total flavonoids in hawthorn. The total coefficients of variation was 44.01%. Some high-content-flavone and valuable leaf resources were found. This research could provide accurate date for further production, breeding and the effective use of medicinal resources. (author)

Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitations Model of Total Aboveground Biomass in Forest Stands: Site-scale Test of Model

Science.gov (United States)

CHOI, S.; Shi, Y.; Ni, X.; Simard, M.; Myneni, R. B.

2013-12-01

Sparseness in in-situ observations has precluded the spatially explicit and accurate mapping of forest biomass. The need for large-scale maps has raised various approaches implementing conjugations between forest biomass and geospatial predictors such as climate, forest type, soil property, and topography. Despite the improved modeling techniques (e.g., machine learning and spatial statistics), a common limitation is that biophysical mechanisms governing tree growth are neglected in these black-box type models. The absence of a priori knowledge may lead to false interpretation of modeled results or unexplainable shifts in outputs due to the inconsistent training samples or study sites. Here, we present a gray-box approach combining known biophysical processes and geospatial predictors through parametric optimizations (inversion of reference measures). Total aboveground biomass in forest stands is estimated by incorporating the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) and Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model (PRISM). Two main premises of this research are: (a) The Allometric Scaling and Resource Limitations (ASRL) theory can provide a relationship between tree geometry and local resource availability constrained by environmental conditions; and (b) The zeroth order theory (size-frequency distribution) can expand individual tree allometry into total aboveground biomass at the forest stand level. In addition to the FIA estimates, two reference maps from the National Biomass and Carbon Dataset (NBCD) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) were produced to evaluate the model. This research focuses on a site-scale test of the biomass model to explore the robustness of predictors, and to potentially improve models using additional geospatial predictors such as climatic variables, vegetation indices, soil properties, and lidar-/radar-derived altimetry products (or existing forest canopy height maps). As results, the optimized ASRL estimates satisfactorily

Total knee replacement in a resource constrained environment: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: Total knee replacement surgery is relatively new in Nigeria and available in few centres only. It has been evolving at a slow pace because of the lack of facilities, structures and adequate surgical expertise alongside patient ignorance and poverty. Objective: The aim of this article is to review the cases done in a ...

Measurements of effective total macroscopic cross sections and effective energy of continuum beam

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kobayashi, Hisao [Rikkyo Univ., Yokosuka, Kanagawa (Japan). Inst. for Atomic Energy

1998-03-01

Two practically useful quantities are introduced in this study to characterize a continuum neutron beam and to describe transmission phenomena of the beam in field of quantitative neutron radiography: an effective energy instead of a peak energy or a mean energy of the spectrum and an effective total macroscopic (ETM) cross section instead of a total macroscopic (TM) cross section defined at the monochromatic energy. The effective energy was evaluated by means of energy dependence of ETM cross section. To realize the method a beam quality indicator (BQI) has been proposed recently. Several effective energies were measured for non-filtered, filtered neutron beams, and outputs of neutron guide tubes in world by the BQI. A thermal neutron beam and three beams modulated by Pb filters with different thicknesses are studied to measure ETM cross sections for various materials and summarized in a table. Validity of the effective energy determined by the BQI is discussed relating with ETM cross sections of materials. (author)

Total Water Management, the New Paradigm for Urban Water Systems

Science.gov (United States)

There is a growing need for urban water managers to take a more holistic view of their water resource systems as population growth, urbanization, and current resource management practices put different stresses on local water resources and urban infrastructure. Total Water Manag...

Simulation Modelling Approach to Human Resources Management: Burnout Effect Case Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjana Merkac Skok

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Human resources management has become one of the most important leverages in organizations for gaining competitive advantage. However, human resources management is in many occasions prone to nonlinear feedbacks with delayed effect. Burnout effect is one of the problems that are especially often faced by the experts in learning society. Burnout effect occurs because modern society is a fast-moving, achievement-oriented, very competitive and lead to many stressful situations, which individuals cannot handle always. We propose usage of system dynamics methodology in exploration of burnout effect, and its usage in learning of consequences of burnout effect. Several experiments have been conducted and presented which indicate increase and collapse behaviour in case of burnout experience by the individual. Experiments with the model explore the presence of burnout effect in several different situations, with different pace of its manifestations.

Health care resource use and costs associated with possible side effects of high oral corticosteroid use in asthma: a claims-based analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Luskin, Allan T; Antonova, Evgeniya N; Broder, Michael S; Chang, Eunice Y; Omachi, Theodore A; Ledford, Dennis K

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of possible oral corticosteroid (OCS)-related side effects and health care resource use and costs in patients with asthma. This was a cross-sectional, matched-cohort, retrospective study using a commercial claims database. Adults with asthma diagnosis codes and evidence of asthma medication use were studied. Patients with high OCS use (≥30 days of OCS annually) were divided into those who did versus those who did not experience OCS-related possible side effects. Their health care resource use and costs were compared using linear regression or negative binomial regression models, adjusting for age, sex, geographic region, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status. After adjustment, high OCS users with possible side effects were more likely to have office visits (23.0 vs 19.6; P possible side effects. Emergency department visits were similar between the groups. High OCS users with possible side effects had higher adjusted total annual mean health care costs ($25,168) than those without such side effects ($21,882; P =0.009). Among high OCS users, patients with possible OCS-related side effects are more likely to use health care services than those without such side effects. Although OCS may help control asthma and manage exacerbations, OCS side effects may result in additional health care resource use and costs, highlighting the need for OCS-sparing asthma therapies.

Effective management of combined renewable energy resources in Tajikistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Karimov, Khasan S; Akhmedov, Khakim M; Abid, Muhammad; Petrov, Georgiy N

2013-09-01

Water is needed mostly in summer time for irrigation and in winter time for generation of electric power. This results in conflicts between downstream countries that utilize water mostly for irrigation and those upstream countries, which use water for generation of electric power. At present Uzbekistan is blocking railway connection that is going to Tajikistan to interfere to transportation of the equipment and materials for construction of Rogun hydropower plant. In order to avoid conflicts between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan a number of measures for the utilization of water resources of the trans-boundary Rivers Amu-Darya and Sir-Darya are discussed. In addition, utilization of water with the supplement of wind and solar energy projects for proper and efficient management of water resources in Central Asia; export-import exchanges of electric energy in summer and winter time between neighboring countries; development of small hydropower project, modern irrigation system in main water consuming countries and large water reservoir hydropower projects for control of water resources for hydropower and irrigation are also discussed. It is also concluded that an effective management of water resources can be achieved by signing Water treaty between upstream and downstream countries, first of all between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In this paper management of water as renewable energy resource in Tajikistan and Central Asian Republics are presented. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

DIRECTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE USE OF FOREST RESOURCES IN UKRAINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Svyntukh

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The aim of the article is determination and substantiation of directions of rational use of forest resources in Ukraine. Methodology of research. The theoretical and methodological basis of conducted research is the provision of economic theory, sustainable development, environmental economics and economics forest exploitation. The following methodological tools and techniques were used to achieve this goal: methods of analysis and synthesis (to identify problems of the relationship for using potential of forest resources with factors of influence on their reproduction, the studying essence of the term “forest resources”; monographic – to study the experience of forming rational use of forest resources and wood waste; systematic approach (in substantiating the use of instruments for regulation forest exploitation; scientific abstraction (in the study of capabilities to ensure the process of rational reproduction of forest resources; graphic (for visual images of some analytical observations. Results. Theoretical approach to forest regeneration as a major task in forest anagement, which includes the integrated use of all available organizational and technological measures to facilitate its natural regeneration has been formulated. It has been established the regularity of ensuring the efficient use of waste wood in places of billets, identified and systematized its forms for future use. The methodical approach to assess the effect of using wood waste for fuel production and related products during processing on the harmonization of economic and environmental interests in the area of forest exploitation has been formulated. Practical implications. The obtained results are the basis for solving practical problems of integrated management of forest resources in Ukraine, waste of forest felling in the places of timber harvesting and also for development of the system of measures to improve the ecological and economic mechanism of

Beryllium and lithium resource requirements for solid blanket designs for fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Powell, J.R.

1975-01-01

The lithium and beryllium requirements are analyzed for an economy of 10 6 MW(e) CTR 3 capacity using solid blanket fusion reactors. The total lithium inventory in fusion reactors is only approximately 0.2 percent of projected U. S. resources. The lithium inventory in the fusion reactors is almost entirely 6 Li, which must be extracted from natural lithium. Approximately 5 percent of natural lithium can be extracted as 6 Li. Thus the total feed of natural lithium required is approximately 20 times that actually used in fusion reactors, or approximately 4 percent of U. S. resources. Almost all of this feed is returned to the U. S. resource base after 6 Li is extracted, however. The beryllium requirements are on the order of 10 percent of projected U. S. resources. Further, the present cost of lithium and the cost of beryllium extraction could both be increased tenfold with only minor effects on CTR capital cost. Such an increase should substantially multiply the economically recoverable resources of lithium and beryllium. It is concluded that there are no lithium or beryllium resource limitations preventing large-scale implementation of solid blanket fusion reactors. (U.S.)

ANALISIS BULLWHIP EFFECT TERHADAP PENERAPAN DISTRIBUTION RESOURCE PLANNING DI PT. MNJ

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Lukas Suseno

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Manajemen persediaan barang/produk menjadi sangat penting dan krusial bagi perusahaan distribusi. PT. MNJ sebagai perusahaan distribusi produk farmasi dan pangan, memiliki komitmen yang tinggi dan kepedulian dalam memberikan barang/produk dengan jumlah yang tepat dan waktu yang tepat. Penelitian ini berusaha untuk mengendalikan persediaan secara optimal dengan metode Distribusi Resource Planning (DRP dan melakukan pengukuran nilai bullwhip effect. Sampel penelitian adalah dua cabang utama dari 56 cabang PT.MNJ, dengan dua produk utama yaitu Paramex dan Konicare 125 ml. Penelitian ini menghitung dan menentukan rencana penjualan dengan menggunakan empat metode peramalan eksponensial. Selanjutnya, dilakukan perencanaan persediaan dengan metode DRP untuk menghasilkan kapan dan berapa banyak barang yang didistribusi ke cabang penjualan dengan biaya terendah. Penelitian ini juga membahas hasil perhitungan bullwhip effect selama 3 bulan.  Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dengan menerapkan DRP dapat menurunkan nilai bullwhip effect baik untuk cabang Jakarta maupun Solo.   Kata Kunci: distribusi resource planning; bullwhip effect; peramalan Abstract Inventory management of goods/product becomes very important and crucial for distribution company. PT. MNJ as a distribution company of pharmaceutical and food products, have high commitment and concern in providing the goods/products with the right amount and the right time. This study attempted to optimal control the supply with Distribution Resource Planning (DRP method and measuring the value of the bullwhip effect. Samples are two main branches of the 56 branches PT.MNJ, with two main product Paramex and Konicare 125 ml. This research calculates and determines the sales plans using four methods of forecasting exponential. Furthermore, the inventory planning with DRP method to produce when and how many goods are distributed to branch sales at the lowest cost. This study also discusses the results of

Interactive effects of reactive nitrogen and climate change on US water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Baron, J.; Bernhardt, E. S.; Finlay, J. C.; Chan, F.; Nolan, B. T.; Howarth, B.; Hall, E.; Boyer, E. W.

2011-12-01

Water resources and aquatic ecosystems are increasingly strained by withdrawals for agriculture and drinking water supply, nitrogen and other pollutant inputs, and climate change. We describe current and projected effects of the interactions of reactive nitrogen (N) and climate change on water resources of the United States. As perturbations to the N cycle intensify in a warmer less predictable climate, interactions will negatively affect the services we expect of our water resources. There are also feedbacks to the climate system itself through the production of greenhouse gases. We conclude: 1. Nitrogen concentrations will increase in the nation's waters from increased N loading and higher N mineralization rates. N export from terrestrial to aquatic ecosystems exhibits a high sensitivity to climate variations. 2. Consequences range from eutrophication and acidification, which reduce natural biodiversity and harm economically valuable fisheries, to adverse impacts on human health. 3. Extreme flood events have the potential to transport N rapidly long distances downstream from its source. 4. A recent national assessment found 67% of streams derived more than 37% of their total nitrate load from base flow often derived from groundwater. Long residence times for groundwater nitrate below agricultural fields may cause benefits from proper N management practices to take decades to be realized under current and future climates. 5. Streams, wetlands, rivers, lakes, estuaries and continental shelves are hotspots for denitrification. Maintenance of N removal capacity thus a critical component of eutrophication management under changing climate and land use conditions. 6. The amount of N inputs from fertilizer and manure use, human population, and deposition is tightly coupled with hydrology to influence the rates and proportion of N emitted to the atmosphere as N2O. About 20% of global N2O emissions come from groundwater, lakes, rivers, and estuaries; stream and wetland

Total, direct, and indirect effects of paan on oral cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Merchant, Anwar T; Pitiphat, Waranuch

2015-03-01

Paan (betel leaf and betel nut quid) used with or without tobacco has been positively associated with oral cancer. Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), a precancerous condition caused by paan, lies on the causal pathway between paan use and oral cancer. The purpose of this analysis was to estimate the effect of paan consumption on oral cancer risk when it is mediated by OSMF. We used mediation methods proposed by VanderWeele, which are based on causal inference principles, to characterize the total, direct, and indirect effects of paan, consumed with and without tobacco, on oral cancer mediated by OSMF. We reanalyzed case-control data collected from three hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan, between July 1996 and March 1998. For paan without tobacco, the total effect on oral cancer was OR 7.39, 95 % CI 1.01, 38.11, the natural indirect effect (due to OSMF among paan users) was OR 2.48, 95 % CI 0.99, 10.44, and the natural direct effect (due to paan with OSMF absent) was OR 3.32, 95 % CI 0.68, 10.07. For paan with tobacco, the total direct effect was OR 15.68, 95 % CI 3.00, 54.90, the natural indirect effect was OR 2.18, 95 % CI 0.82, 5.52, and the natural direct effect was OR 7.27, 95 % CI 2.15, 20.43. Paan, whether or not it contained tobacco, raised oral cancer risk irrespective of OSMF. Oral cancer risk was higher among those who used paan with tobacco.

Application of Selective Algorithm for Effective Resource Provisioning in Cloud Computing Environment

OpenAIRE

Katyal, Mayanka; Mishra, Atul

2014-01-01

Modern day continued demand for resource hungry services and applications in IT sector has led to development of Cloud computing. Cloud computing environment involves high cost infrastructure on one hand and need high scale computational resources on the other hand. These resources need to be provisioned (allocation and scheduling) to the end users in most efficient manner so that the tremendous capabilities of cloud are utilized effectively and efficiently. In this paper we discuss a selecti...

Buffering effects of job resources on the association of overtime work hours with psychological distress in Japanese white-collar workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hino, Ayako; Inoue, Akiomi; Kawakami, Norito; Tsuno, Kanami; Tomioka, Kimiko; Nakanishi, Mayuko; Mafune, Kosuke; Hiro, Hisanori

2015-07-01

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the buffering effects of job resources, utilizing the job demands-control (or demand-control-support) and effort-reward imbalance models (i.e., job control, workplace social support, and extrinsic reward), on the association of overtime work hours with psychological distress in Japanese employees. A total of 1,198 participants (valid response rate = 93.7 %) from five branches of a manufacturing company in Japan completed a self-administered questionnaire comprising the scales assessing job resources, psychological distress, and demographic characteristics. We obtained the information on working hours in the most recent month from the personnel records of the surveyed company. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. In a series of analyses, interaction term of overtime work hours with each job resource was included in the model. Significant interaction effect of overtime work hours with job control was observed. Among the low job control group, the long overtime (80 h or more) subgroup had a significantly higher prevalence odds ratio of psychological distress compared to the short overtime (44 h or less) subgroup. No significant association of overtime work hours with psychological distress was found among the high job control group. On the other hand, there was no significant interaction effect of overtime work hours with workplace social support or extrinsic reward. The present findings suggest that high job control has an effect on reducing psychological distress in relation to overtime work hours in Japanese employees.

Anti-arthritic effect of total anthraquinone from Polygonum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To study the anti-arthritic effect of total anthraquinone from Polygonum cuspidatum (TAPC) on type II collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats, and to investigate the underlying mechanism(s). Methods: CIA rats were prepared and treated orally with TAPC at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day, for 24 days.

HotpathVM: An Effective JIT for Resource-constrained Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gal, Andreas; Franz, Michael; Probst, Christian

2006-01-01

We present a just-in-time compiler for a Java VM that is small enough to fit on resource-constrained devices, yet surprisingly effective. Our system dynamically identifies traces of frequently executed bytecode instructions (which may span several basic blocks across several methods) and compiles...

Effects of meteorological droughts on agricultural water resources in southern China

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Houquan; Wu, Yihua; Li, Yijun; Liu, Yongqiang

2017-05-01

With the global warming, frequencies of drought are rising in the humid area of southern China. In this study, the effects of meteorological drought on the agricultural water resource based on the agricultural water resource carrying capacity (AWRCC) in southern China were investigated. The entire study area was divided into three regions based on the distributions of climate and agriculture. The concept of the maximum available water resources for crops was used to calculate AWRCC. Meanwhile, an agricultural drought intensity index (ADI), which was suitable for rice planting areas, was proposed based on the difference between crop water requirements and precipitation. The actual drought area and crop yield in drought years from 1961 to 2010 were analyzed. The results showed that ADI and AWRCC were significantly correlated with the actual drought occurrence area and food yield in the study area, which indicated ADI and AWRCC could be used in drought-related studies. The effects of seasonal droughts on AWRCC strongly depended on both the crop growth season and planting structure. The influence of meteorological drought on agricultural water resources was pronounced in regions with abundant water resources, especially in Southwest China, which was the most vulnerable to droughts. In Southwest China, which has dry and wet seasons, reducing the planting area of dry season crops and rice could improve AWRCC during drought years. Likewise, reducing the planting area of double-season rice could improve AWRCC during drought years in regions with a double-season rice cropping system. Our findings highlight the importance of adjusting the proportions of crop planting to improve the utilization efficiency of agricultural water resources and alleviate drought hazards in some humid areas.

IMPLEMENTASI TOTAL PRODUCTIVE MAINTENANCE DI DEPARTEMEN NON JAHIT PT. KERTA RAJASA RAYA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald E. Stok

2001-01-01

Full Text Available The effectivity improvement of production facility in factory is not only on facility manitenance but also on human resources. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM gives an optimal solution to effectivity improvement. A case study of TPM implementation have done in non sewing department of PT Kerta Rajasa Raya. Abstract in Bahasa Indonesia : Peningkatan efektivitas dari fasilitas produksi di suatu perusahaan bukan hanya terbatas pada perawatan fasilitas kerja saja tetapi juga sumber daya manusia. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM memberikan suatu solusi optimal terhadap peningkatan efektivitas dengan melibatkan semua sumber daya manusia yang bertanggung jawab terhadap fasilitas produksi. Suatu studi kasus terhadap pengimplementasian TPM dilakukan di departemen non jahit PT. Kerta Rajasa Raya. Kata kunci : TPM, MTTF, Autonomous Maintenance.

Age-related decline in brain resources modulates genetic effects on cognitive functioning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ulman Lindenberger

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Individual differences in cognitive performance increase from early to late adulthood, likely reflecting influences of a multitude of factors. We hypothesize that losses in neurochemical and anatomical brain resources in normal aging modulate the effects of common genetic variations on cognitive functioning. Our hypothesis is based on the assumption that the function relating brain resources to cognition is nonlinear, so that genetic differences exert increasingly large effects on cognition as resources recede from high to medium levels in the course of aging.Direct empirical support for this hypothesis comes from a study by Nagel et al. (2008, who reported that the effects of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT gene on cognitive performance are magnified in old age and interacted with the Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF gene. We conclude that common genetic polymorphisms contribute to the increasing heterogeneity of cognitive functioning in old age. Extensions of the hypothesis to other polymorphisms are discussed.

Research on the decomposition model for China’s National Renewable Energy total target

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Zhen; Shi, Yuren; Yan, Jianming; Ou, Xunmin; Lieu, Jenny

2012-01-01

It is crucial that China’s renewable energy national target in 2020 is effectively decomposed into respective period targets at the provincial level. In order to resolve problems arising from combining the national and local renewable energy development plan, a total target and period target decomposition model of renewable energy is proposed which considers the resource distribution and energy consumption of different provinces as well as the development characteristics of various renewable energy industries. In the model, the total proposed target is comprised of three shares: basic share, fixed share and floating share target. The target distributed for each province is then determined by the preference relation. That is, when total renewable energy target is distributed, the central government is more concerned about resources potential or energy consumption. Additionally, the growth models for various renewable energy industries are presented, and the period targets of renewable energy in various provinces are proposed in line with regional economic development targets. In order to verify whether the energy target can be achieved, only wind power, solar power, and hydropower are considered in this study. To convenient to assess the performance of local government, the two year period is chosen as an evaluation cycle in the paper. The renewable energy targets per two-year period for each province are calculated based on the overall national renewable energy target, energy requirements and resources distribution. Setting provincial period targets will help policy makers to better implement and supervise the overall renewable energy plan. - Highlights: It is very importance that the national target of renewable energy in 2020 can be effectively decomposed into the stages target of various province. In order to resolve the relation the plan between the national and local renewable energy development planning, a total target and phase target decomposition model

Scheduling a maintenance activity under skills constraints to minimize total weighted tardiness and late tasks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Djalal Hedjazi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Skill management is a key factor in improving effectiveness of industrial companies, notably their maintenance services. The problem considered in this paper concerns scheduling of maintenance tasks under resource (maintenance teams constraints. This problem is generally known as unrelated parallel machine scheduling. We consider the problem with a both objectives of minimizing total weighted tardiness (TWT and number of tardiness tasks. Our interest is focused particularly on solving this problem under skill constraints, which each resource has a skill level. So, we propose a new efficient heuristic to obtain an approximate solution for this NP-hard problem and demonstrate his effectiveness through computational experiments. This heuristic is designed for implementation in a static maintenance scheduling problem (with unequal release dates, processing times and resource skills, while minimizing objective functions aforementioned.

An Effective Scheduling-Based RFID Reader Collision Avoidance Model and Its Resource Allocation via Artificial Immune Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shanjin Wang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Radio frequency identification, that is, RFID, is one of important technologies in Internet of Things. Reader collision does impair the tag identification efficiency of an RFID system. Many developed methods, for example, the scheduling-based series, that are used to avoid RFID reader collision, have been developed. For scheduling-based methods, communication resources, that is, time slots, channels, and power, are optimally assigned to readers. In this case, reader collision avoidance is equivalent to an optimization problem related to resource allocation. However, the existing methods neglect the overlap between the interrogation regions of readers, which reduces the tag identification rate (TIR. To resolve this shortage, this paper attempts to build a reader-to-reader collision avoidance model considering the interrogation region overlaps (R2RCAM-IRO. In addition, an artificial immune network for resource allocation (RA-IRO-aiNet is designed to optimize the proposed model. For comparison, some comparative numerical simulations are arranged. The simulation results show that the proposed R2RCAM-IRO is an effective model where TIR is improved significantly. And especially in the application of reader-to-reader collision avoidance, the proposed RA-IRO-aiNet outperforms GA, opt-aiNet, and PSO in the total coverage area of readers.

Lunar resource base

Science.gov (United States)

Pulley, John; Wise, Todd K.; Roy, Claude; Richter, Phil

A lunar base that exploits local resources to enhance the productivity of a total SEI scenario is discussed. The goals were to emphasize lunar science and to land men on Mars in 2016 using significant amounts of lunar resources. It was assumed that propulsion was chemical and the surface power was non-nuclear. Three phases of the base build-up are outlined, the robotic emplacement of the first elements is detailed and a discussion of future options is included.

Decomposition of the Total Effect in the Presence of Multiple Mediators and Interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellavia, Andrea; Valeri, Linda

2018-06-01

Mediation analysis allows decomposing a total effect into a direct effect of the exposure on the outcome and an indirect effect operating through a number of possible hypothesized pathways. Recent studies have provided formal definitions of direct and indirect effects when multiple mediators are of interest and have described parametric and semiparametric methods for their estimation. Investigating direct and indirect effects with multiple mediators, however, can be challenging in the presence of multiple exposure-mediator and mediator-mediator interactions. In this paper we derive a decomposition of the total effect that unifies mediation and interaction when multiple mediators are present. We illustrate the properties of the proposed framework in a secondary analysis of a pragmatic trial for the treatment of schizophrenia. The decomposition is employed to investigate the interplay of side effects and psychiatric symptoms in explaining the effect of antipsychotic medication on quality of life in schizophrenia patients. Our result offers a valuable tool to identify the proportions of total effect due to mediation and interaction when more than one mediator is present, providing the finest decomposition of the total effect that unifies multiple mediators and interactions.

Resource Structuring and Ambidexterity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ma, Yucheng; Li, Peter Ping

-shaped effect on organizational ambidexterity in new ventures. Further, because of the traditional culture and economic transition characteristics, new ventures actively leverage managerial ties as key social relations to obtain special resources or nurture business transactions. We propose that ties with other......Focusing on how resource structuring mechanisms and managerial ties influence organizational ambidexterity of new ventures in emerging economy, this study explores the effects of resource structuring mechanisms (i.e., resource acquiring and resource accumulating) on organizational ambidexterity....... It further examines the moderating effects of managerial ties, (i.e., ties with other firms and ties with the government) on the above relationships. Survey data from China¡¯s 202 new ventures demonstrates that the resource acquiring has an inverted U-shaped effect whereas the resource accumulating has a U...

Effectiveness of community-based mangrove management for sustainable resource use and livelihood support

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Damastuti, Ekaningrum; Groot, de Dolf

2017-01-01

Community-Based Mangrove Management (CBMM) is implemented with different approaches and outcomes. This study examined the effectiveness of various CBMM practices to achieve sustainable management of mangrove resources. We analyzed local mangrove resource management strategies in four coastal

Study of total ionization dose effects in electronic devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nidhin, T.S.; Bhattacharyya, Anindya; Gour, Aditya; Behera, R.P.; Jayanthi, T.

2018-01-01

Radiation effects in electronic devices are a major challenge in the dependable application developments of nuclear power plant instrumentation and control systems. The main radiation effects are total ionization dose (TID) effects, displacement damage dose (DDD) effects and single event effects (SEE). In this study, we are concentrating on TID effects in electronic devices. The focus of the study is mainly on SRAM based field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) along with that the devices of our interest are voltage regulators, flash memory and optocoupler. The experiments are conducted by exposing the devices to gamma radiation in power off condition and the degradation in the performances are analysed

ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF MINERAL RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN NORTHEAST MINNESOTA

OpenAIRE

Maki, Wilbur R.

1980-01-01

The economic effects of mineral resource development addressed in this paper are the changes in employment, population and income in the State of Minnesota and in Northeast Minnesota. These include the present mining, processing and shipping of natural ores and taconite pellets and the potential copper-nickel development.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANISATIONAL RESOURCES, CAPABILITIES, SYSTEMS AND COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raduan Che Rose

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective that business organisations in particular should strive to attain is achieving a competitive advantage position relative to their competitors.. This research empirically examined the importance of and emphasis placed on organisational resources, capabilities and systems in their relationships with competitive advantage. The overall findings indicated significant, positive effects of organisational resources, capabilities and systems collectively on competitive advantage, providing support and corroboration to the resource-based view (RBV. The total variance in competitive advantage accounted for by the multiple linear regression (MLR model was 56.2%. In short, the findings from this study have not only contributed to the literature on the issue of the relationship between organisational resources, capabilities, systems and competitive advantage, but also provided vital information to both practitioners and policy makers on the subject matter.

Assessment of the effect of land use /land cover changes on total runoff from Ofu River catchment in Nigeria

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Meshach Ileanwa Alfa

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The total runoff from a catchment is dependednt on both the soil characteristics and the land use/land cover (LULC type. This study was conducted to examine the effect of changes in land cover on the total runoff from Ofu River Catchment in Nigeria. Classified Landsat imageries of 1987, 2001 and 2016 in combination with the soil map extracted from the Digital Soil Map of the World was used to estimate the runoff curve number for 1987, 2001 and 2016. The runoff depth for 35 years daily rainfall data was estimated using Natura Resource Conservation Services Curve Number (NRCS-CN method. The runoff depths obtained for the respective years were subjected to a one-way analysis of variance at 95% level of significance. P-value < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Runoff curve numbers obtained for 1987, 2001 and 2016 were 61.83, 63.26 and 62.79 respectively. The effects of the changes in LULC for 1987-2001, 2001-2016 and 1987-2016 were statistically significant (P<0.001 at 95% confident interval.  The average change in runoff depths were 79.81%, -11.10% and 48.09% respectively for 1987-2001, 2001-2016 and 1987-2016. The study concluded that the changes in LULC of the catchment had significant effect on the runoff from the catchment.

Biomass resources in California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tiangco, V.M.; Sethi, P.S. [California Energy Commission, Sacramento, CA (United States)

1993-12-31

The biomass resources in California which have potential for energy conversion were assessed and characterized through the project funded by the California Energy Commission and the US Department of Energy`s Western Regional Biomass Energy Program (WRBEP). The results indicate that there is an abundance of biomass resources as yet untouched by the industry due to technical, economic, and environmental problems, and other barriers. These biomass resources include residues from field and seed crops, fruit and nut crops, vegetable crops, and nursery crops; food processing wastes; forest slash; energy crops; lumber mill waste; urban wood waste; urban yard waste; livestock manure; and chaparral. The estimated total potential of these biomass resource is approximately 47 million bone dry tons (BDT), which is equivalent to 780 billion MJ (740 trillion Btu). About 7 million BDT (132 billion MJ or 124 trillion Btu) of biomass residue was used for generating electricity by 66 direct combustion facilities with gross capacity of about 800 MW. This tonnage accounts for only about 15% of the total biomass resource potential identified in this study. The barriers interfering with the biomass utilization both in the on-site harvesting, collection, storage, handling, transportation, and conversion to energy are identified. The question whether these barriers present significant impact to biomass {open_quotes}availability{close_quotes} and {open_quotes}sustainability{close_quotes} remains to be answered.

Health care resource use and costs associated with possible side effects of high oral corticosteroid use in asthma: a claims-based analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luskin AT

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Allan T Luskin,1 Evgeniya N Antonova,2 Michael S Broder,3 Eunice Y Chang,3 Theodore A Omachi,2 Dennis K Ledford4 1HealthyAirways, Madison, WI, 2Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, 3Partnership for Health Analytic Research, LLC, Beverly Hills, CA, 4Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Medicine, James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA Background: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of possible oral corticosteroid (OCS-related side effects and health care resource use and costs in patients with asthma.Methods: This was a cross-sectional, matched-cohort, retrospective study using a commercial claims database. Adults with asthma diagnosis codes and evidence of asthma medication use were studied. Patients with high OCS use (≥30 days of OCS annually were divided into those who did versus those who did not experience OCS-related possible side effects. Their health care resource use and costs were compared using linear regression or negative binomial regression models, adjusting for age, sex, geographic region, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease status.Results: After adjustment, high OCS users with possible side effects were more likely to have office visits (23.0 vs 19.6; P<0.001 and hospitalizations (0.44 vs 0.22; P<0.001 than those without possible side effects. Emergency department visits were similar between the groups. High OCS users with possible side effects had higher adjusted total annual mean health care costs ($25,168 than those without such side effects ($21,882; P=0.009.Conclusion: Among high OCS users, patients with possible OCS-related side effects are more likely to use health care services than those without such side effects. Although OCS may help control asthma and manage exacerbations, OCS side effects may result in additional health care resource use and costs, highlighting the need

An experimental study on total dose effects in SRAM-based FPGAs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yao Zhibin; He Baoping; Zhang Fengqi; Guo Hongxia; Luo Yinhong; Wang Yuanming; Zhang Keying

2009-01-01

In order to study testing methods and find sensitive parameters in total dose effects on SRAM-based FPGA, XC2S100 chips were irradiated by 60 Co γ-rays and tested with two test circuit designs. By analyzing the experimental results, the test flow of configuration RAM and bock RAM was given, and the most sensitive parameter was obtained. The results will be a solid foundation for establishing test specification and evaluation methods of total dose effects on SRAM-based FPGAs. (authors)

Alchemy to reason: Effective use of Cumulative Effects Assessment in resource management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hegmann, George; Yarranton, G.A.

2011-01-01

Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) is a tool that can be useful in making decisions about natural resource management and allocation. The decisions to be made include those (i) necessary to construct planning and regulatory frameworks to control development activity so that societal goals will be achieved and (ii) whether or not to approve individual development projects, with or without conditions. The evolution of CEA into a more successful tool cannot occur independently of the evolution of decision making processes. Currently progress is painfully slow on both fronts. This paper explores some opportunities to accelerate improvements in decision making in natural resource management and in the utility of CEA as a tool to assist in making such decisions. The focus of the paper is on how to define the public interest by determining what is acceptable.

Renoprotective Effects of Total Glucosides from Paeony against Nephrotoxicity Induced by Total Alkaloids from Semen Strychni

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mingming Lv

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Semen Strychni have been shown to have therapeutic effect in improving blood circulation, relieving rheumatic pain, and treating cancer. However, Semen Strychni could cause severe nephrotoxicity. The present study was designed to evaluate whether treatment with total glucosides from paeony (TGP has renoprotective effect against nephrotoxicity induced by total alkaloids from Semen Strychni (TAS. The levels of blood urea nitrogen (BUN and creatinine (Cr were determined and histopathological changes were also examined to evaluate renal injury. Moreover, a HPLC-MS method was developed and validated to investigate the comparative toxicokinetics of strychnine and brucine in rats plasma after oral administration of TAS and pretreatment with TGP. Results demonstrated that the levels of BUN and Cr were significantly increased (p<0.05 in TAS group, together with tubule epithelium cloudy swelling, degeneration, and glomerular atrophy in rats’ kidneys. The TAS-induced kidney damage was alleviated after pretreatment with TGP. Besides, Tmax of strychnine and brucine were increased and T1/2 of strychnine and brucine were decreased after pretreatment with TGP. The toxicokinetics study showed that pretreatment with TGP could attenuate the absorption of strychnine and brucine, as well as accelerate their elimination. These results suggest that TGP possesses renoprotective effects.

Effects of different components of Mao Dongqing's total flavonoids and total saponins on transient ischemic attack (TIA) model of rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Ming-San; Peng, Meng-Fan; Ma, Rui-Juan; Bai, Ming; Liu, Bao-Song

2018-03-01

Objective: To study the effects of the different components of the total flavonoids and total saponins from Mao Dongqing's active site on the rats of TIA model, determine the optimal reactive components ratio of Mao Dongqing on the rats of TIA. Methods: TIA rat model was induced by tail vein injection of tert butyl alcohol, the blank group was injected with the same amount of physiological saline, then behavioral score wasevaluated. Determination the level of glutamic acid in serum, the activity of Na+-K+-ATP enzyme, CA ++ -ATP enzyme and Mg ++ -ATP enzyme in Brain tissue, observe the changes of hippocampus in brain tissue, the comprehensive weight method was used to evaluate the efficacy of each component finally. Results: The contents of total flavonoids and total saponins in the active part of Mao Dongqing can significantly improve the pathological changes of brain tissue in rats, improve the activity of Na + -K + -ATP enzyme, Ca ++ -ATP enzyme and Mg ++ -ATP enzyme in the brain of rats, and reduce the level of glutamic acid in serum. The most significant of the contents was the ratio of 10:6. The different proportions of total flavonoids and total saponins in the active part of Mao Dongqing all has a better effect on the rats with TIA, and the ratio of 10:6 is the best active component for preventing and controlling TIA.

The nursing human resource planning best practice toolkit: creating a best practice resource for nursing managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Vincent, Leslie; Beduz, Mary Agnes

2010-05-01

Evidence of acute nursing shortages in urban hospitals has been surfacing since 2000. Further, new graduate nurses account for more than 50% of total nurse turnover in some hospitals and between 35% and 60% of new graduates change workplace during the first year. Critical to organizational success, first line nurse managers must have the knowledge and skills to ensure the accurate projection of nursing resource requirements and to develop proactive recruitment and retention programs that are effective, promote positive nursing socialization, and provide early exposure to the clinical setting. The Nursing Human Resource Planning Best Practice Toolkit project supported the creation of a network of teaching and community hospitals to develop a best practice toolkit in nursing human resource planning targeted at first line nursing managers. The toolkit includes the development of a framework including the conceptual building blocks of planning tools, manager interventions, retention and recruitment and professional practice models. The development of the toolkit involved conducting a review of the literature for best practices in nursing human resource planning, using a mixed method approach to data collection including a survey and extensive interviews of managers and completing a comprehensive scan of human resource practices in the participating organizations. This paper will provide an overview of the process used to develop the toolkit, a description of the toolkit contents and a reflection on the outcomes of the project.

Simulating changes to emergency care resources to compare system effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Branas, Charles C; Wolff, Catherine S; Williams, Justin; Margolis, Gregg; Carr, Brendan G

2013-08-01

To apply systems optimization methods to simulate and compare the most effective locations for emergency care resources as measured by access to care. This study was an optimization analysis of the locations of trauma centers (TCs), helicopter depots (HDs), and severely injured patients in need of time-critical care in select US states. Access was defined as the percentage of injured patients who could reach a level I/II TC within 45 or 60 minutes. Optimal locations were determined by a search algorithm that considered all candidate sites within a set of existing hospitals and airports in finding the best solutions that maximized access. Across a dozen states, existing access to TCs within 60 minutes ranged from 31.1% to 95.6%, with a mean of 71.5%. Access increased from 0.8% to 35.0% after optimal addition of one or two TCs. Access increased from 1.0% to 15.3% after optimal addition of one or two HDs. Relocation of TCs and HDs (optimal removal followed by optimal addition) produced similar results. Optimal changes to TCs produced greater increases in access to care than optimal changes to HDs although these results varied across states. Systems optimization methods can be used to compare the impacts of different resource configurations and their possible effects on access to care. These methods to determine optimal resource allocation can be applied to many domains, including comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes research. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Meta-analysis of non-renewable energy resource estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dale, Michael

2012-01-01

This paper offers a review of estimates of ultimately recoverable resources (URR) of non-renewable energy sources: coal, conventional and unconventional oil, conventional and unconventional gas, and uranium for nuclear fission. There is a large range in the estimates of many of the energy sources, even those that have been utilized for a long time and, as such, should be well understood. If it is assumed that the estimates for each resource are normally distributed, then the total value of ultimately recoverable fossil and fissile energy resources is 70,592 EJ. If, on the other hand, the best fitting distribution from each of the resource estimate populations is used, a the total value is 50,702 EJ, a factor of around 30% smaller. - Highlights: ► Brief introduction to categorization of resources. ► Collated over 380 estimates of ultimately recoverable global resources for all non-renewable energy sources. ► Extensive statistical analysis and distribution fitting conducted. ► Cross-energy source comparison of resource magnitudes.

The "July effect" in total shoulder arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, Allison J; Bohl, Daniel D; Frank, Rachel M; Cvetanovich, Gregory L; Nicholson, Gregory P; Romeo, Anthony A

2017-03-01

New medical doctors enter their residency fields in July, a time in the hospital in which patient morbidity and mortality rates are perceived to be higher. It remains controversial whether a "July effect" exists in different areas of medicine and surgery, including in orthopedic surgery. The purpose of this study is to test for the July effect in patients undergoing primary total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Patients who underwent primary TSA from 2005-2012 were identified using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Cases were categorized as involving residents or fellows and as occurring during the first academic quarter. Rates of composite and any adverse event outcomes were compared between patient groups using multivariate logistic regression. A total of 1591 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these cases, 711 (44.7%) had resident or fellow involvement and 390 (24.5%) were performed in the first academic quarter. There were few demographic and comorbidity differences between cases with and without residents or fellows or between cases performed during the first quarter and during the rest of the year. Overall, the rate of serious adverse events was 1.6% and the rate of any adverse events was 6.5%. Using one of the largest cohorts of primary TSA patients, this study could not provide evidence for a July effect. In the context of the recent growth in the volume of TSA procedures, these findings provide important reassurance to patients that it is safe to schedule their elective procedures at training institutions during the first part of the academic year. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effect of resource quantity and resource stoichiometry on microbial carbon-use-efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Kleiblinger, K.M.; Hall, E.K.; Wanek, W.; Szukics, U.; Hämmerle, I.; Ellersdorfer, G.; Böck, S.; Strauss, J.; Sterflinger, K.; Richter, A.; Zechmeister-Boltenstern, S.

2010-01-01

The carbon-use-efficiency (CUE) of microorganisms is an important parameter in determining ecosystem-level carbon (C) cycling; however, little is known about how variance in resources affects microbial CUE. To elucidate how resource quantity and resource stoichiometry affect microbial CUE, we cultured four microorganisms - two fungi (Aspergillus nidulans and Trichoderma harzianum) and two bacteria (Pectobacterium carotovorum and Verrucomicrobium spinosum) - under 12 unique C, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) ratios. Whereas the CUE of A. nidulans was strongly affected by C, bacterial CUE was more strongly affected by mineral nutrients (N and P). Specifically, CUE in P. carotovorum was positively correlated with P, while CUE of V. spinosum primarily depended on N. This resulted in a positive relationship between fungal CUE and resource C : nutrient stoichiometry and a negative relationship between bacterial CUE and resource C : nutrient stoichiometry. The difference in the direction of the relationship between CUE and C : nutrient for fungi vs. bacteria was consistent with differences in biomass stoichiometry and suggested that fungi have a higher C demand than bacteria. These results suggest that the links between biomass stoichiometry, resource demand and CUE may provide a mechanism for commonly observed temporal and spatial patterns in microbial community structure and function in natural habitats.

Effects of the per diem prospective payment system with DRG-like grouping system (DPC/PDPS) on resource usage and healthcare quality in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, Hironori; Sekimoto, Miho; Imanaka, Yuichi

2012-10-01

In 2003, Japan introduced the prospective payment system (PPS) with diagnosis-related groups (DRG) rearranged grouping system called the diagnostic procedure combination/per-diem payment system (DPC/PDPS). Even after eight years, little is known about the effects of DPC/PDPS. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of DPC/PDPS on resource usage and healthcare quality. Using 2001-2009 (fiscal year) administrative data of acute myocardial infarction patients, four indices, including inpatient total accumulated medical charges, length of stay (LOS), mortality rate, and readmission rate, were compared between patients reimbursed by DPC/PDPS or by fee-for-service. DPC/PDPS significantly reduced total accumulated medical charges by $1061 (95% confidence interval [CI], -2007, -116) and LOS by 2.29 days (95% CI, -3.71, -0.88) after risk adjustment. However, mortality rate (Odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% CI, 0.73, 1.21) was unchanged. Furthermore, DPC/PDPS increased the readmission rate (OR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.03, 1.82). This study showed that DPC/PDPS was associated with reduced resource usage, but not improved healthcare quality, as with DRG/PPSs in other countries. To achieve successful healthcare reform, further discussion on additional motives will be required. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of day of the week of primary total hip arthroplasty on length of stay at a university-based teaching medical center.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathi, Pranav; Coleman, Sheldon; Durbin-Johnson, Blythe; Giordani, Mauro; Pereira, Gavin; Di Cesare, Paul E

2014-12-01

Length of hospital stay (LHS) after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) constitutes a critical outcome measure, as prolonged LHS implies increased resource expenditure. Investigations have highlighted factors that affect LHS after THA. These factors include advanced age, medical comorbidities, obesity, intraoperative time, anesthesia technique, surgical site infection, and incision length. We retrospectively analyzed the effect of day of the week of primary THA on LHS. We reviewed the surgery and patient factors of 273 consecutive patients who underwent THA at our institution, a tertiary-care teaching hospital. There was a 15% increase in LHS for patients who underwent THA on Thursday versus Monday when controlling for other covariates that can affect LHS. Other statistically significant variables associated with increased LHS included American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, transfusion requirements, and postoperative complications. The day of the week of THA may be an independent variable affecting LHS. Institutions with reduced weekend resources may want to perform THA earlier in the week to try to reduce LHS.

Multi–Model Ensemble Approaches to Assessment of Effects of Local Climate Change on Water Resources of the Hotan River Basin in Xinjiang, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Luo

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The effects of global climate change threaten the availability of water resources worldwide and modify their tempo-spatial pattern. Properly quantifying the possible effects of climate change on water resources under different hydrological models is a great challenge in ungauged alpine regions. By using remote sensing data to support established models, this study aimed to reveal the effects of climate change using two models of hydrological processes including total water resources, peak flows, evapotranspiration, snowmelt and snow accumulation in the ungauged Hotan River Basin under future representative concentration pathway (RCP scenarios. The results revealed that stream flow was much more sensitive to temperature variation than precipitation change and increased by 0.9–10.0% according to MIKE SHE or 6.5–10.5% according to SWAT. Increased evapotranspiration was similar for both models with a range of 7.6–31.3%. The snow-covered area shrank from 32.5% to 11.9% between the elevations of 4200–6400 m, respectively, and snow accumulation increased when the elevation exceeded 6400 m above sea level (asl. The results also suggested that the fully distributed and semi-distributed structures of these two models strongly influenced the responses to climate change. The study proposes a practical approach to assess the climate change effect in ungauged regions.

A study on the antitumour effect of total flavonoids from Pteris ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this paper was to investigate the inhibitory effect of total flavonoids from Pteris multifida Poir on growth of transplanted H22 tumour in mice. H22 tumour-bearing mice model was established; the experimental animals were divide/d into the model group, Pteris multifida Poir total flavonoids high-, low-dose ...

Simulation experiment on total ionization dose effects of linear CCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Benqi; Zhang Yong; Xiao Zhigang; Wang Zujun; Huang Shaoyan

2004-01-01

We carry out the ionization radiation experiment of linear CCDs operated in unbiased, biased, biased and driven mode respectively by Co-60 γ source with our self-designed test system, and offline test the Dark signal and Saturation voltage and SNR varied with total dose for TCD132D, and get some valuable results. On the basis of above work, we set forth a primary experiment approaches to simulate the total dose radiation effects of charge coupled devices. (authors)

Effect of prenatal irradiation on total litter birth weight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angleton, G.M.; Lee, A.C.

1981-01-01

Total litter weight at birth was used as a response variable to study the effects of in utero irradiations on birth weight. Analyses were performed in such a manner as to allow for variations in litter size and environmental temperatures. No effects due to irradiation were noted for exposures given 8 days postcoitus (dpc) and 55 dpc. However, for exposures given 28 dpc, a 5% decrement in birth weight was found for an 80 rad dose

Testing a computer-based ostomy care training resource for staff nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Bales, Isabel

2010-05-01

Fragmented teaching and ostomy care provided by nonspecialized clinicians unfamiliar with state-of-the-art care and products have been identified as problems in teaching ostomy care to the new ostomate. After conducting a literature review of theories and concepts related to the impact of nurse behaviors and confidence on ostomy care, the author developed a computer-based learning resource and assessed its effect on staff nurse confidence. Of 189 staff nurses with a minimum of 1 year acute-care experience employed in the acute care, emergency, and rehabilitation departments of an acute care facility in the Midwestern US, 103 agreed to participate and returned completed pre- and post-tests, each comprising the same eight statements about providing ostomy care. F and P values were computed for differences between pre- and post test scores. Based on a scale where 1 = totally disagree and 5 = totally agree with the statement, baseline confidence and perceived mean knowledge scores averaged 3.8 and after viewing the resource program post-test mean scores averaged 4.51, a statistically significant improvement (P = 0.000). The largest difference between pre- and post test scores involved feeling confident in having the resources to learn ostomy skills independently. The availability of an electronic ostomy care resource was rated highly in both pre- and post testing. Studies to assess the effects of increased confidence and knowledge on the quality and provision of care are warranted.

Resource programs: Draft Environmental Impact Statement Resource Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

Every two years, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) prepares a Resource Program which identifies the resource actions BPA will take to meet its obligation to serve the forecasted power requirements of its customers. The Resource Program's Environmental Impact Statement (RPEIS) is a programmatic environmental document which will support decisions made in several future Resource Programs. Environmental documents tiered to the EIS may be prepared on a site-specific basis. The RPEIS includes a description of the environmental effects and mitigation for the various resource types available in order to evaluate the trade-offs among them. It also assesses the environmental impacts of adding thirteen alternative combinations of resources to the existing power system. This report contains the appendices to the RPEIS

Uranium market and resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capus, G.; Arnold, Th.

2004-01-01

The controversy about the extend of the uranium resources worldwide is still important, this article sheds some light on this topic. Every 2 years IAEA and NEA (nuclear energy agency) edit an inventory of uranium resources as reported by contributing countries. It appears that about 4.6 millions tons of uranium are available at a recovery cost less than 130 dollars per kg of uranium and a total of 14 millions tons of uranium can be assessed when including all existing or supposed resources. In fact there is enough uranium to sustain a moderate growth of the park of nuclear reactors during next decades and it is highly likely that the volume of uranium resources can allow a more aggressive development of nuclear energy. It is recalled that a broad use of the validated breeder technology can stretch the durability of uranium resources by a factor 50. (A.C.)

The renewable energy resources in Bulgaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ivanov, P.; Lingova, S.; Trifonova, L.

1996-01-01

The paper presents the results from the joint study between the National Laboratory of Renewable Energy Resources of USA and the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, Sofia (BG). The geographical distribution of solar and wind energy potential in Bulgaria as well as inventory of biomass is studied. Calculation of total, available and reserve solar and wind resources is performed. Comparative data on all kind of renewable energy resources in Bulgaria are presented. The evaluation of economically accessible resources and feasibility of implementation of specific technologies is given. 7 refs., 1 tab

Youth physical activity resource use and activity measured by accelerometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Maslow, Andréa L; Colabianchi, Natalie

2011-01-01

To examine whether use of physical activity resources (eg, parks) was associated with daily physical activity measured by accelerometry. One hundred eleven adolescents completed a travel diary with concurrent accelerometry. The main exposure was self-reported use of a physical activity resource (none /1+ resources). The main outcomes were total minutes spent in daily (1) moderate-vigorous physical activity and (2) vigorous physical activity. Using a physical activity resource was significantly associated with total minutes in moderate-vigorous physical activity. African Americans and males had significantly greater moderate-vigorous physical activity. Results from this study support the development and use of physical activity resources.

Youth Physical Activity Resources Use and Activity Measured by Accelerometry

Science.gov (United States)

Maslow, Andréa L.; Colabianchi, Natalie

2014-01-01

Objectives To examine whether utilization of physical activity resources (eg, parks) was associated with daily physical activity measured by accelerometry. Methods 111 adolescents completed a travel diary with concurrent accelerometry. The main exposure was self-reported utilization of a physical activity resource (none/1+ resources). The main outcomes were total minutes spent in daily 1) moderate-vigorous physical activity and 2) vigorous physical activity. Results Utilizing a physical activity resource was significantly associated with total minutes in moderate-vigorous physical activity. African-Americans and males had significantly greater moderate-vigorous physical activity. Conclusions Results from this study support the development and use of physical activity resources. PMID:21204684

Effect of Population Growths on Water Resources in Dubai Emirate, United Arab Emirates

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Nuaimi, Hind S.; Murad, Ahmed A.

The Emirate of Dubai is situated to the north of the United Arab Emirates on the Arabian Gulf. Due to its political stability and strong economy, people are continuing to immigrate to Dubai and this will enhance the stress on water resources. Therefore, demands for water will increase significantly in Dubai. The scarcity of water resources in Dubai is evident. The total production of water in the Dubai has increased to 61,478 million gallons in 2004. About 58,808 million gallons has been produced from the desalination plants in 2004. The production of freshwater from the main aquifers is about 2763 and 2655 million gallons for the years 2003 and 2004, respectively. The reduction of groundwater in 2004 may be ascribed to the low amount of rainfall and to the decreasing capacity of the aquifers. Treated wastewater is another source for water whose quantity was increased from 72 m3 to about 107 m3 in 2000 and 2004, respectively. The increase in water production in Dubai to meet the demand corresponds to population growth and this might be attributed to the political stability and strong economy. Moreover, major problems related to the water resources have appeared and affected the availability of freshwater in Dubai. These problems include: lowering water level and groundwater deterioration. This paper is aimed to assess the impacts of population growth on water resources in Dubai.

Effective Techniques for the Promotion of Library Services and Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Yi, Zhixian

2016-01-01

Introduction: This study examines how Australian academic librarians perceive techniques for promoting services and resources, and the factors affecting the perceptions regarding effectiveness of techniques used. Method: Data were collected from an online survey that was sent to 400 academic librarians in thirty-seven Australian universities. The…

Promoting effective use of library resources and services at Kwame ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This explains why various library services have been developed to promote and facilitate effective use of recorded information in all formats by users. This paper examines the resources available and services offered by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Library. The methodology used ...

Comparisons of Mathematics Intervention Effects in Resource and Inclusive Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Bottge, Brian A.; Cohen, Allan S.; Choi, Hye-Jeong

2018-01-01

In this article, we describe results of a reanalysis of two randomized studies that tested the effects of enhanced anchored instruction (EAI) on the fractions computation performance of students in special education resource rooms and inclusive mathematics classrooms. Latent class analysis and latent transition analysis classified students…

Economic and environmental effects under resource scarcity and substitution between renewable and non-renewable resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Susana; Soares, Isabel; Afonso, Oscar

2013-01-01

We build a general equilibrium model with renewable (non-polluting) and non-renewable (polluting) resources to analyze the interaction and compatibility between economic growth and a cleaner environment. The study is in two phases: (i) resource extraction/production costs are constant; (ii) resource producers invest in knowledge to reduce extraction/production costs, endogenizing technical change. With constant costs, there is a permanent trade-off between economic growth and a cleaner environment. With endogenous technical change, it is possible to harmonize more output and less emissions by replacing non-renewable resources for renewable ones. We also conduct a sensitivity analysis to explore three specific policy actions. With constant costs, the best policy action is the imposition of a higher renewable resources standard, while with endogenous technical change, under certain conditions, all policy interventions may benefit both the economy and the environment. - Highlights: ► Our general equilibrium model includes renewable and non-renewable resources. ► Under constant resource production costs emissions grow at the same rate as output. ► Resource producers can invest in knowledge to reduce production costs. ► Under decreasing costs, lower emissions are compatible with stable output growth. ► Empirical results differ under constant costs and under endogenous technical change

Toward More Effective Use of School Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Rossmiller, Richard A.; Geske, Terry G.

1976-01-01

Discusses the use of economic analysis to examine relationships between school resources and school outcomes. Outlines a conceptual framework that employs a systems approach to analyze the efficiency of school resource allocation. (JG)

An Evaluation of a Human Machine Interface based on Attentional-resources Effectiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Seong, Poong Hyun

2008-01-01

Measures of attentional-resource effectiveness during monitoring and detection tasks in nuclear power plants (NPPs) have been developed based on cost-benefit principle and validated with experimental studies. The underlying principle of the measures is that information sources should be selectively attended according to their informational importance. One of two measures is Fixation to Importance Ratio (FIR) which represents attentional-resources (eye fixations) spent on an information source compared to importance of the information source

Total dose effects on ATLAS-SCT front-end electronics

CERN Document Server

Ullán, M; Dubbs, T; Grillo, A A; Spencer, E; Seiden, A; Spieler, H; Gilchriese, M G D; Lozano, M

2002-01-01

Low dose rate effects (LDRE) in bipolar technologies complicate the hardness assurance testing for high energy physics applications. The damage produced in the ICs in the real experiment can be underestimated if fast irradiations are carried out, while experiments done at the real dose rate are usually unpractical due to the still high total doses involved. In this work the sensitivity to LDRE of two bipolar technologies proposed for the ATLAS-SCT experiment at CERN is evaluated, finding one of them free of those effects. (12 refs).

Unprecedented carbon accumulation in mined soils: the synergistic effect of resource input and plant species invasion.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Lucas C R; Corrêa, Rodrigo S; Doane, Timothy A; Pereira, Engil I P; Horwath, William R

2013-09-01

Opencast mining causes severe impacts on natural environments, often resulting in permanent damage to soils and vegetation. In the present study we use a 14-year restoration chronosequence to investigate how resource input and spontaneous plant colonization promote the revegetation and reconstruction of mined soils in central Brazil. Using a multi-proxy approach, combining vegetation surveys with the analysis of plant and soil isotopic abundances (delta13C and delta15N) and chemical and physical fractionation of organic matter in soil profiles, we show that: (1) after several decades without vegetation cover, the input of nutrient-rich biosolids into exposed regoliths prompted the establishment of a diverse plant community (> 30 species); (2) the synergistic effect of resource input and plant colonization yielded unprecedented increases in soil carbon, accumulating as chemically stable compounds in occluded physical fractions and reaching much higher levels than observed in undisturbed ecosystems; and (3) invasive grasses progressively excluded native species, limiting nutrient availability, but contributing more than 65% of the total accumulated soil organic carbon. These results show that soil-plant feedbacks regulate the amount of available resources, determining successional trajectories and alternative stable equilibria in degraded areas undergoing restoration. External inputs promote plant colonization, soil formation, and carbon sequestration, at the cost of excluding native species. The introduction of native woody species would suppress invasive grasses and increase nutrient availability, bringing the system closer to its original state. However, it is difficult to predict whether soil carbon levels could be maintained without the exotic grass cover. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of these findings, describing how the combination of resource manipulation and management of invasive species could be used to optimize restoration strategies

Analyzing potential effects of migration on coastal resource conservation in Southeastern Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldbach, Carina; Schlüter, Achim; Fujitani, Marie

2018-03-01

Coastal areas are under increasing pressure from rapid human population growth, yet empirical research on the effect of migration on coastal and marine resources is scarce. We contribute to this understudied literature by conducting an original household survey in a coastal region of Southeastern Ghana. This study employs two proxies for pro-environmental behavior that have not, to our knowledge, been used in the context of coastal migration, to explicitly compare migrant and non-migrant populations. Environmental attitudes toward coastal resources and individual extraction behavior in common-pool resource (CPR) experiments have shown broad relevance in the literature to understand natural resource decision making. We found that migrants in general did not differ significantly from non-migrants in relation to their environmental attitudes or their extraction behavior in the CPR game. However, when focusing on migrant fishers only, results suggested that this subgroup was less concerned about the utilization of coastal resources than non-migrant fishers and behaved less cooperatively in the CPR experiment. These findings, though, held true only for the subgroup of fishers, and could not be found for other occupational groups. Therefore, we conclude that migrants do not per se value coastal resources less or cooperate less in CPR situations, but that socioeconomic characteristics, and particularly their occupational status and their relation to the resource, matter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

TOTAL FINA ELF. Annual report 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This document is the annual report 2002 of Total-Fina-Elf society, great company on the hydrocarbons market. According to the company objective (set the standard not only with the financial performance, but also with stringent requirements in terms of social and environmental responsibility), it presents the Chairman message, the corporate governance, the social and environmental responsibility, the future of energy, the human resources policy, the investor relations, the overview of Total-Fina-Elf fiscal year with financial information and 2002 industrial events. (A.L.B.)

Effect of red and yellow ginger on growth performance and total ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of the red and yellow ginger on performance, nutrient digestibility and total antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens. In a 2×2×2+1 factorial design, a total of two hundred and sixteen, three weeks old broiler chicken with initial weight of 430 g (± 0.1g SE) were assigned to ...

Effects of climate change on Pacific Northwest water-related resources: Summary of preliminary findings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott, M.J.; Sands, R.D.; Vail, L.W.; Chatters, J.C.; Neitzel, D.A.; Shankle, S.A.

1993-12-01

The Pacific Northwest Case Study is a multi-agency analysis of atmospheric/climatic change impacts on the Pacific Northwest (which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and portions of the Columbia River Basin in Western Montana). The purpose of the case study, which began in fiscal year 1991, was to develop and test analytical tools, as well as to develop an assessment of the effects of climate change on climate-sensitive natural resources of the Pacific Northwest and economic sectors dependent on them. The overall study, jointly funded by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency, was a broad-based, reconnaissance-level study to identify potential climate impacts on agriculture, coastal resources, forest resources, and irrigation in the Pacific Northwest. DOE participated in the reconnaissance study, with responsibility for hydroelectric and water supply issues. While this report briefly discusses a broader array of water issues, attention is mainly focused on three aspects of the water study: (1) the effects of the region`s higher temperatures on the demand for electric power (which in turn puts additional demand on hydroelectric resources of the region); (2) the effects of higher temperatures and changes, both in precipitation amounts and seasonality, on river flows and hydroelectric supply; and (3) the effect of higher temperatures and changed precipitation amounts and seasonality on salmonid resources -- particularly the rearing conditions in tributaries of the Columbia River Basin. Because the meaning of regional climate forecasts is still quite uncertain, most of the preliminary findings are based on sensitivity analyses and historical analog climate scenarios.

Natural light-micro aerobic condition for PSB wastewater treatment: a flexible, simple, and effective resource recovery wastewater treatment process.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Haifeng; Han, Ting; Zhang, Guangming; Ma, Shanshan; Zhang, Yuanhui; Li, Baoming; Cao, Wei

2018-01-01

Photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) have two sets of metabolic pathways. They can degrade pollutants through light metabolic under light-anaerobic or oxygen metabolic pathways under dark-aerobic conditions. Both metabolisms function under natural light-microaerobic condition, which demands less energy input. This work investigated the characteristics of PSB wastewater treatment process under that condition. Results showed that PSB had very strong adaptability to chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration; with F/M of 5.2-248.5 mg-COD/mg-biomass, the biomass increased three times and COD removal reached above 91.5%. PSB had both advantages of oxygen metabolism in COD removal and light metabolism in resource recovery under natural light-microaerobic condition. For pollutants' degradation, COD, total organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus removal reached 96.2%, 91.0%, 70.5%, and 92.7%, respectively. For resource recovery, 74.2% of C in wastewater was transformed into biomass. Especially, coexistence of light and oxygen promote N recovery ratio to 70.9%, higher than with the other two conditions. Further, 93.7% of N-removed was synthesized into biomass. Finally, CO 2 emission reduced by 62.6% compared with the traditional process. PSB wastewater treatment under this condition is energy-saving, highly effective, and environment friendly, and can achieve pollution control and resource recovery.

Industrial water resources management based on violation risk analysis of the total allowable target on wastewater discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Wencong; Cai, Yanpeng; Xu, Linyu; Yang, Zhifeng; Yin, Xin'An; Su, Meirong

2017-07-11

To improve the capabilities of conventional methodologies in facilitating industrial water allocation under uncertain conditions, an integrated approach was developed through the combination of operational research, uncertainty analysis, and violation risk analysis methods. The developed approach can (a) address complexities of industrial water resources management (IWRM) systems, (b) facilitate reflections of multiple uncertainties and risks of the system and incorporate them into a general optimization framework, and (c) manage robust actions for industrial productions in consideration of water supply capacity and wastewater discharging control. The developed method was then demonstrated in a water-stressed city (i.e., the City of Dalian), northeastern China. Three scenarios were proposed according to the city's industrial plans. The results indicated that in the planning year of 2020 (a) the production of civilian-used steel ships and machine-made paper & paperboard would reduce significantly, (b) violation risk of chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge under scenario 1 would be the most prominent, compared with those under scenarios 2 and 3, (c) the maximal total economic benefit under scenario 2 would be higher than the benefit under scenario 3, and (d) the production of rolling contact bearing, rail vehicles, and commercial vehicles would be promoted.

Effects of climate change on evapotranspiration over the Okavango Delta water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Moses, Oliver; Hambira, Wame L.

2018-06-01

In semi-arid developing countries, most poor people depend on contaminated surface or groundwater resources since they do not have access to safe and centrally supplied water. These water resources are threatened by several factors that include high evapotranspiration rates. In the Okavango Delta region in the north-western Botswana, communities facing insufficient centrally supplied water rely mainly on the surface water resources of the Delta. The Delta loses about 98% of its water through evapotranspiration. However, the 2% remaining water rescues the communities facing insufficient water from the main stream water supply. To understand the effects of climate change on evapotranspiration over the Okavango Delta water resources, this study analysed trends in the main climatic parameters needed as input variables in evapotranspiration models. The Mann Kendall test was used in the analysis. Trend analysis is crucial since it reveals the direction of trends in the climatic parameters, which is helpful in determining the effects of climate change on evapotranspiration. The main climatic parameters required as input variables in evapotranspiration models that were of interest in this study were wind speeds, solar radiation and relative humidity. Very little research has been conducted on these climatic parameters in the Okavango Delta region. The conducted trend analysis was more on wind speeds, which had relatively longer data records than the other two climatic parameters of interest. Generally, statistically significant increasing trends have been found, which suggests that climate change is likely to further increase evapotranspiration over the Okavango Delta water resources.

Resource price turbulence and macroeconomic adjustment for a resource exporter. A conceptual framework for policy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, Grant M.; Harvie, Charles

2010-01-01

Increased global demand for energy and other resources, particularly from the rapidly developing economies of China and India and the opening up of global resource markets to global investors and speculative activity, has resulted in considerable recent turbulence in resource prices. The recent magnitude of change in resource prices, both positive and negative, and their macroeconomic implications is of considerable contemporary importance to both resource importing and exporting economies. For a resource exporting economy, such as that of Australia, the recent resource price boom has resulted in: increased government taxation revenue, increased employment and wages in the resource and resource related sectors, increased spending in the domestic economy that contributed to buoyant economic growth, increased resource exports to the booming economies of China and India and contributed to a stronger domestic currency with beneficial effects upon inflation. On the other hand these developments have had adverse effects on the non-resource sector by: subjecting it to more intense competition for limited resources, contributing to a loss of international competitiveness and reduced exports arising from a stronger exchange rate, reducing employment in the relatively more labour intensive non-resource sector, and contributing to an eventual slow down in the overall economy. These positive and negative effects, and the overall impact of a resource price boom, require a fundamentally closer analysis of the structure of the economy under scrutiny. In this context the policy response by government is likely to be pivotal in determining the overall macroeconomic outcomes from a resource price boom. The aim of this paper is to develop a generic analytical framework to appraise economic outcomes in the wake of a resource price boom for a resource producing and exporting economy. To this end a dynamic long run macroeconomic model is developed, emphasising the important role and

Allelopathy and resource competition: the effects of Phragmites australis invasion in plant communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Uddin, Md Nazim; Robinson, Randall William

2017-12-01

Phragmites australis, a ubiquitous wetland plant, has been considered one of the most invasive species in the world. Allelopathy appears to be one of the invasion mechanisms, however, the effects could be masked by resource competition among target plants. The difficulty of distinguishing allelopathy from resource competition among plants has hindered investigations of the role of phytotoxic allelochemicals in plant communities. This has been addressed via experiments conducted in both the greenhouse and laboratory by growing associated plants, Melaleuca ericifolia, Rumex conglomeratus, and model plant, Lactuca sativa at varying densities with the allelopathic plant, P. australis, its litter and leachate of P. australis litter. This study investigated the potential interacting influences of allelopathy and resource competition on plant growth-density relationships. In greenhouse, the root exudates mediated effects showed the strongest growth inhibition of M. ericifolia at high density whereas litter mediated results revealed increased growth at medium density treatments compared to low and high density. Again, laboratory experiments related to seed germination and seedling growth of L. sativa and R. conglomeratus exhibited phytotoxicity decreased showing positive growth as plant density increased and vice versa. Overall, the differential effects were observed among experiments but maximum individual plant biomass and some other positive effects on plant traits such as root and shoot length, chlorophyll content occurred at an intermediate density. This was attributed to the sharing of the available phytotoxin among plants at high densities which is compatible to density-dependent phytotoxicity model. The results demonstrated that plant-plant interference is the combined effect of allelopathy and resource competition with many other factors but this experimental design, target-neighbor mixed-culture in combination of plant grown at varying densities with varying

User Utility Oriented Queuing Model for Resource Allocation in Cloud Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhe Zhang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Resource allocation is one of the most important research topics in servers. In the cloud environment, there are massive hardware resources of different kinds, and many kinds of services are usually run on virtual machines of the cloud server. In addition, cloud environment is commercialized, and economical factor should also be considered. In order to deal with commercialization and virtualization of cloud environment, we proposed a user utility oriented queuing model for task scheduling. Firstly, we modeled task scheduling in cloud environment as an M/M/1 queuing system. Secondly, we classified the utility into time utility and cost utility and built a linear programming model to maximize total utility for both of them. Finally, we proposed a utility oriented algorithm to maximize the total utility. Massive experiments validate the effectiveness of our proposed model.

Total Quality Management in Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherr, Lawrence A.; Lozier, G. Gredgory

1991-01-01

Total Quality Management, based on theories of W. Edward Deming and others, is a style of management using continuous process improvement characterized by mission and customer focus, a systematic approach to operations, vigorous development of human resources, long-term thinking, and a commitment to ensuring quality. The values espoused by this…

Biogenic Methane Generation Potential in the Eastern Nankai Trough, Japan: Effect of Reaction Temperature and Total Organic Carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Aung, T. T.; Fujii, T.; Amo, M.; Suzuki, K.

2017-12-01

Understanding potential of methane flux from the Pleistocene fore-arc basin filled turbiditic sedimentary formation along the eastern Nankai Trough is important in the quantitative assessment of gas hydrate resources. We considered generated methane could exist in sedimentary basin in the forms of three major components, and those are methane in methane hydrate, free gas and methane dissolved in water. Generation of biomethane strongly depends on microbe activity and microbes in turn survive in diverse range of temperature, salinity and pH. This study aims to understand effect of reaction temperature and total organic carbon on generation of biomethane and its components. Biomarker analysis and cultural experiment results of the core samples from the eastern Nankai Trough reveal that methane generation rate gets peak at various temperature ranging12.5°to 35°. Simulation study of biomethane generation was made using commercial basin scale simulator, PetroMod, with different reaction temperature and total organic carbon to predict how these effect on generation of biomethane. Reaction model is set by Gaussian distribution with constant hydrogen index and standard deviation of 1. Series of simulation cases with peak reaction temperature ranging 12.5°to 35° and total organic carbon of 0.6% to 3% were conducted and analyzed. Simulation results show that linear decrease in generation potential while increasing reaction temperature. But decreasing amount becomes larger in the model with higher total organic carbon. At higher reaction temperatures, >30°, extremely low generation potential was found. This is due to the fact that the source formation modeled is less than 1 km in thickness and most of formation do not reach temperature more than 30°. In terms of the components, methane in methane hydrate and free methane increase with increasing TOC. Drastic increase in free methane was observed in the model with 3% of TOC. Methane amount dissolved in water shows almost

Effects of microcosm scaling and food resources on growth and survival of larval Culex pipiens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paradise Christopher J

2001-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We used a simple experimental design to test for the effects of microcosm scaling on the growth and survival of the mosquito, Culex pipiens. Microcosm and mesocosm studies are commonly used in ecology, and there is often an assumption that scaling doesn't affect experimental outcomes. The assumption is implicit in the design; choice of mesocosms may be arbitrary or based on convenience or cost. We tested the hypothesis that scale would influence larvae due to depth and surface area effects. Larvae were predicted to perform poorly in microcosms that were both deep and had small openings, due to buildup of waste products, less exchange with the environment, and increased competition. To determine if the choice of scale affected responses to other factors, we independently varied leaf litter quantity, whose effects on mosquitoes are well known. Results We found adverse effects of both a lower wall surface area and lower horizontal surface area, but microcosm scale interacted with resources such that C. pipiens is affected by habitat size only when food resources are scarce. At low resource levels mosquitoes were fewer, but larger, in microcosms with smaller horizontal surface area and greater depth than in microcosms with greater horizontal surface area and shallower depth. Microcosms with more vertical surface area/volume often produced larger mosquitoes; more food may have been available since mosquitoes browse on walls and other substrates for food. Conclusions The interaction between habitat size and food abundance is consequential to aquatic animals, and choice of scale in experiments may affect results. Varying surface area and depth causes the scale effect, with small horizontal surface area and large depth decreasing matter exchange with the surrounding environment. In addition, fewer resources leads to less leaf surface area, and the effects of varying surface area will be greater under conditions of limiting resources

A Bio-inspired Approach for Power and Performance Aware Resource Allocation in Clouds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kumar Rajesh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In order to cope with increasing demand, cloud market players such as Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Gogrid, Flexiant, etc. have set up large sized data centers. Due to monotonically increasing size of data centers and heterogeneity of resources have made resource allocation a challenging task. A large percentage of total energy consumption of the data centers gets wasted because of under-utilization of resources. Thus, there is a need of resource allocation technique that improves the utilization of resources with effecting performance of services being delivered to end users. In this work, a bio-inspired resource allocation approach is proposed with the aim to improve utilization and hence the energy efficiency of the cloud infrastructure. The proposed approach makes use of Cuckoo search for power and performance aware allocation of resources to the services hired by the end users. The proposed approach is implemented in CloudSim. The simulation results have shown approximately 12% saving in energy consumption.

Family resources for families of children with cerebral palsy in Jordan: psychometric properties of the Arabic-family resources scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Almasri, N A; Saleh, M; Dunst, C J

2014-05-01

Resource-based, family-centred practices are associated with better health, emotional, and social well-being of children with disabilities. The adequacy of resources available for families of children with disabilities in Middle Eastern countries has not been described adequately in part because of lack of measures that are culturally adapted to be used in Arabic countries. Therefore, this study aims to (1) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-Family Resource Scale (A-FRS) on a sample of families of children cerebral palsy (CP); (2) examine the adequacy of family resources as perceived by parents of children with CP in Jordan; and (3) examine the influence of child and family demographic variables on how parents report resources available to their families. A cross-section design was applied. One-hundred fifteen parents of children with CP with mean age 4.6 years (SD = 4.4) and their parents participated in the study. Research assistants interviewed the participants to complete the A-FRS, and family and child demographic questionnaire, and determined the Gross Motor Function Classification System level of children. The principal axis factoring of the A-FRS yielded a six-factor solution that accounted for 67.39% of the variance and that is different than the factor structure reported by the developers of the FRS. Cronbach’s coefficient alpha of the total score of family resources was 0.86 indicating a good internal consistency and the test–retest reliability for the total scale score was r = 0.92 (P = 0.000) indicating excellent test–retest reliability. Child health and family income were significantly associated with the total score of the A-FRS. The A-FRS is a valid and reliable measure of family resources for Jordanian families of children with CP. Service providers are encouraged to use A-FRS with families to plan resource-based interventions in which family resources are mobilized to meet family needs.

Effects of preoperative neuromuscular electrical stimulation on quadriceps strength and functional recovery in total knee arthroplasty. A pilot study.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Walls, Raymond J

2010-01-01

Supervised preoperative muscle strengthening programmes (prehabilitation) can improve recovery after total joint arthroplasty but are considered resource intensive. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been shown to improve quadriceps femoris muscle (QFM) strength and clinical function in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA) however it has not been previously investigated as a prehabilitation modality.

TOTAL 2003 activities report in brief

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This activities report presents the activities of the petroleum industry Group Total for the year 2003. The following topics are detailed: the corporate social responsibility with the environment stewardship, the energy future management, the safety enhancing, the human resources and the ethics and local development; the shareholder information with the Total share and the share-holding structure; the activities with informations on the Group, the main events, the upstream exploration and production,, the downstream refining, marketing, trading and shipping, the chemicals with overview 2003, base chemical and polymers, performance and specialities. (A.L.B.)

Effects of maternal nutrition, resource use and multi-predator risk on neonatal white-tailed deer survival.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jared F Duquette

Full Text Available Growth of ungulate populations is typically most sensitive to survival of neonates, which in turn is influenced by maternal nutritional condition and trade-offs in resource selection and avoidance of predators. We assessed whether resource use, multi-predator risk, maternal nutritional effects, hiding cover, or interactions among these variables best explained variation in daily survival of free-ranging neonatal white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus during their post-partum period (14 May-31 Aug in Michigan, USA. We used Cox proportional hazards mixed-effects models to assess survival related to covariates of resource use, composite predation risk of 4 mammalian predators, fawn body mass at birth, winter weather, and vegetation growth phenology. Predation, particularly from coyotes (Canis latrans, was the leading cause of mortality; however, an additive model of non-ideal resource use and maternal nutritional effects explained 71% of the variation in survival. This relationship suggested that dams selected areas where fawns had poor resources, while greater predation in these areas led to additive mortalities beyond those related to resource use alone. Also, maternal nutritional effects suggested that severe winters resulted in dams producing smaller fawns, which decreased their likelihood of survival. Fawn resource use appeared to reflect dam avoidance of lowland forests with poor forage and greater use by wolves (C. lupus, their primary predator. While this strategy led to greater fawn mortality, particularly by coyotes, it likely promoted the life-long reproductive success of dams because many reached late-age (>10 years old and could have produced multiple generations of fawns. Studies often link resource selection and survival of ungulates, but our results suggested that multiple factors can mediate that relationship, including multi-predator risk. We emphasize the importance of identifying interactions among biological and

Marketing and technology resource complementarity : An analysis of their Interaction Effect in two environmental contexts

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Song, X.M.; Droge, C.; Hanvanich, S.; Calantone, R.J.

2005-01-01

The dynamic capabilities perspective posits that a firm can leverage the performance impact of existing resources through resource configuration, complementarity, and integration, but little empirical research addresses these issues. We investigate the effects on performance of marketing

Effect of vertical integration on the utilization of hardwood resources

Science.gov (United States)

Jan Wiedenbeck

2002-01-01

The effectiveness of vertical integration in promoting the efficient utilization of the hardwood resource in the eastern United States was assessed during a series of interviews with vertically integrated hardwood manufacturers in the Appalachian region. Data from 19 companies that responded to the 1996 phone survey indicate that: 1) vertically integrated hardwood...

Cost-effectiveness Assessment of 5G Systems with Cooperative Radio Resource Sharing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Nikolikj

2015-11-01

Full Text Available By use of techno-economic analysis of heterogeneous hierarchical cell structures and spectral efficiencies of the forthcoming advanced radio access technologies, this paper proposes various cost-efficient capacity enlargement strategies evaluated through the level of the production cost per transferred data unit and achievable profit margins. For the purpose of maximizing the aggregate performance (capacity or profit, we also assess the cooperative manners of radio resource sharing between mobile network operators, especially in the cases of capacity over-provisioning, when we also determine the principles to provide guaranteed data rates to a particular number of users. The results show that, for heavily loaded office environments, the future 5G pico base stations could be a preferable deployment solution. Also, we confirm that the radio resource management method with dynamic resource allocation can significantly improve the capacity of two comparably loaded operators which share the resources and aim to increase their cost effectiveness.

Effect of feeding palm oil by-products based diets on total bacteria, cellulolytic bacteria and methanogenic archaea in the rumen of goats.

Science.gov (United States)

Abubakr, Abdelrahim; Alimon, Abdul Razak; Yaakub, Halimatun; Abdullah, Norhani; Ivan, Michael

2014-01-01

Rumen microorganisms are responsible for digestion and utilization of dietary feeds by host ruminants. Unconventional feed resources could be used as alternatives in tropical areas where feed resources are insufficient in terms of quality and quantity. The objective of the present experiment was to evaluate the effect of diets based on palm oil (PO), decanter cake (DC) or palm kernel cake (PKC) on rumen total bacteria, selected cellulolytic bacteria, and methanogenic archaea. Four diets: control diet (CD), decanter cake diet (DCD), palm kernel cake diet (PKCD) and CD plus 5% PO diet (CPOD) were fed to rumen cannulated goats and rumen samples were collected at the start of the experimental diets (day 0) and on days 4, 6, 8, 12, 18, 24 and 30 post dietary treatments. Feeding DCD and PKCD resulted in significantly higher (Pgoats fed PKCD and CPOD and the trend showed a severe reduction on days 4 and 6 post experimental diets. In conclusion, results indicated that feeding DCD and PKC increased the populations of cellulolytic bacteria and decreased the density of methanogenic archaea in the rumen of goats.

Resource Letter OSE-1: Observing Solar Eclipses

Science.gov (United States)

Pasachoff, Jay M.; Fraknoi, Andrew

2017-07-01

This Resource Letter provides a guide to the available literature, listing selected books, articles, and online resources about scientific, cultural, and practical issues related to observing solar eclipses. It is timely, given that a total solar eclipse will cross the continental United States on August 21, 2017. The next total solar eclipse path crossing the U.S. and Canada will be on April 8, 2024. In 2023, the path of annularity of an annular eclipse will cross Mexico, the United States, and Canada, with partial phases visible throughout those countries.

The effect of a total rewards strategy on school teachers’ retention

OpenAIRE

Boitomelo Makhuzeni; E. Nicolene Barkhuizen

2015-01-01

Orientation: South African schools are facing significant challenges to retain a talented pool of school teachers. A total rewards strategy could assist schools to reduce teacher turnover. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a total rewards strategy on the turnover intentions of school teachers in the North-West province. Motivation: The under supply of quality teachers has negative consequences for both school pupils and the larger community. Re...

Self-reported Function, Health Resource Use, and Total Health Care Costs Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Glaucoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Prager, Alisa J; Liebmann, Jeffrey M; Cioffi, George A; Blumberg, Dana M

2016-04-01

The effect of glaucoma on nonglaucomatous medical conditions and resultant secondary health care costs is not well understood. To assess self-reported medical conditions, the use of medical services, and total health care costs among Medicare beneficiaries with glaucoma. Longitudinal observational study of 72,587 Medicare beneficiaries in the general community using the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (2004-2009). Coding to extract data started in January 2015, and analyses were performed between May and July 2015. Self-reported health, the use of health care services, adjusted mean annual total health care costs per person, and adjusted mean annual nonoutpatient costs per person. Participants were 72,587 Medicare beneficiaries 65 years or older with (n = 4441) and without (n = 68,146) a glaucoma diagnosis in the year before collection of survey data. Their mean age was 76.9 years, and 43.2% were male. Patients with glaucoma who responded to survey questions on visual disability were stratified into those with (n = 1748) and without (n = 2639) self-reported visual disability. Medicare beneficiaries with glaucoma had higher adjusted odds of inpatient hospitalizations (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95% CI, 1.17-1.39; P total health care costs and $2599 (95% CI, $1985-$3212; P total and nonoutpatient medical costs. Perception of vision loss among patients with glaucoma may be associated with depression, falls, and difficulty walking. Reducing the prevalence and severity of glaucoma may result in improvements in associated nonglaucomatous medical conditions and resultant reduction in health care costs.

Effect of total pressure on graphite oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnette, R.D.; Hoot, C.G.

1983-04-01

Graphite corrosion in the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is calculated using two key assumptions: (1) the kinetic, catalysis, and transport characteristics of graphite determined by bench-scale tests apply to large components at reactor conditions and (2) the effects of high pressure and turbulent flow are predictable. To better understand the differences between laboratory tests and reactor conditions, a high-pressure test loop (HPTL) has been constructed and used to perform tests at reactor temperature, pressure, and flow conditions. The HPTL is intended to determine the functional dependence of oxidation rate and characteristics on total pressure and gas velocity and to compare the oxidation results with calculations using models and codes developed for the reactor

The Effect of a Physical Activity Program on the Total Number of Primary Care Visits in Inactive Patients: A 15-Month Randomized Controlled Trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Giné-Garriga

Full Text Available Effective promotion of exercise could result in substantial savings in healthcare cost expenses in terms of direct medical costs, such as the number of medical appointments. However, this is hampered by our limited knowledge of how to achieve sustained increases in physical activity.To assess the effectiveness of a Primary Health Care (PHC based physical activity program in reducing the total number of visits to the healthcare center among inactive patients, over a 15-month period.Randomized controlled trial.Three hundred and sixty-two (n = 362 inactive patients suffering from at least one chronic condition were included. One hundred and eighty-three patients (n = 183; mean (SD; 68.3 (8.8 years; 118 women were randomly allocated to the physical activity program (IG. One hundred and seventy-nine patients (n = 179; 67.2 (9.1 years; 106 women were allocated to the control group (CG. The IG went through a three-month standardized physical activity program led by physical activity specialists and linked to community resources.The total number of medical appointments to the PHC, during twelve months before and after the program, was registered. Self-reported health status (SF-12 version 2 was assessed at baseline (month 0, at the end of the intervention (month 3, and at 12 months follow-up after the end of the intervention (month 15.The IG had a significantly reduced number of visits during the 12 months after the intervention: 14.8 (8.5. The CG remained about the same: 18.2 (11.1 (P = .002.Our findings indicate that a 3-month physical activity program linked to community resources is a short-duration, effective and sustainable intervention in inactive patients to decrease rates of PHC visits.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00714831.

Use of normalized total dose to represent the biological effect of fractionated radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flickinger, J C; Kalend, A [Pittsburgh University School of Medicine (USA). Department of Radiation Oncology Pittsburg Cancer Institute (USA)

1990-03-01

There are currently a number of radiobiological models to account for the effects of dose fractionation and time. Normalized total dose (NTD) is not another new model but is a previously reported, clinically useful form in which to represent the biological effect, determined by any specific radiobiological dose-fractionation model, of a course of radiation using a single set of standardized, easily understood terminology. The generalized form of NTD reviewed in this paper describes the effect of a course of radiotherapy administered with nonstandard fractionation as the total dose of radiation in Gy that could be administered with a given reference fractionation such as 2 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week that would produce an equivalent biological effect (probability of complications or tumor control) as predicted by a given dose-fractionation formula. The use of normalized total dose with several different exponential and linear-quadratic dose-fraction formulas is presented. (author). 51 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab.

Use of normalized total dose to represent the biological effect of fractionated radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flickinger, J.C.; Kalend, A.

1990-01-01

There are currently a number of radiobiological models to account for the effects of dose fractionation and time. Normalized total dose (NTD) is not another new model but is a previously reported, clinically useful form in which to represent the biological effect, determined by any specific radiobiological dose-fractionation model, of a course of radiation using a single set of standardized, easily understood terminology. The generalized form of NTD reviewed in this paper describes the effect of a course of radiotherapy administered with nonstandard fractionation as the total dose of radiation in Gy that could be administered with a given reference fractionation such as 2 Gy per fraction, 5 fractions per week that would produce an equivalent biological effect (probability of complications or tumor control) as predicted by a given dose-fractionation formula. The use of normalized total dose with several different exponential and linear-quadratic dose-fraction formulas is presented. (author). 51 refs.; 1 fig.; 1 tab

Formation of clinker and its effects on locating and limiting coal resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarnecki, J.C.

1991-01-01

Coal burns occur in nature primarily due to spontaneous combustion and the result is baked overburden known as clinker. Understanding occurrences of natural coal burns and formation of clinker is important for coal resource exploration and development. Clinker is an indication of potential commercial coal reserves, and can be located easily due to its difference from the unaltered coal section, especially color, geochemical properties, and aquifer properties. The high porosity and variable material strength of clinker create impacts for aspects of mine development such as foundation planning, slope stability, and water handling. This paper describes the formation of clinker, the use of clinker for coal deposit location, its effect on coal quality, its effect on coal resource development, and the use of clinker in surface mine reclamation

Assessing Resource Value and Relationships Between Objectives in Effects-Based Operations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Jones, Robert D

2006-01-01

...?s objective hierarchy in terms of a set of desired end states for the campaign?s system of systems. Value theory was used to identify the resource's value in terms of the direct and indirect effects that are produced to achieve the campaign...

Methods and tools to simulate the effect of economic instruments in complex water resources systems. Application to the Jucar river basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez-Nicolas, Antonio; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel

2014-05-01

The main challenge of the BLUEPRINT to safeguard Europe's water resources (EC, 2012) is to guarantee that enough good quality water is available for people's needs, the economy and the environment. In this sense, economic policy instruments such as water pricing policies and water markets can be applied to enhance efficient use of water. This paper presents a method based on hydro-economic tools to assess the effect of economic instruments on water resource systems. Hydro-economic models allow integrated analysis of water supply, demand and infrastructure operation at the river basin scale, by simultaneously combining engineering, hydrologic and economic aspects of water resources management. The method made use of the simulation and optimization hydroeconomic tools SIMGAMS and OPTIGAMS. The simulation tool SIMGAMS allocates water resources among the users according to priorities and operating rules, and evaluate economic scarcity costs of the system by using economic demand functions. The model's objective function is designed so that the system aims to meet the operational targets (ranked according to priorities) at each month while following the system operating rules. The optimization tool OPTIGAMS allocates water resources based on an economic efficiency criterion: maximize net benefits, or alternatively, minimizing the total water scarcity and operating cost of water use. SIMGAS allows to simulate incentive water pricing policies based on marginal resource opportunity costs (MROC; Pulido-Velazquez et al., 2013). Storage-dependent step pricing functions are derived from the time series of MROC values at a certain reservoir in the system. These water pricing policies are defined based on water availability in the system (scarcity pricing), so that when water storage is high, the MROC is low, while low storage (drought periods) will be associated to high MROC and therefore, high prices. We also illustrate the use of OPTIGAMS to simulate the effect of ideal water

Allelopathy and resource competition: the effects of Phragmites australis invasion in plant communities

OpenAIRE

Uddin, Md Nazim; Robinson, Randall William

2017-01-01

Background Phragmites australis, a ubiquitous wetland plant, has been considered one of the most invasive species in the world. Allelopathy appears to be one of the invasion mechanisms, however, the effects could be masked by resource competition among target plants. The difficulty of distinguishing allelopathy from resource competition among plants has hindered investigations of the role of phytotoxic allelochemicals in plant communities. This has been addressed via experiments conducted in ...

TOTAL PERFORMANCE SCORECARD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anca ȘERBAN

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to present the evolution of the Balanced Scorecard from a measurement instrument to a strategic performance management tool and to highlight the advantages of implementing the Total Performance Scorecard, especially for Human Resource Management. The study has been accomplished using the methodology of bibliographic study and various secondary sources. Implementing the classical Balanced Scorecard indicated over the years, repeatedly failure. It can be indicated that the crucial level is determined by the learning and growth perspective. It has been developed from a human perspective, which focused on staff satisfaction, innovation perspective with focus on future developments. Integrating the Total Performance Scorecard in an overall framework assures the company’s success, by keeping track of the individual goals, the company’s objectives and strategic directions. Like this, individual identity can be linked to corporate brand, individual aspirations to business goals and individual learning objectives to needed organizational capabilities.

Effects of the Use of Electronic Human Resource Management (EHRM Within Human Resource Management (HRM Functions at Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chux Gervase Iwu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study set out to examine the effect of e-hrm systems in assisting human resource practitioners to execute their duties and responsibilities. In comparison to developed economies of the world, information technology adoption in sub-Saharan Africa has not been without certain glitches. Some of the factors that are responsible for these include poor need identification, sustainable funding, and insufficient skills. Besides these factors, there is also the issue of change management and users sticking to what they already know. Although, the above factors seem negative, there is strong evidence that information systems such as electronic human resource management present benefits to an organization. To achieve this, a dual research approach was utilized. Literature assisted immensely in both the development of the conceptual framework upon which the study hinged as well as in the development of the questionnaire items. The study also made use of an interview checklist to guide the participants. The findings reveal a mix of responses that indicate that while there are gains in adopting e-hrm systems, it is wiser to consider supporting resources as well as articulate the needs of the university better before any investment is made.

Effect of hemodialysis on total antioxidant status of chronic renal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Renal failure is accompanied by oxidative stress, which is caused by enhanced production of reactive oxygen species and impaired antioxidant defense. Aim: To assess the effect of hemodialysis (by cellulose membrane dialyzer) on plasma total antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation of patients in chronic ...

The Effects of Job Demands and Organizational Resources through Psychological Need Satisfaction and Thwarting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillet, Nicolas; Fouquereau, Evelyne; Huyghebaert, Tiphaine; Colombat, Philippe

2015-05-20

In Study 1, we tested a model in which two job demands (i.e., changes in tasks and ambiguities about work) and organizational resources (i.e., interpersonal and informational justice) influence work engagement through the satisfaction of individuals' psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. In Study 2, we examined the indirect effects of the same job demands and organizational resources on burnout through need thwarting. We also examined the mediating role of organizational resources in the relationships of changes in tasks and ambiguities about work to need satisfaction (Study 1) and need thwarting (Study 2). Structural equation modeling performed on cross-sectional data collected from 461 workers in Study 1 and 708 employees in Study 2 provided support for the hypothesized models. Specifically, results revealed that changes in tasks and ambiguities about work have direct and indirect effects (via organizational resources) on psychological need satisfaction and need thwarting, which in turn positively predicted work engagement and burnout, respectively (p < .05). Research implications and study limitations are discussed.

The Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable resource discovery in clinical and translational research.

Science.gov (United States)

Tenenbaum, Jessica D; Whetzel, Patricia L; Anderson, Kent; Borromeo, Charles D; Dinov, Ivo D; Gabriel, Davera; Kirschner, Beth; Mirel, Barbara; Morris, Tim; Noy, Natasha; Nyulas, Csongor; Rubenson, David; Saxman, Paul R; Singh, Harpreet; Whelan, Nancy; Wright, Zach; Athey, Brian D; Becich, Michael J; Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Musen, Mark A; Smith, Kevin A; Tarantal, Alice F; Rubin, Daniel L; Lyster, Peter

2011-02-01

The biomedical research community relies on a diverse set of resources, both within their own institutions and at other research centers. In addition, an increasing number of shared electronic resources have been developed. Without effective means to locate and query these resources, it is challenging, if not impossible, for investigators to be aware of the myriad resources available, or to effectively perform resource discovery when the need arises. In this paper, we describe the development and use of the Biomedical Resource Ontology (BRO) to enable semantic annotation and discovery of biomedical resources. We also describe the Resource Discovery System (RDS) which is a federated, inter-institutional pilot project that uses the BRO to facilitate resource discovery on the Internet. Through the RDS framework and its associated Biositemaps infrastructure, the BRO facilitates semantic search and discovery of biomedical resources, breaking down barriers and streamlining scientific research that will improve human health. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effects of the MORE Wisdom Resources on Spousal Caregivers' Life Satisfaction: An Application of the Resilience Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seungyoun; Knight, Bob G

2017-01-01

Models of resilience suggest that psychosocial resources and their interactions facilitate resilience while experiencing life challenges of caregiving. The MORE wisdom resources (sense of Mastery, Openness to experience, Reflective attitude, and Emotion regulation) have been suggested as possible personal resources of resilience that predict positive health outcomes of caregivers. Applying a model of resilience, this study examined the direct and indirect effects of the three of the MORE wisdom resources (sense of Mastery, Openness to experience, and Emotion regulation) on caregiving spouses' life satisfaction and perceived physical health. Using data from the survey of Midlife in the United States, caregiving spouses (n = 114) and matched non-caregivers (n = 114) were included. We compared the direct and indirect effects of the wisdom resources on life satisfaction and physical health between the two groups. The simple mediation model proposed in 2008 by Preacher and Hayes revealed that openness to experience was directly associated with better life satisfaction among caregiving spouses. Sense of mastery and emotion regulation had indirect effects on life satisfaction through spousal support. The effects the wisdom resources on caregiving spouses' perceived physical health were not found. This study demonstrated that the three of the MORE wisdom resources are possible personal resilience factors influencing life satisfaction among caregiving spouses. Moreover, the study showed how spousal support mediates the relationship between the wisdom resources and life satisfaction. Interventions aiming to increase life satisfaction among caregiving spouses should focus on increasing both personal and environmental resources and strengthening the relationship of the caregiver and care recipient.

Associations among job demands and resources, work engagement, and psychological distress: fixed-effects model analysis in Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Oshio, Takashi; Inoue, Akiomi; Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2018-05-25

We examined the associations among job demands and resources, work engagement, and psychological distress, adjusted for time-invariant individual attributes. We used data from a Japanese occupational cohort survey, which included 18,702 observations of 7,843 individuals. We investigated how work engagement, measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, was associated with key aspects of job demands and resources, using fixed-effects regression models. We further estimated the fixed-effects models to assess how work engagement moderated the association between each job characteristic and psychological distress as measured by Kessler 6 scores. The fixed-effects models showed that work engagement was positively associated with job resources, as did pooled cross-sectional and prospective cohort models. Specifically, the standardized regression coefficients (β) were 0.148 and 0.120 for extrinsic reward and decision latitude, respectively, compared to -0.159 and 0.020 for role ambiguity and workload and time pressure, respectively (p job demands and resources, which is in line with the theoretical prediction of the job demands-resources model, even after controlling for time-invariant individual attributes. Work engagement moderated the association between selected aspects of job demands and resources and psychological distress.

Fertilization effects of organic waste resources and bottom wood ash: results from a pot experiment

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Eva Brod

2012-12-01

Full Text Available We conducted a pot experiment to study the fertilization effects of four N- and P-rich organic waste resources alone and in combination with K-rich bottom wood ash at two application rates (150 kg N ha–1 + 120 kg K ha–1, 300 kg N ha-1 + 240 kg K ha–1. Plant-available N was the growth-limiting factor. 48–73% of N applied with meat and bone meal (MBM and composted fish sludge (CFS was taken up in aboveground biomass, resulting in mineral fertilizer equivalents (MFE% of 53–81% for N uptake and 61–104% for yield. MFE% of MBM and CFS decreased for increasing application rates. Two industrial composts had weak N fertilization effects and are to be considered soil conditioners rather than fertilizers. Possible P and K fertilization effects of waste resources were masked by the soil’s ability to supply plant-available P and K, but effects on plant-available P and K contents in soil suggest that the waste resources may have positive effects under more nutrient-deficient conditions.

Climatic changes and water resources in the Middle East and North Africa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zereini, Fathi [Frankfurt Univ. (Germany). Inst. for Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences; Hoetzl, Heinz (eds.) [Karlsruhe Univ. (Germany). Inst. Geologie

2008-07-01

''Climatic Change and Water Resources in the Middle East and North Africa'' is dedicated to high-priority topics related to the impact of climate change on water resources in a water scarce region. The subject is described and discussed in three main chapters and different case studies. The three main chapters are (1) Climatic changes - sources and effects on the water cycle, (2) Impact of climate change on water resources, (3) Water resources and water management. These chapters are split up into further 26 sections. A total of 64 individuals from many countries have made contributions to this book. All topics in this book are complimentary and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the interactions between global climate change, world water cycle and water resources. A valuable and meaningful interdisciplinary mixture of topics is combined in this book which will be of great interest to many scientists. (orig.)

Inhibitory effects of total saponins from Ilex pubescens Hook against ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To study the protective effects of total saponins from Ilex pubescens Hook (IPTS) against cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Methods: Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Benhnken Design (BBD) was carried out to optimize the extraction of IPTS. Thereafter, H9c2 cell model prepared by hydrogen ...

Effect of some climatic parameters on tropospheric and total ozone ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Effect of some climatic parameters on tropospheric and total ozone column over Alipore (22.52°N, 88.33°E), India ... insolation obtained from Solar Geophysical Data Book and El-ñ index collected from National Climatic Data Center, US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA.

Management Resource Values

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. B. Bakuradze

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The paper looks at the managerial resource values guaranteeing the effective functioning and development of any social institution. The main emphasis is on the asset management in educational sphere and optimizationopportunities of organizational processes. The human, logistical, technical, informational and time resources ofmanagerial activity are outlined and specified from the strategic perspective and effectiveness standpoint. The necessary criteria of a strategic resource are identified as the value, rarity, originality and indispensability. The author makes a conclusion about the priority of human resources in the value hierarchy of social organization in the era of information society. The paper demonstrates both the theoretical and practical ways and means of raising the effectiveness and efficiency of educational institutions, as well as the constant need for teacher’s training, retraining, and stimulation of self-education. The investment in human resources and motivating environment, aimed at developing the potential of academic staff and other employees of educational institutions, benefits both the managers and employees alike and leads to social partnership, harmony, and conciliation of economic and social interests within the organization.

Effects of total fat intake on bodyweight in children.

Science.gov (United States)

Naude, Celeste E; Visser, Marianne E; Nguyen, Kim A; Durao, Solange; Schoonees, Anel

2018-02-15

As part of efforts to prevent childhood overweight and obesity, we need to understand the relationship between total fat intake and body fatness in generally healthy children. To assess the effects of total fat intake on measures of weight and body fatness in children and young people not aiming to lose weight. For this update we revised the previous search strategy and ran it over all years in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), and Embase (Ovid) (current to 23 May 2017). No language and publication status limits were applied. We searched the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov for ongoing and unpublished studies (5 June 2017). We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in children aged 24 months to 18 years, with or without risk factors for cardiovascular disease, randomised to a lower fat (30% or less of total energy (TE)) versus usual or moderate-fat diet (greater than 30%TE), without the intention to reduce weight, and assessed a measure of weight or body fatness after at least six months. We included prospective analytical cohort studies in these children if they related baseline total fat intake to weight or body fatness at least 12 months later. We duplicated inclusion decisions and resolved disagreement by discussion with other authors. We extracted data on participants, interventions or exposures, controls and outcomes, and trial or cohort quality characteristics, as well as data on potential effect modifiers, and assessed risk of bias for all included studies. We extracted outcome data using the following time point ranges, when available: RCTs: baseline to six months, six to 12 months, one to two years, two to five years and more than five years; cohort studies: baseline to one year, one to two years, two to five years, five to 10 years and more than 10 years. We planned to perform random-effects meta-analyses with relevant subgrouping, and sensitivity and funnel plot

The effects of density dependent resource limitation on size of wild reindeer.

Science.gov (United States)

Skogland, Terje

1983-11-01

A density-dependent decrement in size for wild reindeer from 12 different Norwegian herds at 16 different densities was shown using lower jawbone-length as the criterion of size. This criterion was tested and found to adequately predict body size of both bucks and does. Lactation in does did not affect jaw length but significantly affected dressed weights.A decrement in the size of does as a result of gross density was found. This size decrement was further analysed in relation to the habitat densities in winter (R 2 =0.85) and in summer (R 2 =0.75) separately, in order to estimate the relative effects of each factor. For herds with adequate food in winter (no signs of overgrazing of lichens) density in relation to summer habitat and mires yielded the highest predictive power in a multiple regression. For herds with adequate summer pastures, densities per winter habitat and lichen volumes showed likewise a highly significant correlation. The inclusion of the lichen volume data in the regression increased its predictive power. The major effect of resource limitation was to delay the time of calving because a maternal carry-over effect allowed the calf a shorter period of growth to be completed during its first summer. Neonate size at birth was highly correlated with maternal size regardless of the mean calving date although the latter was significantly delayed for small-sized does in food resource-limited herds. Likewise the postnatal growth rate of all calves were not significantly different during 50 days postpartum regardless of maternal conditions in winter feeding. The summer growth rates of bucks ≧1 year did not vary significantly between herds. The age of maturity of food resource-limited does was delayed by one year and growth ceased after the initiation of reproduction. This shows that under conditions of limited resources the does with delayed births of calves allocated less energy to body growth simply because they had less time to replenish body

Beyond reciprocity: A conservation of resources view on the effects of psychological contract violation on third parties.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Hong; Coyle-Shapiro, Jacqueline; Yang, Qian

2018-05-01

Building on conservation of resources theory, we cast resource depletion as a novel explanatory mechanism to explain why employees' experience of psychological contract violation results in harm to third parties outside the employee-organization exchange dyad. This resource-based perspective extends and complements the dominant social exchange perspective which views employee reactions to psychological contract violation as targeting the source of the violation-the organization. The present article reports on 3 studies. Study 1 conducted an experiment with 109 participants and established the main effect of psychological contract violation on resource depletion. Study 2, using survey data from 315 medical employees and their immediate supervisors, found that after controlling for the social exchange mechanism (i.e., revenge cognitions toward the organization), resource depletion mediated the indirect effects of psychological contract violation on supervisory reports of employees' interpersonal harming toward coworkers and decision-making vigilance for clients. Further, we found that organizational and professional identification played opposing moderating roles in the effects of violation on resource depletion and consequently behavioral outcomes, such that these mediated relationships were stronger when organizational identification was high, and weaker when professional identification was high. Study 3 replicated all the results obtained in Studies 1 and 2 with time-lagged data from 229 medical employees across 3 measurement points. The findings confirm that resource depletion is a more effective explanation of the consequences of violation on third parties than revenge cognitions, although both are useful in predicting organization-directed outcomes (i.e., civic virtue and organizational rule compliance). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

When the test of mediation is more powerful than the test of the total effect.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Rourke, Holly P; MacKinnon, David P

2015-06-01

Although previous research has studied power in mediation models, the extent to which the inclusion of a mediator will increase power has not been investigated. To address this deficit, in a first study we compared the analytical power values of the mediated effect and the total effect in a single-mediator model, to identify the situations in which the inclusion of one mediator increased statistical power. The results from this first study indicated that including a mediator increased statistical power in small samples with large coefficients and in large samples with small coefficients, and when coefficients were nonzero and equal across models. Next, we identified conditions under which power was greater for the test of the total mediated effect than for the test of the total effect in the parallel two-mediator model. These results indicated that including two mediators increased power in small samples with large coefficients and in large samples with small coefficients, the same pattern of results that had been found in the first study. Finally, we assessed the analytical power for a sequential (three-path) two-mediator model and compared the power to detect the three-path mediated effect to the power to detect both the test of the total effect and the test of the mediated effect for the single-mediator model. The results indicated that the three-path mediated effect had more power than the mediated effect from the single-mediator model and the test of the total effect. Practical implications of these results for researchers are then discussed.

Total Quality Management Practices and Their Effects on Organizational Performance

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Richard Yu-Yuan; Lien, Bella Ya-Hui

2004-01-01

This paper reports a study designed to examine the key concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation and their effects on organizational performance. Process Alignment and People Involvement are two key concepts for successful implementation of TQM. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how these two constructs affect organizational…

Forest Biomass Energy Resources in China: Quantity and Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caixia Zhang

2015-11-01

Full Text Available As one of the most important renewable and sustainable energy sources, the forest biomass energy resource has always been the focus of attention of scholars and policy makers. However, its potential is still uncertain in China, especially with respect to its spatial distribution. In this paper, the quantity and distribution of Chinese forest biomass energy resources are explored based mainly on forestry statistics data rather than forest resource inventory data used by most previous studies. The results show that the forest biomass energy resource in China was 169 million tons in 2010, of which wood felling and bucking residue (WFBR,wood processing residue (WPR, bamboo processing residue, fuel wood and firewood used by farmers accounted for 38%, 37%, 6%, 4% and 15%, respectively. The highest resource was located in East China, accounting for nearly 39.0% of the national amount, followed by the Southwest and South China regions, which accounted for 17.4% and 16.3%, respectively. At the provincial scale, Shandong has the highest distribution, accounting for 11.9% of total resources, followed by Guangxi and Fujian accounting for 10.3% and 10.2%, respectively. The actual wood-processing residue (AWPR estimated from the actual production of different wood products (considering the wood transferred between regions showed apparent differences from the local wood processing residue (LWPR, which assumes that no wood has been transferredbetween regions. Due to the large contribution of WPR to total forestry bioenergy resources, the estimation of AWPR will provide a more accurate evaluation of the total amount and the spatial distribution of forest biomass energy resources in China.

[Spectrum-effect Relationship Between Total Antioxidant Activity and HPLC Fingerprint of Arctium lappa Root].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiao-juan; Jiang, Lin

2014-12-01

To explore the spectrum-effect relationship between the HPLC fingerprint of Arctium lappa root methanol extract and the total antioxidant activity. The experiment was carried out with Gemini C18 110A (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 µm) column using methanol-0.04% phosphoric acid as gradient mobile phase at the flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, detection wavelength of 320 nm. The total antioxidant activity was determined by measuring the absorbance of each sample after being reacted with ammonium molybdate reagent. The spectrum-effect relationship was investigated using canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The spectrum-effect relationship between the HPLC fingerprint of Arctium lappa root methanol extract and the total antioxidant activity were established, the similarity of fingerprint of all samples was above 0.9. Peaks 1, 6, 9, 12 and 14 were principle components of Arctium lappa root for the total antioxidant activity. This method contributes to the fast comprehensive evaluation of quality of Arctium lappa root.

Study on characteristics of water resources in Beijing in recent 15 years

Science.gov (United States)

Chuan, L. M.; Zheng, H. G.; Zhao, J. J.; Wang, A. L.; Zhang, X. J.

2018-02-01

In order to understand the characteristics of water supply and water usage in Beijing in recent 15 years, a variety of statistical datasets were collected and field investigations were carried out, to analyze the total water resource, the characteristics and trends of water resource supply, utilization and distribution during 2000-2014. The results showed that the total amount of water resources in Beijing is maintained at 1.61~3.95 billion m3, and the surface water accounts for about 1/3, and the groundwater accounts for 2/3. Agricultural water and living water were the dominated consumption in the past 15 years in Beijing, accounted for 35.3% and 38.9% of the total amount, followed by industrial water, which accounting for 17.9% of total water consumption, and water used in environment is relatively small, only accounting for 7.8% of the total amount. This study can provide theoretical support for the establishment and management of water conservation policies and the rational utilization of water resources in Beijing.

Assessment of conservation easements, total phosphorus, and total suspended solids in West Fork Beaver Creek, Minnesota, 1999-2012

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Victoria G.; Kieta, Kristen A.

2014-01-01

This study examined conservation easements and their effectiveness at reducing phosphorus and solids transport to streams. The U.S. Geological Survey cooperated with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources and worked collaboratively with the Hawk Creek Watershed Project to examine the West Fork Beaver Creek Basin in Renville County, which has the largest number of Reinvest In Minnesota land retirement contracts in the State (as of 2013). Among all conservation easement programs, a total of 24,218 acres of agricultural land were retired throughout Renville County, and 2,718 acres were retired in the West Fork Beaver Creek Basin from 1987 through 2012. Total land retirement increased steadily from 1987 until 2000. In 2000, land retirement increased sharply because of the Minnesota River Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, then leveled off when the program ended in 2002. Streamflow data were collected during 1999 through 2011, and total phosphorus and total suspended solids data were collected during 1999 through 2012. During this period, the highest peak streamflow of 1,320 cubic feet per second was in March 2010. Total phosphorus and total suspended solids are constituents that tend to increase with increases in streamflow. Annual flow-weighted mean total-phosphorus concentrations ranged from 0.140 to 0.759 milligrams per liter, and annual flow-weighted mean total suspended solids concentrations ranged from 21.3 to 217 milligrams per liter. Annual flow-weighted mean total phosphorus and total suspended solids concentrations decreased steadily during the first 4 years of water-quality sample collection. A downward trend in flow-weighted mean total-phosphorus concentrations was significant from 1999 through 2008; however, flow-weighted total-phosphorus concentrations increased substantially in 2009, and the total phosphorus trend was no longer significant. The high annual flow-weighted mean concentrations for total phosphorus and total suspended solids

Total dose effects on the matching properties of deep submicron MOS transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuxin; Hu Rongbin; Li Ruzhang; Chen Guangbing; Fu Dongbing; Lu Wu

2014-01-01

Based on 0.18 μm MOS transistors, for the first time, the total dose effects on the matching properties of deep submicron MOS transistors are studied. The experimental results show that the total dose radiation magnifies the mismatch among identically designed MOS transistors. In our experiments, as the radiation total dose rises to 200 krad, the threshold voltage and drain current mismatch percentages of NMOS transistors increase from 0.55% and 1.4% before radiation to 17.4% and 13.5% after radiation, respectively. PMOS transistors seem to be resistant to radiation damage. For all the range of radiation total dose, the threshold voltage and drain current mismatch percentages of PMOS transistors keep under 0.5% and 2.72%, respectively. (semiconductor devices)

Total petroleum systems and geologic assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources in the San Juan Basin Province, exclusive of Paleozoic rocks, New Mexico and Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

,

2013-01-01

In 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimated undiscovered oil and gas resources that have the potential for additions to reserves in the San Juan Basin Province, New Mexico and Colorado. Paleozoic rocks were not appraised. The last oil and gas assessment for the province was in 1995. There are several important differences between the 1995 and 2002 assessments. The area assessed is smaller than that in the 1995 assessment. This assessment of undiscovered hydrocarbon resources in the San Juan Basin Province also used a slightly different approach in the assessment, and hence a number of the plays defined in the 1995 assessment are addressed differently in this report. After 1995, the USGS has applied a total petroleum system (TPS) concept to oil and gas basin assessments. The TPS approach incorporates knowledge of the source rocks, reservoir rocks, migration pathways, and time of generation and expulsion of hydrocarbons; thus the assessments are geologically based. Each TPS is subdivided into one or more assessment units, usually defined by a unique set of reservoir rocks, but which have in common the same source rock. Four TPSs and 14 assessment units were geologically evaluated, and for 13 units, the undiscovered oil and gas resources were quantitatively assessed.

Additive effect of calcium depletion and low resource quality on Gammarus fossarum (Crustacea, Amphipoda) life history traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Rollin, Marc; Coulaud, Romain; Danger, Michael; Sohm, Bénédicte; Flayac, Justine; Bec, Alexandre; Chaumot, Arnaud; Geffard, Olivier; Felten, Vincent

2018-04-01

Gammarus fossarum is an often-abundant crustacean detritivore that contributes importantly to leaf litter breakdown in oligotrophic, mainly heterotrophic, headwater streams. This species requires large amounts of Ca to moult, thus allowing growth and reproduction. Because resource quality is tightly coupled to the organism's growth and physiological status, we hypothesised that low Ca concentration [Ca] and low food resource quality (low phosphorus [P] and/or reduced highly unsaturated fatty acid [HUFA] contents) would interactively impair molecular responses (gene expression) and reproduction of G. fossarum. To investigate the effects of food resources quality, we experimentally manipulated the P content of sycamore leaves and also used diatoms because they contain high amounts of HUFAs. Three resource quality treatments were tested: low quality (LQ, unmanipulated leaves: low P content), high quality 1 (HQ1; P-manipulated leaves: high P content), and high quality 2 (unmanipulated leaves supplemented with a pellet containing diatoms: high P and HUFA content). Naturally, demineralised stream water was supplemented with CaSO 4 to obtain three Ca concentrations (2, 3.5, and 10.5 mg Ca L -1 ). For 21 days, pairs of G. fossarum were individually exposed to one of the nine treatments (3 [Ca] × 3 resource qualities). At the individual level, strong and significant delays in moult stage were observed in gammarids exposed to lower [Ca] and to lower resource quality, with additive effects lengthening the duration of the reproductive cycle. Effects at the molecular level were investigated by measuring expression of 12 genes involved in energy production, translation, or Ca or P homeostasis. Expression of ATP synthase beta (higher in HQ2), calcified cuticle protein (higher in HQ1 and HQ2), and tropomyosin (higher in HQ2 compared to HQ1) was significantly affected by resource quality, and significant additive effects on Ca transporting ATPase expression were induced by

The effect of human resource practices on psychological contracts at an iron ore mining company in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caren B. Scheepers

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Human resource practices influence the psychological contract between employee and employer and, ultimately, organisational performance. Research purpose: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of human resource practices on the types of psychological contracts in an iron ore mining company in South Africa empirically. Motivation for the study: Although there have been a number of conceptual studies on the effect of human resource practices on psychological contracts, there has been no effort to synthesise the links between these contracts and various human resource practices systematically. This study endeavoured to provide quantitative evidence to verify or refute conceptual studies on this relationship. Its findings could inform human resource strategies and, ultimately, the prioritisation of human resource practices to improve the cost-effective allocation of resources. Research design, approach and method: The researchers administered two questionnaires. These were Rousseau’s Psychological Contract Inventory (2000 and the Human Resource Practices Scale of Geringer, Colette and Milliman (2002. The researchers conducted the study with 936 knowledge workers at an iron ore mining company in South Africa. They achieved a 32% response rate. Main findings: The findings showed that most participants have relational contracts with the organisation. Another 22% have balanced contracts, 8% have transitional contracts whilst only 1% have transactional contracts. The study suggests that there are relationships between these psychological contracts and specific human resource practices. The study found that training and development was the most important human resource practice for developing relational and balanced contracts. Employees thought that they contributed more than their employer did to the relationship. The researchers developed a model to illustrate the influence of the various human resource practices on

U.S. Geological Survey Mineral Resources Program—Mineral resource science supporting informed decisionmaking

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Aleeza M.; Doebrich, Jeff L.

2016-09-19

The USGS Mineral Resources Program (MRP) delivers unbiased science and information to increase understanding of mineral resource potential, production, and consumption, and how mineral resources interact with the environment. The MRP is the Federal Government’s sole source for this mineral resource science and information. Program goals are to (1) increase understanding of mineral resource formation, (2) provide mineral resource inventories and assessments, (3) broaden knowledge of the effects of mineral resources on the environment and society, and (4) provide analysis on the availability and reliability of mineral supplies.

Uranium 2014: Resources, Production and Demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vance, Robert

2014-01-01

Since the mid-1960's, with the co-operation of their member countries and states, the OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have jointly prepared periodic updates (currently every two years) on world uranium resources, production and demand. Published by the OECD/NEA in what is commonly known as the 'Red Book', the 25. edition, released in September 2014, contains 45 national reports covering uranium producing and consuming countries and those with plans to do so. The uranium resource figures presented in the 25. edition of the Red Book are a snapshot of the situation as of 1 January 2013. Resource figures are dynamic and related to commodity prices. Despite less favourable market conditions, continued high levels of investment and associated exploration efforts have resulted in the identification of additional resources of economic interest, just as in past periods of intense exploration activity. Total identified resources (reasonably assured and inferred) as of 1 January 2013 amounted to 5 902 900 tonnes of uranium metal (tU) in the 3 O 8 ) category, an increase of 10.8% compared to 1 January 2011. In the highest cost category ( 3 O 8 ) which was reintroduced in 2009, total identified resources amounted to 7 635 200 tU, an increase of 7.6% compared to the total reported in 2011. The majority of the increases are a result of re-evaluations of previously identified resources and additions to known deposits, particularly in Australia, Canada, the People's Republic of China, the Czech Republic, Greenland, Kazakhstan and South Africa. Worldwide exploration and mine development expenditures in 2012 totalled USD 1.92 billion, a 21% increase over updated 2010 figures, despite declining market prices. Production in 2012 increased by 7.4% from 2011 to 58 816 tU and is expected to increase to over 59 500 tU in 2013. This recent growth is principally the result of increased production in Kazakhstan, which remains the world

Assessment of Appalachian basin oil and gas resources: Devonian gas shales of the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System: Chapter G.9 in Coal and petroleum resources in the Appalachian basin: distribution, geologic framework, and geochemical character

Science.gov (United States)

Milici, Robert C.; Swezey, Christopher S.; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Ryder, Robert T.

2014-01-01

This report presents the results of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment of the technically recoverable undiscovered natural gas resources in Devonian shale in the Appalachian Basin Petroleum Province of the eastern United States. These results are part of the USGS assessment in 2002 of the technically recoverable undiscovered oil and gas resources of the province. This report does not use the results of a 2011 USGS assessment of the Devonian Marcellus Shale because the area considered in the 2011 assessment is much greater than the area of the Marcellus Shale described in this report. The USGS assessment in 2002 was based on the identification of six total petroleum systems, which include strata that range in age from Cambrian to Pennsylvanian. The Devonian gas shales described in this report are within the Devonian Shale-Middle and Upper Paleozoic Total Petroleum System, which extends generally from New York to Tennessee. This total petroleum system is divided into ten assessment units (plays), four of which are classified as conventional and six as continuous. The Devonian shales described in this report make up four of these continuous assessment units. The assessment results are reported as fully risked fractiles (F95, F50, F5, and the mean); the fractiles indicate the probability of recovery of the assessment amount. The products reported are oil, gas, and natural gas liquids. The mean estimates for technically recoverable undiscovered hydrocarbons in the four gas shale assessment units are 12,195.53 billion cubic feet (12.20 trillion cubic feet) of gas and 158.91 million barrels of natural gas liquids

Qualità totale e mobilità totale Total Quality and Total Mobility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giuseppe Trieste

2010-05-01

Full Text Available FIABA ONLUS (Italian Fund for Elimination of Architectural Barriers was founded in 2000 with the aim of promoting a culture of equal opportunities and, above all, it has as its main goal to involve public and private institutions to create a really accessible and usable environment for everyone. Total accessibility, Total usability and Total mobility are key indicators to define quality of life within cities. A supportive environment that is free of architectural, cultural and psychological barriers allows everyone to live with ease and universality. In fact, people who access to goods and services in the urban context can use to their advantage time and space, so they can do their activities and can maintain relationships that are deemed significant for their social life. The main aim of urban accessibility is to raise the comfort of space for citizens, eliminating all barriers that discriminate people, and prevent from an equality of opportunity. “FIABA FUND - City of ... for the removal of architectural barriers” is an idea of FIABA that has already affected many regions of Italy as Lazio, Lombardy, Campania, Abruzzi and Calabria. It is a National project which provides for opening a bank account in the cities of referring, in which for the first time, all together, individuals and private and public institutions can make a donation to fund initiatives for the removal of architectural barriers within its own territory for a real and effective total accessibility. Last February the fund was launched in Rome with the aim of achieving a Capital without barriers and a Town European model of accessibility and usability. Urban mobility is a prerequisite to access to goods and services, and to organize activities related to daily life. FIABA promotes the concept of sustainable mobility for all, supported by the European Commission’s White Paper. We need a cultural change in management and organization of public means, which might focus on

Status of mineral resources evaluation and forecast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Hanfeng; Li Ziying; Luo Yi; Li Shengxiang; Sun Wenpeng

2007-01-01

The work of resources evaluation and forecast is a focus to the governments of every country in the world, it is related to the establishment of strategic policy on the national mineral resources. In order to quantitatively evaluate the general potential of uranium resources in China and better forecast uranium deposits, this paper briefly introduces the method of evaluating total amount of mineral resources, especially 6 usual prospective methods which are recommended in international geology comparison programs, as well as principle of usual mineral resources quantitative prediction and its steps. The work history of mineral resources evaluation and forecast is reviewed concisely. Advantages and disadvantages of each method, their application field and condition are also explained briefly. At last, the history of uranium resources evaluation and forecast in China and its status are concisely outlined. (authors)

Dynamic Evaluation of Water Quality Improvement Based on Effective Utilization of Stockbreeding Biomass Resource

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jingjing Yan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The stockbreeding industry is growing rapidly in rural regions of China, carrying a high risk to the water environment due to the emission of huge amounts of pollutants in terms of COD, T-N and T-P to rivers. On the other hand, as a typical biomass resource, stockbreeding waste can be used as a clean energy source by biomass utilization technologies. In this paper, we constructed a dynamic linear optimization model to simulate the synthetic water environment management policies which includes both the water environment system and social-economic situational changes over 10 years. Based on the simulation, the model can precisely estimate trends of water quality, production of stockbreeding biomass energy and economic development under certain restrictions of the water environment. We examined seven towns of Shunyi district of Beijing as the target area to analyse synthetic water environment management policies by computer simulation based on the effective utilization of stockbreeding biomass resources to improve water quality and realize sustainable development. The purpose of our research is to establish an effective utilization method of biomass resources incorporating water environment preservation, resource reutilization and economic development, and finally realize the sustainable development of the society.

Effects of adductor-canal-blockade on pain and ambulation after total knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jenstrup, M T; Jæger, P; Lund, J

2012-01-01

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with intense post-operative pain. Besides providing optimal analgesia, reduction in side effects and enhanced mobilization are important in this elderly population. The adductor-canal-blockade is theoretically an almost pure sensory blockade. We hypothe...... hypothesized that the adductor-canal-blockade may reduce morphine consumption (primary endpoint), improve pain relief, enhance early ambulation ability, and reduce side effects (secondary endpoints) after TKA compared with placebo.......Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is associated with intense post-operative pain. Besides providing optimal analgesia, reduction in side effects and enhanced mobilization are important in this elderly population. The adductor-canal-blockade is theoretically an almost pure sensory blockade. We...

Porosity effects in the neutron total cross section of graphite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santisteban, J. R; Dawidowski, J; Petriw, S. N

2009-01-01

Graphite has been used in nuclear reactors since the birth of the nuclear industry due to its good performance as a neutron moderator material. Graphite is still an option as moderator for generation IV reactors due to its good mechanical and thermal properties at high operation temperatures. So, there has been renewed interest in a revision of the computer libraries used to describe the neutron cross section of graphite. For sub-thermal neutron energies, polycrystalline graphite shows a larger total cross section (between 4 and 8 barns) than predicted by existing theoretical models (0.2 barns). In order to investigate the origin of this discrepancy we measured the total cross section of graphite samples of three different origins, in the energy range from 0.001 eV to 10 eV. Different experimental arrangements and sample treatments were explored, to identify the effect of various experimental parameters on the total cross section measurement. The experiments showed that the increase in total cross section is due to neutrons scattered around the forward direction. We associate these small-angle scattered neutrons (SANS) to the porous structure of graphite, and formulate a very simple model to compute its contribution to the total cross section of the material. This results in an analytic expression that explicitly depends on the density and mean size of the pores, which can be easily incorporated in nuclear library codes. [es

TOTAL annual report 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This 2003 annual report of the Group Total provides economical results and information of the society on the following topics: keys data, the corporate governance (Directors charter, board of directors, audit committee, nomination and remuneration committee, internal control procedures, compensation of directors and executive officers), the corporate social responsibility (environmental stewardship, the future of energy management, the safety enhancement, the human resources, ethics and local development), the investor relations, the management report, the upstream exploration and production, the downstream refining, marketing, trading and shipping, the chemicals and financial and legal information. (A.L.B.)

Distributed and organized decision making under resource boundedness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sawaragi, Tetsuo

1994-01-01

The coming bottleneck to be overcome in the era of the distributed and open-architectured environment will be the establishment of the rational design and coordination of the total system where multiple decision makers, problem solvers and automated machinery components coexist interacting with each other. In such an environment, they are not achieving some absolute standard of performance with unlimited amounts of resources nor with simple algorithms, but is doing as well as possible given what resources one has. In this article, we focus on the potentials of decision theory as a tool for tackling with the limited rationality under resource boundedness. First, the bottlenecks for establishing the organized and distributed decision making are summarized, and the importance of the formalization of decision activities of intelligent agents is stressed to establish an efficient and effective cooperation by distributed and organized decision making and/or problem solving. Some of the practical systems developed based on such a principle are reviewed briefly with respect to the real-time man-machine collaboration and the cooperative computational framework for the intelligent mobile robots. (author)

Effect on water resources from upstream water diversion in the Ganges basin.

Science.gov (United States)

Adel, M M

2001-01-01

Bangladesh faces at least 30 upstream water diversion constructions of which Farakka Barrage is the major one. The effects of Farakka Barrage on water resources, socioeconomy, and culture have been investigated downstream in the basins of the Ganges and its distributaries. A diversion of up to 60% of the Ganges water over 25 yr has caused (i) reduction of water in surface water resources, (ii) increased dependence on ground water, (iii) destruction of the breeding and raising grounds for 109 species of Gangetic fishes and other aquatic species and amphibians, (iv) increased malnutrition, (v) deficiency in soil organic matter content, (vi) change in the agricultural practices, (vii) eradication of inland navigable routes, (viii) outbreak of waterborne diseases, (ix) loss of professions, and (x) obstruction to religious observances and pastimes. Further, arsenopyrites buried in the prebarrage water table have come in contact with air and formed water-soluble compounds of arsenic. Inadequate recharging of ground water hinders the natural cleansing of arsenic, and threatens about 75,000,000 lives who are likely to use water contaminated with up to 2 mg/L of arsenic. Furthermore, the depletion of surface water resources has caused environmental heating and cooling effects. Apart from these effects, sudden releases of water by the barrage during the flood season cause devestating floods. In consideration of such a heavy toll for the areas downstream, strict international rules have to be laid down to preserve the riparian ecosystems.

Evaluating the Effects of Maintenance Resource Management (MRM) Interventions in Airline Safety

Science.gov (United States)

1998-02-01

The present paper seeks to describe and validate the effectiveness of five change programs (generically termed Maintenance Resource Management, or "MRM"). The activities evaluated here are in the middle stages of an ongoing MRM training program, or t...

Ranking of energy resources within the analysis of total costs for the IRP (Integrated Resources Planning for Energy Resources); Ranqueamento de recursos energeticos dentro da analise de custos completos para o PIR (Planejamento Integrado de Recursos Energeticos)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinig, Alexandre Orrico; Cicone Junior, Decio; Galvao, Luiz Claudio Ribeiro [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Dept. de Energia e Automacao Eletricas. Grupo de Energia; Udaeta, Miguel Edgar Morales [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Inst. de Eletrotecnica e Energia

2008-07-01

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (PAH) with the support of computational tools in the Complete Costs Evaluation (ACC) to classify energy resources, emphasizing as this important method of decision making can be used with the ACC inside of the integrated resources planning for energy resources (PIR). The use of the methodology in question inside of the PIR has as permanent goal to interrelate the complete technical valuation of the resources and its qualitative valuation carried through by the involved and interested (En-In) of the PIR, as well as the evaluation of the resources inside of multidimensional criteria of the ACC. For this the way is presented the way as the evaluation of the social dimension of the ACC in the PIR in the Aracatuba's Administrative Region (RAA) was made and ranking generated with the application of the PAH inside of the ACC. The main result is the validation of the AHP with the use of the Decision Lens for the ACC in the PIR, and from that conclude that the ranking of many energy resources using Decision Lens facilitates the process of PIR in the posterior Wallet of Resources and preferential plan determination. (author)

The department manager and effective human resource planning: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnold, Edwin; Pulich, Marcia

2007-01-01

Department managers in health care organizations play a pivotal role in ensuring the success of human resource (HR) planning. This article describes HR planning and its importance to the organization and department managers. Organizational support necessary for effective HR planning is also covered. The HR planning process is examined. Managerial responsibilities such as interviewing and performance appraisal and their relationship to HR planning are discussed.

A school mental health literacy curriculum resource training approach: effects on Tanzanian teachers' mental health knowledge, stigma and help-seeking efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutcher, Stan; Wei, Yifeng; Gilberds, Heather; Ubuguyu, Omary; Njau, Tasiana; Brown, Adena; Sabuni, Norman; Magimba, Ayoub; Perkins, Kevin

2016-01-01

Mental health literacy (MHL) is foundational for mental health promotion, prevention, stigma reduction, and care; School supported information pertaining to MHL in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely limited, including in Tanzania. Successful application of a school MHL curriculum resource may be an effective way to increase teacher MHL and therefore help to improve mental health outcomes for students. Secondary school teachers in Tanzania were trained on the African Guide (AG) a school MHL curriculum resource culturally adapted from a Canadian MHL resource (The Guide) for use in Africa. Teacher training workshops on the classroom application of the AG were used to evaluate its impact on mental health literacy in a sample of Tanzanian Secondary school teachers. Pre-post training assessment of participant knowledge and attitudes was conducted. Help-seeking efficacy for teachers themselves and their interventions for students, friends, family members and peers were determined. Paired t test (n = 37) results demonstrate highly significant improvements in teacher's overall knowledge (p Teachers' stigma against mental illness decreased significantly following the training (p teacher's overall knowledge (p Teachers also reported high rates (greater than ¾ of the sample) of positive help-seeking efficacy for themselves as well as for their students, friends, family members and peers. As a result of the training, the number of students teachers identified for potential mental health care totaled over 200. These positive results, when taken together with other research, suggest that the use of a classroom-based resource (the AG) that integrates MHL into existing school curriculum through training teachers may be an effective and sustainable way to increase the MHL (improved knowledge, decreased stigma and positive help-seeking efficacy) of teachers in Tanzania. As this study replicated the results of a previous intervention in Malawi, consideration could be given to

World mineral energy resources and their distribution in time and space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toens, P.D.; Camisani-Calzolari, F.A.G.M.; Van der Merwe, P.J.; Andreoli, M.A.G.

1985-01-01

If the estimated total geological potential of the world mineral energy resources is reduced to a common denominator, then the total resources are estimated at 20 600 terawatt years (TWyr). Assuming that all these resources are recoverable, and applying today's technology, they would suffice for 1 700 years under no-growth conditions and approximately 130 years assuming an annual growth rate of 3%. It should, however, be borne in mind that only about 15% (or 3 100 TWry) of the world's resources can be regarded as proved or partly proved and recoverable at current price levels and with current technology. Assuming a no-growth scenario, these resources will meet future energy requirements for a period of approximately 260 years. At a 3% annual growth rate resources will last for about 70 years. From these figures it is clear that the known mineral energy resources will be depleted in the near future. The challenge to the geologist to locate additional energy potential is enormous and in order to do so, the distribution of known resources in time and space was reappraised. The present investigation confirms the time-bound character of the mineralising processes. These took place in a series of clearly defined rhythms ranging from the early Proterozoic to the Recent. Uranium and thorium constitute the only energy resources of the Proterozoic. In contrast, the Phanerozoiceon contains the totality of fossil fuels and at least 60% of the nuclear resources; strata younger than 600 Ma therefore represent the most favourable target areas for prospecting

A Semi-Preemptive Computational Service System with Limited Resources and Dynamic Resource Ranking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fang-Yie Leu

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we integrate a grid system and a wireless network to present a convenient computational service system, called the Semi-Preemptive Computational Service system (SePCS for short, which provides users with a wireless access environment and through which a user can share his/her resources with others. In the SePCS, each node is dynamically given a score based on its CPU level, available memory size, current length of waiting queue, CPU utilization and bandwidth. With the scores, resource nodes are classified into three levels. User requests based on their time constraints are also classified into three types. Resources of higher levels are allocated to more tightly constrained requests so as to increase the total performance of the system. To achieve this, a resource broker with the Semi-Preemptive Algorithm (SPA is also proposed. When the resource broker cannot find suitable resources for the requests of higher type, it preempts the resource that is now executing a lower type request so that the request of higher type can be executed immediately. The SePCS can be applied to a Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET, users of which can then exploit the convenient mobile network services and the wireless distributed computing. As a result, the performance of the system is higher than that of the tested schemes.

Influence of burn-in on total-ionizing-dose effect of SRAM device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Minbo; Yao Zhibin; Huang Shaoyan; He Baoping; Sheng Jiangkun

2014-01-01

The influence of Burn-in on the total-ionizing-dose (TID) effect of SRAM device was investigated. SRAM devices of three different feature sizes were selected and irradiated by "6"0Co source with or without pre-irradiation Burn-in. Some parameters for radiation effect of SRAM device such as upset data, were measured, and the influence on the TID effect of different feature size SRAM devices with or without pre-irradiation Burn-in was obtained. The influence of different temperature Burn-in on radiation resistant capability of SRAM device was studied for 0.25 μm SRAM device. The results show that the smaller the device feature size is, the better the radiation-resistant capability of SRAM device is and the weaker the influence of Burn-in is. And the higher Burn-in temperature is, the more serious the influence of Burn-in on the total-dose radiation effect is. (authors)

(JASR) Vol. 12, No. 2, 2012 DEPLETING FOREST RESOURCES

African Journals Online (AJOL)

HP

deteriorating forest resources of Nigeria and its impact on climate change. Key words: Forest Resources, ... Mangrove Forest. Sub Total. 905,930 .... South America” Global Biogeographical Cycle vol 9, pp 329-350. Miller, K. R., Reid, W. V., ...

Immunosuppressive effect of total lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bendel, V.; Medizinische Hochschule Hannover

1981-01-01

Contrary to the immunosuppression by means of wholebody irradiation which is known for a long while but connected with considerable side effects and risks, the total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) is a new possibility of immunosuppression the tolerance of which by man is known by virtue of long-standing experiences with the treatment of malignant lymphatic system diseases. In connexion with organ transplantations, TLI might possibly soon be important for the radiotherapeutist. In the experimentation on animals, the unspecific immunosuppression induced by TLI causes a prolonged survival time of allogeneic skin and organ grafts in certain mammals. Furthermore, a formation of blood chimeras combined with specific, permanent tolerance of organ grafts from the bone marrow donor can be caused by bone marrow transplantation after TLI. First experiences with man have been made. In the German literature, TLI has not been mentioned yet. In the present study, a summary is given on the Anglo-Saxon literature, and the first own experiments with regard to the problem of irradiation dose and transplantation interval are presented. (orig.) [de

Assssment and Mapping of the Riverine Hydrokinetic Resource in the Continental United States

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobson, Paul T. [Electric Power Research Institute; Ravens, Thomas M. [University of Alaska Anchorage; Cunningham, Keith W. [University of Alaska Fairbanks; Scott, George [National Renewable Energy Laboratory

2012-12-14

Laboratory?s Virtual Hydropower Prospector, Google Earth, and U.S. Geological Survey gages. Data were manually obtained for the eleven largest rivers with average flow rates greater than 10,000 cfs and the resulting estimate of the theoretical resource was expanded to include rivers with discharge between 1,000 cfs and 10,000 cfs based upon the contribution of rivers in the latter flow class to the total estimate in the contiguous 48 states. Segment-specific theoretical resource was aggregated by major hydrologic region in the contiguous, lower 48 states and totaled 1,146 TWh/yr. The aggregate estimate of the Alaska theoretical resource is 235 TWh/yr, yielding a total theoretical resource estimate of 1,381 TWh/yr for the continental US. The technically recoverable resource in the contiguous 48 states was estimated by applying a recovery factor to the segment-specific theoretical resource estimates. The recovery factor scales the theoretical resource for a given segment to take into account assumptions such as minimum required water velocity and depth during low flow conditions, maximum device packing density, device efficiency, and flow statistics (e.g., the 5 percentile flow relative to the average flow rate). The recovery factor also takes account of ?back effects? ? feedback effects of turbine presence on hydraulic head and velocity. The recovery factor was determined over a range of flow rates and slopes using the hydraulic model, HEC-RAS. In the hydraulic modeling, presence of turbines was accounted for by adjusting the Manning coefficient. This analysis, which included 32 scenarios, led to an empirical function relating recovery factor to slope and discharge. Sixty-nine percent of NHDPlus segments included in the theoretical resource estimate for the contiguous 48 states had an estimated recovery factor of zero. For Alaska, data on river slope was not readily available; hence, the recovery factor was estimated based on the flow rate alone. Segment-specific estimates of

Effect of compression therapy on knee swelling and pain after total knee arthroplasty

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk, Stig; Jensen, Niels J. F.; Andersen, Ida Bøgh

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: Knee swelling after total knee arthroplasty may impair postoperative mobilisation and training, and as medical elastic compression stockings are well tolerated and effective to prevent oedema, haematoma and postoperative pain after venous surgery, we wanted to study whether this effect...... could be transferred to total knee arthroplasty surgery reducing postoperative swelling and pain and thereby facilitating mobilisation and improving patient-reported knee function. METHODS: In a randomised controlled study, 88 patients were randomised to use either a medical elastic compression stocking...... or no stocking from the first postoperative day and the following 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty. Outcome measures were knee, calf and ankle swelling, knee flexion, pain and patient-reported knee function. RESULTS: Seventy per cent of the swelling had occurred before application of the stocking the day...

Total lymphoid irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutherland, D.E.; Ferguson, R.M.; Simmons, R.L.; Kim, T.H.; Slavin, S.; Najarian, J.S.

1983-01-01

Total lymphoid irradiation by itself can produce sufficient immunosuppression to prolong the survival of a variety of organ allografts in experimental animals. The degree of prolongation is dose-dependent and is limited by the toxicity that occurs with higher doses. Total lymphoid irradiation is more effective before transplantation than after, but when used after transplantation can be combined with pharmacologic immunosuppression to achieve a positive effect. In some animal models, total lymphoid irradiation induces an environment in which fully allogeneic bone marrow will engraft and induce permanent chimerism in the recipients who are then tolerant to organ allografts from the donor strain. If total lymphoid irradiation is ever to have clinical applicability on a large scale, it would seem that it would have to be under circumstances in which tolerance can be induced. However, in some animal models graft-versus-host disease occurs following bone marrow transplantation, and methods to obviate its occurrence probably will be needed if this approach is to be applied clinically. In recent years, patient and graft survival rates in renal allograft recipients treated with conventional immunosuppression have improved considerably, and thus the impetus to utilize total lymphoid irradiation for its immunosuppressive effect alone is less compelling. The future of total lymphoid irradiation probably lies in devising protocols in which maintenance immunosuppression can be eliminated, or nearly eliminated, altogether. Such protocols are effective in rodents. Whether they can be applied to clinical transplantation remains to be seen

Cross-ecosystem impacts of stream pollution reduce resource and contaminant flux to riparian food webs

Science.gov (United States)

Kraus, Johanna M.; Schmidt, Travis S.; Walters, David; Wanty, Richard B.; Zuellig, Robert E.; Wolf, Ruth E.

2014-01-01

The effects of aquatic contaminants are propagated across ecosystem boundaries by aquatic insects that export resources and contaminants to terrestrial food webs; however, the mechanisms driving these effects are poorly understood. We examined how emergence, contaminant concentration, and total contaminant flux by adult aquatic insects changed over a gradient of bioavailable metals in streams and how these changes affected riparian web-building spiders. Insect emergence decreased 97% over the metal gradient, whereas metal concentrations in adult insects changed relatively little. As a result, total metal exported by insects (flux) was lowest at the most contaminated streams, declining 96% among sites. Spiders were affected by the decrease in prey biomass, but not by metal exposure or metal flux to land in aquatic prey. Aquatic insects are increasingly thought to increase exposure of terrestrial consumers to aquatic contaminants, but stream metals reduce contaminant flux to riparian consumers by strongly impacting the resource linkage. Our results demonstrate the importance of understanding the contaminant-specific effects of aquatic pollutants on adult insect emergence and contaminant accumulation in adults to predict impacts on terrestrial food webs.

An experimental study of the effect of total lymphoid irradiation on the survival of skin allografts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Charn Il; Han, Man Chung

1981-01-01

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of fractionated high-dose total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) on the survival of skin allograft despite major histocompatibility difference. Total lymphoid irradiation is a relatively safe form of radiotherapy, has been used extensively to treat lymphoid malignancies in humans with few side effects. A total of 90 rats, Sprague-Dawley rat as recipient and Wistar rat as donor, were used for the experiment, of which 10 rats were used to determine mixed lymphocyte response (MLR) for antigenic difference and skin allografts was performed in 30 rats given total lymphoid irradiation to assess the immunosuppressive effect of total lymphoid irradiation despite major histocompatibility difference. In addition, the peripheral white blood cell counts and the proportion of lymphocytes was studied in 10 rats given total lymphoid irradiation but no skin graft to determine the effects of bone marrow suppression. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. The optimum dose of total lymphoid irradiation was between 1800 rads to 2400 rads. 2. The survival of skin graft on rats given total lymphoid irradiation (23.2 ± 6.0 days) was prolonged about three folds as compared to unirradiated control (8.7 ± 1.3 days). 3. Total lymphoid irradiation resulted in a severe leukopenia with marked lymphopenia, but the count was normal by the end of 3rd week. 4. The study suggests that total lymphoid irradiation is a nonlethal procedure that could be used successfully in animals to transplant allograft across major histocompatibility barriers

An experimental study of the effect of total lymphoid irradiation on the survival of skin allografts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Charn Il; Han, Man Chung [College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1981-06-15

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of fractionated high-dose total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) on the survival of skin allograft despite major histocompatibility difference. Total lymphoid irradiation is a relatively safe form of radiotherapy, has been used extensively to treat lymphoid malignancies in humans with few side effects. A total of 90 rats, Sprague-Dawley rat as recipient and Wistar rat as donor, were used for the experiment, of which 10 rats were used to determine mixed lymphocyte response (MLR) for antigenic difference and skin allografts was performed in 30 rats given total lymphoid irradiation to assess the immunosuppressive effect of total lymphoid irradiation despite major histocompatibility difference. In addition, the peripheral white blood cell counts and the proportion of lymphocytes was studied in 10 rats given total lymphoid irradiation but no skin graft to determine the effects of bone marrow suppression. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. The optimum dose of total lymphoid irradiation was between 1800 rads to 2400 rads. 2. The survival of skin graft on rats given total lymphoid irradiation (23.2 {+-} 6.0 days) was prolonged about three folds as compared to unirradiated control (8.7 {+-} 1.3 days). 3. Total lymphoid irradiation resulted in a severe leukopenia with marked lymphopenia, but the count was normal by the end of 3rd week. 4. The study suggests that total lymphoid irradiation is a nonlethal procedure that could be used successfully in animals to transplant allograft across major histocompatibility barriers.

Effects of resource-building group intervention on career management and mental health in work organizations: randomized controlled field trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuori, Jukka; Toppinen-Tanner, Salla; Mutanen, Pertti

2012-03-01

A resource-building group intervention was developed to enhance career management, mental health, and job retention in work organizations. The in-company training program provided employees with better preparedness to manage their own careers. The program activities were universally implemented using an organization-level, 2-trainer model with trainers from the human resources management and occupational health services. The study was a within-organizations, randomly assigned field experimental study; it investigated the impacts of the intervention on immediate career management preparedness and later mental health and intentions to retire early. A total of 718 eligible individuals returned a questionnaire in 17 organizations and became voluntary participants. The respondents were randomly assigned to either an intervention (N = 369) or a comparison group (N = 349). Those in the intervention group were invited to group intervention workshops, whereas those in the comparison group received printed information about career and health-related issues. The 7-month follow-up results showed that the program significantly decreased depressive symptoms and intentions to retire early and increased mental resources among the group participants compared to the others. The mediation analyses demonstrated that the increase in career management preparedness as a proximal impact of the intervention mediated the longer term mental health effects. Those who benefited most from the intervention as regards their mental health were employees with elevated levels of depression or exhaustion and younger employees, implying additional benefits of a more targeted use of the intervention. The results demonstrated the benefits of the enhancement of individual-level career management and resilience resources as career and health promotion practice in work organizations.

Unconventional resource's production under desorption-induced effects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Sina Hosseini Boosari

2016-06-01

We have developed a numerical model to study the effect of changes in porosity, permeability and compaction on four major U.S. shale formations considering their Langmuir isotherm desorption behavior. These resources include; Marcellus, New Albany, Barnett and Haynesville Shales. First, we introduced a model that is a physical transport of single-phase gas flow in shale porous rock. Later, the governing equations are implemented into a one-dimensional numerical model and solved using a fully implicit solution method. It is found that the natural gas production is substantially affected by desorption-induced porosity/permeability changes and geomechancis. This paper provides valuable insights into accurate modeling of unconventional reservoirs that is more significant when an even small correction to the future production prediction can enormously contribute to the U.S. economy.

Uranium resources in New Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLemore, V.T.; Chenoweth, W.L.

1989-01-01

For nearly three decades (1951-1980), the Grants uranium district in northwestern New Mexico produced more uranium than any other district in the world. The most important host rocks containing economic uranium deposits in New Mexico are sandstones within the Jurassic Morrison Formation. Approximately 334,506,000 lb of U 3 O 8 were produced from this unit from 1948 through 1987, accounting for 38% of the total uranium production from the US. All of the economic reserves and most of the resources in New Mexico occur in the Morrison Formation. Uranium deposits also occur in sandstones of Paleozoic, Triassic, Cretaceous, Tertiary, and Quaternary formations; however, only 468,680 lb of U 3 O 8 or 0.14% of the total production from New Mexico have been produced from these deposits. Some of these deposits may have a high resource potential. In contrast, almost 6.7 million lb of U 3 O 8 have been produced from uranium deposits in the Todilto Limestone of the Wanakah Formation (Jurassic), but potential for finding additional economic uranium deposits in the near future is low. Other uranium deposits in New Mexico include those in other sedimentary rocks, vein-type uranium deposits, and disseminated magmatic, pegmatitic, and contact metasomatic uranium deposits in igneous and metamorphic rocks. Production from these deposits have been insignificant (less than 0.08% of the total production from New Mexico), but there could be potential for medium to high-grade, medium-sized uranium deposits in some areas. Total uranium production from New Mexico from 1948 to 1987 amounts to approximately 341,808,000 lb of U 3 O 8 . New Mexico has significant uranium reserves and resources. Future development of these deposits will depend upon an increase in price for uranium and lowering of production costs, perhaps by in-situ leaching techniques

Direct and indirect effects of land use on floral resources and flower-visiting insects across an urban landscape

Science.gov (United States)

Matteson, K.C.; Grace, James B.; Minor, E.S.

2013-01-01

Although urban areas are often considered to have uniformly negative effects on biodiversity, cities are most accurately characterized as heterogeneous mosaics of buildings, streets, parks, and gardens that include both ‘good’ and ‘bad’ areas for wildlife. However, to date, few studies have evaluated how human impacts vary in direction and magnitude across a heterogeneous urban landscape. In this study, we assessed the distribution of floral resources and flower-visiting insects across a variety of land uses in New York City. We visited both green spaces (e.g. parks, cemeteries) and heavily developed neighborhood blocks (e.g. with high or low density residential zoning) and used structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of median income, vegetation, and development intensity on floral resources and insects in both settings. Abundance and taxonomic richness of flower-visiting insects was significantly greater in green spaces than neighborhood blocks. The SEM results indicated that heavily-developed neighborhoods generally had fewer flower-visiting insects consistent with reductions in floral resources. However, some low-density residential neighborhoods maintained high levels of floral resources and flower-visiting insects. We found that the effects of surrounding vegetation on floral resources, and thus indirect effects on insects, varied considerably between green spaces and neighborhood blocks. Along neighborhood blocks, vegetation consisted of a mosaic of open gardens and sparsely distributed trees and had a positive indirect effect on flower-visiting insects. In contrast, vegetation in urban green spaces was associated with increased canopy cover and thus had a negative indirect effect on flower-visiting insects through reductions in floral resources. In both neighborhood blocks and green spaces, vegetation had a positive direct effect on flower-visiting insects independent of the influence of vegetation on floral

Effects of resource management regimes on project schedule

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Al-Jibouri, Saad H.S.

2002-01-01

This paper deals with the problem of resource scheduling within given resource constraints on a sectionalised construction project. A computer model has been developed which realistically simulates the progress of projects. A project has been selected and divided into sections whereby section

Copper Mountain, Wyoming, intermediate-grade uranium resource assessment project. Final report. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madson, M.E.; Ludlam, J.R.; Fukui, L.M.

1982-11-01

Intermediate-grade uranium resources were delineated and estimated for Eocene and Precambrian host rock environments in the 39.64 mi 2 Copper Mountain, Wyoming, assessment area. Geologic reconnaissance and geochemical, geophysical, petrologic, borehole, and structural data were interpreted and used to develop a genetic model for uranium mineralization in these environments. Development of a structural scoring system and application of computer graphics in a high-confidence control area established the basis for estimations of uranium resources in the total assessment area. 8 figures, 5 tables

The Second Victim Experience and Support Tool: Validation of an Organizational Resource for Assessing Second Victim Effects and the Quality of Support Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Burlison, Jonathan D; Scott, Susan D; Browne, Emily K; Thompson, Sierra G; Hoffman, James M

2017-06-01

Medical errors and unanticipated negative patient outcomes can damage the well-being of health care providers. These affected individuals, referred to as "second victims," can experience various psychological and physical symptoms. Support resources provided by health care organizations to prevent and reduce second victim-related harm are often inadequate. In this study, we present the development and psychometric evaluation of the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (SVEST), a survey instrument that can assist health care organizations to implement and track the performance of second victim support resources. The SVEST (29 items representing 7 dimensions and 2 outcome variables) was completed by 303 health care providers involved in direct patient care. The survey collected responses on second victim-related psychological and physical symptoms and the quality of support resources. Desirability of possible support resources was also measured. The SVEST was assessed for content validity, internal consistency, and construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis results suggested good model fit for the survey. Cronbach α reliability scores for the survey dimensions ranged from 0.61 to 0.89. The most desired second victim support option was "A respected peer to discuss the details of what happened." The SVEST can be used by health care organizations to evaluate second victim experiences of their staff and the quality of existing support resources. It can also provide health care organization leaders with information on second victim-related support resources most preferred by their staff. The SVEST can be administered before and after implementing new second victim resources to measure perceptions of effectiveness.

The effects of probiotics on total cholesterol

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lang; Guo, Mao-Juan; Gao, Qing; Yang, Jin-Feng; Yang, Lin; Pang, Xiao-Li; Jiang, Xi-Juan

2018-01-01

Abstract Background: Probiotics supplements provide a new nonpharmacological alternative to reduce cardiovascular risk factors. The impact of probiotics on the reduction of total cholesterol (TC) remains controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis to showcase the most updated and comprehensive evaluation of the studies. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched from electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database dating from January 2007 to January 2017. The curative effects of probiotics on the reduction of TC were assessed using mean difference (MD), as well as their 95% confidence interval (CI). RevMan software (version 5.3) was used to carry out this meta-analysis. Results: Thirty-two RCTs including 1971 patients met the inclusion criteria. Results of this analysis showed that compared with the control group serum TC was significantly reduced in probiotics group [MD = −13.27, 95% CI (−16.74 to 9.80), P  6 weeks: [MD = −22.18, 95% CI (−28.73, −15.63), P probiotics forms and intervention duration might have a significant impact on the results. However, strains and doses of probiotics had no significant influence on curative effects. Conclusion: Available evidence indicates that probiotics supplements can significantly reduce serum TC. Furthermore, higher baseline TC, longer intervention time, and probiotics in capsules form might contribute to a better curative effect. PMID:29384846

Coping With Constraints: Achieving Effective Conservation With Limited Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan C. Walls

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Conservation resources have become increasingly limited and, along with social, cultural and political complexities, this shortfall frequently challenges effectiveness in conservation. Because conservation can be costly, efforts are often only initiated after a species has declined below a critical threshold and/or when statutory protection is mandated. However, implementing conservation proactively, rather than reactively, is predicted to be less costly and to decrease a species' risk of extinction. Despite these benefits, I document that the number of studies that have implemented proactive conservation around the world are far fewer than those that simply acknowledge the need for such action. I provide examples of proactive actions that can ameliorate shortfalls in funding and other assets, thus helping conservation practitioners and managers cope with the constraints that resource limitation imposes. Not all of these options are new; however, the timing of their implementation is critical for effective conservation, and the need for more proactive conservation is increasingly recognized. These actions are (1 strengthening and diversifying stakeholder involvement in conservation projects; (2 complementing time-consuming and labor-intensive demographic studies with alternative approaches of detecting declines and estimating extinction risk; and (3 minimizing future costly conservation and management by proactively keeping common species common. These approaches may not constitute a cure-all for every conservation crisis. However, given escalating rates of species' losses, perhaps a reminder that these proactive actions can reduce conservation costs, save time, and potentially thwart population declines is warranted.

Coping with constraints: Achieving effective conservation with limited resources

Science.gov (United States)

Walls, Susan

2018-01-01

Conservation resources have become increasingly limited and, along with social, cultural and political complexities, this shortfall frequently challenges effectiveness in conservation. Because conservation can be costly, efforts are often only initiated after a species has declined below a critical threshold and/or when statutory protection is mandated. However, implementing conservation proactively, rather than reactively, is predicted to be less costly and to decrease a species' risk of extinction. Despite these benefits, I document that the number of studies that have implemented proactive conservation around the world are far fewer than those that simply acknowledge the need for such action. I provide examples of proactive actions that can ameliorate shortfalls in funding and other assets, thus helping conservation practitioners and managers cope with the constraints that resource limitation imposes. Not all of these options are new; however, the timing of their implementation is critical for effective conservation, and the need for more proactive conservation is increasingly recognized. These actions are (1) strengthening and diversifying stakeholder involvement in conservation projects; (2) complementing time-consuming and labor-intensive demographic studies with alternative approaches of detecting declines and estimating extinction risk; and (3) minimizing future costly conservation and management by proactively keeping common species common. These approaches may not constitute a cure-all for every conservation crisis. However, given escalating rates of species' losses, perhaps a reminder that these proactive actions can reduce conservation costs, save time, and potentially thwart population declines is warranted.

K+ nucleus total cross section experiment and nuclear medium effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, Ruth.

1992-11-01

The low momentum K + is the weakest of the available strongly interacting particles. It has a mean bee path in nuclear matter of about 6 fm which makes it a good probe for studying properties of the nuclear interior. It allows one to build a good microscopic optical potential which can be used to calculate K + nucleus elastic and total cross sections. In the latter case the calculated ratio R T =[σ tot (K + A)/A]/[σ tot (K + d)/2] can be expected to be more reliable because some uncertainties in K + N phase shifts will cancel. This ratio can also be measured more reliably than the total cross sections themselves because of cancellation of some systematic errors. We measured the total cross sections of K + on D, 6 Li, 12 C, 28 Si and 40 Ca from 488 to 714 MeV/c. The emphasis was placed on extracting values of R T with a precision of better than 2 percent. The total cross section ratios are found to lie significantly above those predicted by optical potential calculations with the usual nuclear medium corrections. This suggests that novel phenomena are taking place within the nucleus. Several models which incorporate such phenomena are discussed, including nucleon 'swelling', mass rescaling, nuclear pions, and relativistic effects. (author) 31 refs., 27 figs., 21 tabs.,

Mapping and potentials for biogas resources in Norway; Kartlegging og potensial for biogassressurser i Norge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raadal, Hanne Lerche

2007-12-15

The report represents an interim report in the project 'E6 as biogas road from Gothenburg to Oslo' and is a cooperation between this project and the project SNAB (Swedish-Norwegian solutions for waste and biproducts), an Interreg IIIA-financed project.A detailed mapping of potential biogas resources in Norwegian and Swedish municipality within the area is completed. Totally it is mapped 155 000 tons biogas resources in the form of easily decomposable organic waste and mud and 730 000 tons biogas resources in the form of manure. Upscaled to Norwegian conditions, this represents 2,1 TWh biogas approx 5% of Norway's total consumption of propellant in road transport sector. Completed scenarios for optimal utilization of biogas resources have showed that production of propellant gives the best climate effect. It is important to emphasize that the presumption which the analysis is based on, is important for the results.Different kinds of propellants are compared with basis in miscellaneous life-cycle literature data. The results shows that biogas based on waste and mud for propellant is among the most environmental friendly biofuels. (AG). 13 refs., tabs., figs

Models of resource allocation optimization when solving the control problems in organizational systems

Science.gov (United States)

Menshikh, V.; Samorokovskiy, A.; Avsentev, O.

2018-03-01

The mathematical model of optimizing the allocation of resources to reduce the time for management decisions and algorithms to solve the general problem of resource allocation. The optimization problem of choice of resources in organizational systems in order to reduce the total execution time of a job is solved. This problem is a complex three-level combinatorial problem, for the solving of which it is necessary to implement the solution to several specific problems: to estimate the duration of performing each action, depending on the number of performers within the group that performs this action; to estimate the total execution time of all actions depending on the quantitative composition of groups of performers; to find such a distribution of the existing resource of performers in groups to minimize the total execution time of all actions. In addition, algorithms to solve the general problem of resource allocation are proposed.

Review of Ghana's water resources: the quality and management with particular focus on freshwater resources

Science.gov (United States)

Yeleliere, E.; Cobbina, S. J.; Duwiejuah, A. B.

2018-06-01

Freshwater resources are continually decreasing in quality and quantity. Approximately, 1% of this freshwater is accessible in lakes, river channels and underground for domestic use. The study reviewed literature on water resources with focus on freshwater, the quality of our freshwater in terms of physical, chemical and biological variables, the main mechanisms of management, and the challenges associated with these mechanisms as well as blending integrated water management with the indigenous or traditional management of water resources for sustainable development and peaceful co-existence. Also the review offered potent recommendations for policy makers to consider sustainable management of freshwater resources. A total of 95 articles were downloaded from Google scholar in water-related issues. The search took place from June to September 2017, and research articles from 1998 to 2018 were reviewed. Basically Ghana is made up of three discharge or outlet systems, namely the Coastal River Systems which is the least and Volta constituting the largest and with the South-Western been the intermediate. Also, freshwater resources usage can be put into two main categories, namely ex situ (withdrawal use) and in situ or in-stream use, and could also be referred to as the consumptive and non-consumptive use, respectively. With the exception of localised pollution engineered by illegal mining and other nuisance perpetuated by indigenes, the quality of water (surface and groundwater) in Ghana is generally better. The review outlined high microbial contamination of water as almost all surface waters are contaminated with either E. coli, faecal coliforms or total coliforms or all. However, these contaminations were more prevalent in surface water than groundwater.

Effect of sulfite treatment on total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, lipid hydroperoxide, and total free sulfydryl groups contents in normal and sulfite oxidase-deficient rat plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Herken, Emine Nur; Kocamaz, Erdogan; Erel, Ozcan; Celik, Hakim; Kucukatay, Vural

2009-08-01

Sulfites, which are commonly used as preservatives, are continuously formed in the body during the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids. Sulfite oxidase (SOX) is an essential enzyme in the pathway of the oxidative degradation of sulfite to sulfate protecting cells from sulfite toxicity. This article investigated the effect of sulfite on total antioxidant capacity (TAC), total oxidant status, lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH), and total free sulfydryl groups (-SH) levels in normal and SOX-deficient male albino rat plasma. For this purpose, rats were divided into four groups: control, sulfite-treated, SOX-deficient, and sulfite-treated SOX-deficient groups. SOX deficiency was established by feeding rats a low molybdenum diet and adding to their drinking water 200 ppm tungsten. Sulfite (70 mg/kg) was administered to the animals via their drinking water. SOX deficiency together with sulfite treatment caused a significant increase in the plasma LOOH and total oxidant status levels. -SH content of rat plasma significantly decreased by both sulfite treatment and SOX deficiency compared to the control. There was also a significant decrease in plasma TAC level by sulfite treatment. In conclusion, sulfite treatment affects the antioxidant/oxidant balance of the plasma cells of the rats toward oxidants in SOX-deficient groups.

PHENOMENON OF TAX LOSSES OF STATE BUDGETARY RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larysa Sidelnykova

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is structuring categorical-conceptual apparatus of the of the tax losses phenomenon in the state budgetary resources, namely clarification of the concepts of “tax gap”, “tax expenditures”, “tax losses”, as well as the quantification of tax losses of the Consolidated budget of Ukraine. Methodology. Most modern scholars interpret the tax gaps as the amount of taxes that were not received with the budget as a result of shadow economy, tax evasion and the existence of tax debt. However, considerable asymmetry of the tax component of the state budgetary resources also arises due to budget losses of all levels as a result of providing tax exemptions. In modern economic literature such losses are considered as tax expenditures. We consider tax losses a generalizing concept including potential amounts of tax revenues that the state and local budgets have not received as a result of the existence of the phenomenon of “tax gaps” and “tax expenditures”, and the amount of losses of the state budgetary resources in terms of their tax component is equal to the sum total of tax exemptions provided, unsettled tax debt of economic agents and the loss of tax revenue due to the operation of shadow economy. The study is based on the analysis of tax losses of budgetary resources of Ukraine during the period of time from 2004 to 2014. The results of the study showed enormous losses of budgetary resources in Ukraine due to the imperfection of the tax system, spread of undisclosed operations, tax evasion, and inefficient fiscal policy implementation. The Consolidated budget loses the amounts of monetary funds, equal to an average of 53.30% of actual revenue over the period studied. Total tax losses of the state budgetary resources in 2014 are equivalent to the total actual expenditures of the Consolidated budget of Ukraine on social protection and social security, defense, public order, security and judicial authorities. Even

Integrated resource planning in Danish electricity supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

Integrated Resource Planning in Danish Electricity Supply is a development project run by a cooperation of Danish electric power companies. It takes environmental issues, such as energy conservation, into consideration in addition to the European Union's proposal for a directive on the introduction of competition within the common energy market. The concept of integrated resource planning is described as a tool that can be used for a total cost minimization of the activities on the supply side and the demand side, this concept is further elucidated. It is explained that there must be an economic balance between the efforts on both sides and that this will ensure a total cost minimization. Preconditions, related for example to socio-economics, and procedures (step-by-step planning), functional barriers, a definition of roles and international influence and dialogue are also discussed. Satisfaction is expressed for this method of integrated resource planning, yet uncertainty as to the future structure of the free electricity market implies a cautious implementation. (AB)

Optimization of total arc degree for stereotactic radiotherapy by using integral biologically effective dose and irradiated volume

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Do Hoon; Kim, Dae Yong; Lee, Myung Za; Chun, Ha Chung

2001-01-01

To find the optimal values of total arc degree to protect the normal brain tissue from high dose radiation in stereotactic radiotherapy planning. With Xknife-3 planning system and 4 MV linear accelerator, the authors planned under various values of parameters. One isocenter, 12, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 mm of collimator diameters, 100 deg, 200 deg, 300 deg, 400 deg, 500 deg, 600 deg, of total arc degrees, and 30 deg or 45 deg of arc intervals were used. After the completion of planning, the plans were compared each other using V 50 (the volume of normal brain that is delivered high dose radiation) and integral biologically effective dose. At 30 deg of arc interval, the values of V 50 had the decreased pattern with the increase of total arc degree in any collimator diameter. At 45 deg arc interval, up to 400 deg of total arc degree, the values of V 50 decreased with the increase of total arc degree, but at 500 deg and 600 deg of total arc degrees, the values increased. At 30 deg of arc interval, integral biologically effective dose showed the decreased pattern with the increase of total arc degree in any collimator diameter. At 45 deg arc interval with less than 40 mm collimator diameter, the integral biologically effective dose decreased with the increase of total arc degree, but with 50 and 60 mm of collimator diameters, up to 400 deg of total arc degree, integral biologically effective dose decreased with the increase of total arc degree, but at 500 deg and 600 deg of total arc degrees, the values increased. In the stereotactic radiotherapy planning for brain lesions, planning with 400 deg of total arc degree is optimal. Especially, when the larger collimator more than 50 mm diameter should be used, the uses of 500 deg and 600 deg of total arc degrees make the increase of V 50 and integral biologically effective dose, Therefore stereotactic radiotherapy planning using 400 deg of total arc degree can increase the therapeutic ratio and produce the effective outcome

Technique of calculating the total effectiveness of capital investments and basic funds in the gas industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shamis, L V

1978-01-01

An examination is made of the method of calculating and using the indicators for total effectiveness of capital investments of the gas industry. Fundamentals of the calculations assume modeling the effectiveness of reproduction of the basic production funds of the sector. An example is given of calculating the long-term coefficient for total effectiveness.

Total effective dose equivalent associated with fixed uranium surface contamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogard, J.S.; Hamm, R.N.; Ashley, J.C.; Turner, J.E.; England, C.A.; Swenson, D.E.; Brown, K.S.

1997-04-01

This report provides the technical basis for establishing a uranium fixed-contamination action level, a fixed uranium surface contamination level exceeding the total radioactivity values of Appendix D of Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations, part 835 (10CFR835), but below which the monitoring, posting, and control requirements for Radiological Areas are not required for the area of the contamination. An area of fixed uranium contamination between 1,000 dpm/100 cm 2 and that level corresponding to an annual total effective dose equivalent (TEDE) of 100 mrem requires only routine monitoring, posting to alert personnel of the contamination, and administrative control. The more extensive requirements for monitoring, posting, and control designated by 10CFR835 for Radiological Areas do not have to be applied for these intermediate fixed-contamination levels

Regional energy resource development and energy security under CO2 emission constraint in the greater Mekong sub-region countries (GMS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watcharejyothin, Mayurachat; Shrestha, Ram M.

2009-01-01

The paper evaluates effects of energy resource development within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) on energy supply mix, energy system cost, energy security and environment during 2000-2035. A MARKAL-based integrated energy system model of the five GMS countries was developed to examine benefits of regional energy resource development for meeting the energy demand of these countries. The study found that an unrestricted energy resource development and trade within the region would reduce the total-regional energy systems cost by 18% and would abate the total CO 2 emission by 5% as compared to the base case. All the five countries except Myanmar would benefit from the expansion of regional energy resource integration in terms of lower energy systems costs and better environmental qualities. An imposition of CO 2 emission reduction constraint by 5% on each of the study countries from that of the corresponding emissions under the unrestricted energy resource development in the GMS is found to improve energy security, reduce energy import and fossil fuels dependences and increase volume of power trade within the region. The total energy system cost under the joint CO 2 emission reduction strategy would be less costly than that under the individual emission targets set for each country.

Data set on the effects of conifer control and slash burning on soil carbon, total N, organic matter and extractable micro-nutrients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan D. Bates

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Conifer control in sagebrush steppe of the western United States causes various levels of site disturbance influencing vegetation recovery and resource availability. The data set presented in this article include growing season availability of soil micronutrients and levels of total soil carbon, organic matter, and N spanning a six year period following western juniper (Juniperus occidentalis spp. occidentalis reduction by mechanical cutting and prescribed fire of western juniper woodlands in southeast Oregon. These data can be useful to further evaluate the impacts of conifer woodland reduction to soil resources in sagebrush steppe plant communities.

Should general practitioners purchase health care for their patients? The total purchasing experiment in Britain.

Science.gov (United States)

Wyke, Sally; Mays, Nicholas; Street, Andrew; Bevan, Gwyn; McLeod, Hugh; Goodwin, Nick

2003-09-01

Until relatively recently, general practitioners (GPs) have been allowed to work independently, with no requirement to consider the resource implications of their referral and prescribing decisions. In order to align the interests of GPs with the overall objectives of health systems a number of countries have introduced primary care based capitation, funds pooling and budget holding either as experiments or as an overall policy. Are these experiments and policies likely to work? This paper presents evidence from the UK total purchasing experiment, which was the first major quasi-market development in the NHS to be independently evaluated from the outset. Total purchasing gave volunteer groups of practices freedom to purchase all hospital and community health services for their patients. The evidence suggests that whilst GPs have great potential as purchasers, they also have considerable limitations. The expectation that they will be able to improve the quality of patient experience of care, or to alter the use of resources, may not be generally realised. GP-based purchasing may be more appropriate where the task is to alter the balance or location of care between hospital and extramural settings. However, budgetary incentives are not 'magic potions' which have similar effects on behaviour wherever they are introduced. Holding budgets and having independent contracts, while important pre-requisites for being taken seriously in a quasi-market, were not sufficient for effective total purchasing. The paper concludes that health systems should not only value innovation and experimentation and encourage learning from evaluative research; they should also recognise the importance of supportive circumstances for any innovation to effect real and sustained change.

Micro-fibers shape effects on gas exchange in Total Artificial Lung

KAUST Repository

Qamar, Adnan; Guglani, Aditya; Samtaney, Ravi

2014-01-01

Flow and oxygen transport dynamics of a pulsatile flow past an array of square and circular cross section micro-fiber is numerically investigated in the present work. The study is motivated to optimize the design of an Total Artificial Lung (TAL) under clinical trials. Effects of three non-dimensional parameters: Reynolds number, non-dimensional amplitude of free stream velocity and Keulegan Carpenter number on oxygen transport and total drag (resistance) of both the fibers are studied. Range of parameters investigated corresponds to operating range of TAL. For most of the cases investigated, results show enhanced oxygen transport for square fiber but higher resistance when compare with the circular fiber case under almost all flow conditions. For both fibers, oxygen transfer rate are enhanced at higher Reynolds number, higher velocity amplitude and lower KC values. Overall drag is found to decrease with increasing Reynolds number and decreasing amplitude and is not significantly effected by Keulegan Carpenter number. © 2014 IEEE.

Micro-fibers shape effects on gas exchange in Total Artificial Lung

KAUST Repository

Qamar, Adnan

2014-02-01

Flow and oxygen transport dynamics of a pulsatile flow past an array of square and circular cross section micro-fiber is numerically investigated in the present work. The study is motivated to optimize the design of an Total Artificial Lung (TAL) under clinical trials. Effects of three non-dimensional parameters: Reynolds number, non-dimensional amplitude of free stream velocity and Keulegan Carpenter number on oxygen transport and total drag (resistance) of both the fibers are studied. Range of parameters investigated corresponds to operating range of TAL. For most of the cases investigated, results show enhanced oxygen transport for square fiber but higher resistance when compare with the circular fiber case under almost all flow conditions. For both fibers, oxygen transfer rate are enhanced at higher Reynolds number, higher velocity amplitude and lower KC values. Overall drag is found to decrease with increasing Reynolds number and decreasing amplitude and is not significantly effected by Keulegan Carpenter number. © 2014 IEEE.

PFP total operating efficiency calculation and basis of estimate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

SINCLAIR, J.C.

1999-01-01

The purpose of the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) Total Operating Efficiency Calculation and Basis of Estimate document is to provide the calculated value and basis of estimate for the Total Operating Efficiency (TOE) for the material stabilization operations to be conducted in 234-52 Building. This information will be used to support both the planning and execution of the Plutonium Finishing Plant (PFP) Stabilization and Deactivation Project's (hereafter called the Project) resource-loaded, integrated schedule

Total Teacher Effectiveness: Implication for Curriculum Change (TOC) in Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsui, Kwok Tung; Cheng, Yin Cheong

This paper introduces the concept of total teacher effectiveness for facilitating educational reform and improvement, using target oriented curriculum (TOC) change in Hong Kong as an example. TOC change is a complex process that involves preparing, changing, and reinforcing teachers in multiple domains at multiple levels. Teacher effectiveness…

10 CFR 960.4-2-8-1 - Natural resources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

..., scarcity, and technology—the natural resources, including ground water suitable for crop irrigation or... resource. (2) Ground water with 10,000 parts per million or more of total dissolved solids along any path.... (5) Potential for foreseeable human activities—such as ground-water withdrawal, extensive irrigation...

Effective Human Resource Management is of Vital Importance to the Achievement of Organizational Strategic Goals

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

黄嘉

2014-01-01

Strategic human resource management is playing a more and more important role in modern organization management. Recruitment is the front line of human resource management. The effectiveness of recruitment directly influences the normal operation and management of business. The aim of this report is to identify a recruitment procedure that can solve the current problems of Dongfeng Cinema Equipment Company, supporting by related strategic human resource theories and concepts. It found out that different recruitment policy and procedure should be adopted according to the different developing stage of organization, and the scientific and systematic evaluation mechanism is also of vital importance.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNING OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicoleta, BELU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The strategic planning of human resources is an ongoing process closely connected to the mission, vision and goals of an organization. The need for strategic planning arises from the dynamism of social and economic life, with a proactive approach in any type of organization. The role of strategic planning of human resources is to "ensure the right man in the right place at the right time", as a human resource is the only one with a creative and innovative effect. Thus, there is a synergistic effect between an individual and the organization in which he/she operates, between a human resources strategy and an organization's overall strategy. The main objectives of strategic planning are ensuring the necessary human resources, suitability to an organization's nature and the effective use of human resources in achieving organizational objectives. Analyzing the necessary human resources according to an organization's objectives and linking them to the existing labour supply and demand, there is an absolutely essential balance in strategic planning. The benefits obtained therefore are undeniable and human capital is transformed into a true competitive advantage. The challenges generated by the changes that may occur at any time in any type of organization and which directly affect the existing human resources can be effectively managed through strategic planning.

Total curvature and total torsion of knotted random polygons in confinement

Science.gov (United States)

Diao, Yuanan; Ernst, Claus; Rawdon, Eric J.; Ziegler, Uta

2018-04-01

Knots in nature are typically confined spatially. The confinement affects the possible configurations, which in turn affects the spectrum of possible knot types as well as the geometry of the configurations within each knot type. The goal of this paper is to determine how confinement, length, and knotting affect the total curvature and total torsion of random polygons. Previously published papers have investigated these effects in the unconstrained case. In particular, we analyze how the total curvature and total torsion are affected by (1) varying the length of polygons within a fixed confinement radius and (2) varying the confinement radius of polygons with a fixed length. We also compare the total curvature and total torsion of groups of knots with similar complexity (measured as crossing number). While some of our results fall in line with what has been observed in the studies of the unconfined random polygons, a few surprising results emerge from our study, showing some properties that are unique due to the effect of knotting in confinement.

The Nature and Use of Copper Reserve and Resource Data

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, Dennis P.; Wright, Nancy A.; Coakley, George J.

1981-01-01

Copper reserve, resource, and production data can be combined to produce disaggregated resource estimates and trends and, when combined with demand forecasts, can be used to predict future exploration and development requirements. Reserve estimates are subject to uncertainties due mainly to incomplete exploration and rapidly changing economic conditions. United States' reserve estimates in the past have been low mainly because knowledge of the magnitude of very large porphyry-copper deposits has been incomplete. Present estimates are considerably more reliable because mining firms tend to drill out deposits fully before mining and to release their reserve estimates to the public. The sum of reserves and past production yields an estimate of the total ore, total metal contained in ore, and average grade of ore originally in each of the deposits known in the United States. For most deposits, estimates of total copper in ore are low relative to the total copper in mineralized rock, and many estimates are strongly affected by the economic behavior of mining firms. A better estimate of the real distribution of copper contained in deposits can be obtained by combining past production data with resource estimates. Copper resource data are disaggregated into categories that include resources in undeveloped deposits similar to those mined in the past, resources in mines closed because of unfavorable economic conditions, resources in deep deposits requiring high-cost mining methods, arid resources in deposits located in areas where environmental restrictions have contributed to delays in development. The largest resource is located in the five largest porphyry deposits. These deposits are now being mined but the resources are not included in the present mining plan. Resources in this last category will not contribute to supply until some future time when ores presently being mined are depleted. A high correlation exists between total copper contained in deposits and annual

Analysis of ecological effects of geopressured-geothermal resource development. Geopressured-geothermal technical paper No. 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-07-01

The activities involved in geopressured-geothermal resource production are identified and their ecological impacts are discussed. The analysis separates those activites that are unique to geopressured-geothermal development from those that also occur in oil and gas and other resource developments. Of the unique activities, those with the greatest potential for serious ecological effect are: (1) accidental brine discharge as a result of a blowout during well drilling; (2) subsidence; (3) fault activation and enhanced seismicity; and (4) subsurface contamination of water, hydrocarbon, and mineral reservoirs. Available methods to predict and control these effects are discussed.

The Effect of Environmental Regulation on Employment in Resource-Based Areas of China-An Empirical Research Based on the Mediating Effect Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Wenbin; Wang, Hui; Ying, Huihui

2017-12-19

While environmental pollution is becoming more and more serious, many countries are adopting policies to control pollution. At the same time, the environmental regulation will inevitably affect economic and social development, especially employment growth. The environmental regulation will not only affect the scale of employment directly, but it will also have indirect effects by stimulating upgrades in the industrial structure and in technological innovation. This paper examines the impact of environmental regulation on employment, using a mediating model based on the data from five typical resource-based provinces in China from 2000 to 2015. The estimation is performed based on the system GMM (Generalized Method of Moments) estimator. The results show that the implementation of environmental regulation in resource-based areas has both a direct effect and a mediating effect on employment. These findings provide policy implications for these resource-based areas to promote the coordinating development between the environment and employment.

Sustainability in health care by allocating resources effectively (SHARE) 4: exploring opportunities and methods for consumer engagement in resource allocation in a local healthcare setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Claire; Ko, Henry; Waller, Cara; Sloss, Pamela; Williams, Pamela

2017-05-05

This is the fourth in a series of papers reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. Healthcare decision-makers have sought to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of services through removal or restriction of practices that are unsafe or of little benefit, often referred to as 'disinvestment'. A systematic, integrated, evidence-based program for disinvestment was being established within a large Australian health service network. Consumer engagement was acknowledged as integral to this process. This paper reports the process of developing a model to integrate consumer views and preferences into an organisation-wide approach to resource allocation. A literature search was conducted and interviews and workshops were undertaken with health service consumers and staff. Findings were drafted into a model for consumer engagement in resource allocation which was workshopped and refined. Although consumer engagement is increasingly becoming a requirement of publicly-funded health services and documented in standards and policies, participation in organisational decision-making is not widespread. Several consistent messages for consumer engagement in this context emerged from the literature and consumer responses. Opportunities, settings and activities for consumer engagement through communication, consultation and participation were identified within the resource allocation process. Sources of information regarding consumer values and perspectives in publications and locally-collected data, and methods to use them in health service decision-making, were identified. A model bringing these elements together was developed. The proposed model presents potential opportunities and activities for consumer engagement in the context of resource allocation.

Changes in social interaction over 20 years and the effects of community resources use among community-dwelling elderly persons.

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Kumi; Tanaka, Emiko; Wu, Bailiang; Kobayashi, Zyunko; Mochizuki, Yukiko; Kim, Yeon; Watanabe, Taeko; Okumura, Rika; Ito, Sumio; Anme, Tokie

2017-01-01

Objectives　Recently, social isolation has been reported to be a critical problem among Japanese elderly persons. However, few studies have compared social interaction in the past and the present or investigated its predictive factors. This study aimed to clarify the transitional changes in social interaction over 20 years and explore the factors related to social interaction focusing on the use of community resources.Methods　The participants were community-dwelling elderly persons aged 65 years and over. A survey was conducted 8 times from 1994 to 2014 in the suburban area of Tobishima, Japan. The Index of Social Interaction Scale was used and each subscale and the total score were calculated. Subsequently, the 2014 scores were compared with the 1994 scores using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to clarify the factors related to social interaction, focusing on the association between the use of community resources (local elderly management center, health care center, health promotion facility, library) in 2011 and social interaction 3 years later. Age, gender, disease, and mobility were also entered into the model as control variables.Results　Comparing social interaction in 1994 and 2014, total scores were found to have significantly increased in all age groups. Independence scores significantly increased in the overall group and in females aged 75-84. Curiosity scores also increased in both males and females. These results show that social interaction has increased over 2 decades. In addition, the use of local elderly management and health care centers, and health promotion facilities was associated with total social interaction scores 3 years later.Conclusion　The current study clarified changes in social interaction, both comprehensively and for each of its aspects, among community-dwelling elderly adults. Increasing social isolation has been reported in recent years; however, the current study showed that social

Effects of bonny light crude oil on anti-oxidative enzymes and total ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effects of bonny light crude oil on anti-oxidative enzymes and total proteins in Wistar rats. Christian E Odo, Okwesili FC Nwodo, Parker E Joshua, Chibuike S Ubani, Okon E Etim, Okechukwu PC Ugwu ...

Effectiveness of autologous transfusion system in primary total hip and knee arthroplasty.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Schneider, Marco M

2014-01-01

Autologous transfusion has become a cost-efficient and useful option in the treatment of patients with high blood loss following major orthopaedic surgery. However, the effectiveness of autologous transfusion in total joint replacement remains controversial.

Global peat resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lappalainen, E. [ed.] [Geological Survey of Finland (Finland)

1996-12-31

The book provides a detailed review of the world`s peat and peatland resources and their role in the biosphere. It was compiled by 68 peat experts. Reports present the valuable mire ecosystem, its characteristics, and the use of peatlands. Maps and photographs illustrate the distribution of mines and their special characteristics, including raised bogs, aapa mires, blanket bogs, mangrove swamps, swamp forests etc. The book contains a total of 57 chapters, the bulk of then giving surveys of peat resources and use in individual countries. They are grouped under the headings: peatlands in biosphere; general review; Europe; Asia; Africa; North America; Central and South America; Australia (and New Zealand); and use of peatlands. One chapter has been abstracted separately for the IEA Coal Research CD-ROM. 7 apps.

Analysis of the effects of section 29 tax credits on reserve additions and production of gas from unconventional resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1990-09-01

Federal tax credits for production of natural gas from unconventional resources can stimulate drilling and reserves additions at a relatively low cost to the Treasury. This report presents the results of an analysis of the effects of a proposed extension of the Section 29 alternative fuels production credit specifically for unconventional gas. ICF Resources estimated the net effect of the extension of the credit (the difference between development activity expected with the extension of the credit and that expected if the credit expires in December 1990 as scheduled). The analysis addressed the effect of tax credits on project economics and capital formation, drilling and reserve additions, production, impact on the US and regional economies, and the net public sector costs and incremental revenues. The analysis was based on explicit modeling of the three dominant unconventional gas resources: Tight sands, coalbed methane, and Devonian shales. It incorporated the most current data on resource size, typical well recoveries and economics, and anticipated activity of the major producers. Each resource was further disaggregated for analysis based on distinct resource characteristics, development practices, regional economics, and historical development patterns.

Analysis of the effects of section 29 tax credits on reserve additions and production of gas from unconventional resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-09-01

Federal tax credits for production of natural gas from unconventional resources can stimulate drilling and reserves additions at a relatively low cost to the Treasury. This report presents the results of an analysis of the effects of a proposed extension of the Section 29 alternative fuels production credit specifically for unconventional gas. ICF Resources estimated the net effect of the extension of the credit (the difference between development activity expected with the extension of the credit and that expected if the credit expires in December 1990 as scheduled). The analysis addressed the effect of tax credits on project economics and capital formation, drilling and reserve additions, production, impact on the US and regional economies, and the net public sector costs and incremental revenues. The analysis was based on explicit modeling of the three dominant unconventional gas resources: Tight sands, coalbed methane, and Devonian shales. It incorporated the most current data on resource size, typical well recoveries and economics, and anticipated activity of the major producers. Each resource was further disaggregated for analysis based on distinct resource characteristics, development practices, regional economics, and historical development patterns

National hydroelectric power resources study. Preliminary inventory of hydropower resources. Volume 6. Northeast region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-07-01

In the Northeast region, the physical potential for all sites exceeds 33,000 MW of capacity with an estimated average annual energy of some 153,000 GWH. By comparison, the available data represent about 6% of the total capacity and 11% of the hydroelectric energy potential estimated for the entire US. Of the total capacity estimated for the region, 6100 MW has been installed. The remainder (27,200 MW, excluding the undeveloped capacity in the New England States) is the maximum which could be developed by upgrading and expanding existing projects (18,700 MW), and by installing new hydroelectric power capacity at all potentially feasible, undeveloped sites (8500 MW). Small-scale facilities account for about 15% of the region's total installed capacity, but another 1800 MW could be added to these and other small water-resource projects. In addition, 500 MW could be installed at potentially feasible, undeveloped small-scale sites. The small-scale resource varies considerably, with the states of New York, Maine, and New Hampshire having the largest potential for incremental development at existing projects in the Northeast region. West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Maine comprise the Northeast region.

An Ameliorative Whale Optimization Algorithm for Multi-Objective Optimal Allocation of Water Resources in Handan, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhihong Yan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available With the deepening discrepancy between water supply and demand caused by water shortages, alleviating water shortages by optimizing water resource allocation has received extensive attention. How to allocate water resources optimally, rapidly, and effectively has become a challenging problem. Thus, this study employs a meta-heuristic swarm-based algorithm, the whale optimization algorithm (WOA. To overcome drawbacks like relatively low convergence precision and convergence rates, when applying the WOA algorithm to complex optimization problems, logistic mapping is used to initialize swarm location, and inertia weighting is employed to improve the algorithm. The resulting ameliorative whale optimization algorithm (AWOA shows substantially enhanced convergence rates and precision than the WOA and particle swarm optimization algorithms, demonstrating relatively high reliability and applicability. A water resource allocation optimization model with optimal economic efficiency and least total water shortage volume is established for Handan, China, and solved by the AWOA. The allocation results better reflect actual water usage in Handan. In 2030, the p = 50% total water shortage is forecast as 404.34 × 106 m3 or 14.8%. The shortage is mainly in the primary agricultural sector. The allocation results provide a reference for regional water resources management.

Conversion total hip arthroplasty: Primary or revision total hip arthroplasty

Science.gov (United States)

Schwarzkopf, Ran; Baghoolizadeh, Mahta

2015-01-01

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is an increasingly common procedure among elderly individuals. Although conversion THA is currently bundled in a diagnosis related group (DRG) with primary THA, there is a lack of literature supporting this classification and it has yet to be identified whether conversion THA better resembles primary or revision THA. This editorial analyzed the intraoperative and postoperative factors and functional outcomes following conversion THA, primary THA, and revision THA to understand whether the characteristics of conversion THA resemble one procedure or the other, or are possibly somewhere in between. The analysis revealed that conversion THA requires more resources both intraoperatively and postoperatively than primary THA. Furthermore, patients undergoing conversion THA present with poorer functional outcomes in the long run. Patients undergoing conversion THA better resemble revision THA patients than primary THA patients. As such, patients undergoing conversion THA should not be likened to patients undergoing primary THA when determining risk stratification and reimbursement rates. Conversion THA procedures should be planned accordingly with proper anticipation of the greater needs both in the operating room, and for in-patient and follow-up care. We suggest that conversion THA be reclassified in the same DRG with revision THA as opposed to primary THA as a step towards better allocation of healthcare resources for conversion hip arthroplasties. PMID:26601055

Is etoricoxib effective in preventing heterotopic ossification after primary total hip arthroplasty?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brunnekreef, J.J.; Hoogervorst, P.; Ploegmakers, M.J.M.; Rijnen, W.H.C.; Schreurs, B.W.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: Heterotopic ossification is a common complication after total hip arthroplasty. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are known to prevent heterotopic ossifications effectively, however gastrointestinal complaints are reported frequently. In this study, we investigated whether

Hepatoprotective Effects of Total Triterpenoids and Total Flavonoids from Vitis vinifera L against Immunological Liver Injury in Mice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tao Liu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Suosuo grape (the fruits of Vitis vinifera L has been used for prevention and treatment of liver diseases in Uighur folk medicine in China besides its edible value. In this study, the hepatoprotective effects of total triterpenoids (VTT and total flavonoids (VTF from Suosuo grape were evaluated in Bacille-Calmette-Guerin- (BCG- plus-lipopolysaccharide- (LPS- induced immunological liver injury (ILI in mice. Various dose groups (50, 150, and 300 mg/kg of VTT and VTF alleviated the degree of liver injury of ILI mice, effectively reduced the BCG/LPS-induced elevated liver index and spleen index, hepatic nitric oxide (NO, and malondialdehyde (MDA content, increased liver homogenate alanine aminotransferase (ALT and aspartate aminotransferase (AST levels, and restored hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD activity in ILI mice. VTT and VTF also significantly inhibited intrahepatic expression of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-2 in ILI mice and increased intrahepatic expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10. Moreover, the increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was significantly downregulated by VTT and VTF in liver tissue of ILI mice. These results are comparable to those of biphenyl dicarboxylate (DDB, the reference hepatoprotective agent and suggest that VTT and VTF play a protective role against immunological liver injury, which may have important implications for our understanding of the immunoregulatory mechanisms of this plant.

Regional energy resource development and energy security under CO{sub 2} emission constraint in the greater Mekong sub-region countries (GMS)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watcharejyothin, Mayurachat; Shrestha, Ram M. [School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand)

2009-11-15

The paper evaluates effects of energy resource development within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) on energy supply mix, energy system cost, energy security and environment during 2000-2035. A MARKAL-based integrated energy system model of the five GMS countries was developed to examine benefits of regional energy resource development for meeting the energy demand of these countries. The study found that an unrestricted energy resource development and trade within the region would reduce the total-regional energy systems cost by 18% and would abate the total CO{sub 2} emission by 5% as compared to the base case. All the five countries except Myanmar would benefit from the expansion of regional energy resource integration in terms of lower energy systems costs and better environmental qualities. An imposition of CO{sub 2} emission reduction constraint by 5% on each of the study countries from that of the corresponding emissions under the unrestricted energy resource development in the GMS is found to improve energy security, reduce energy import and fossil fuels dependences and increase volume of power trade within the region. The total energy system cost under the joint CO{sub 2} emission reduction strategy would be less costly than that under the individual emission targets set for each country. (author)

The effects of low internal integration between purchasing and operations on suppliers’ resource mobilization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellegaard, Chris; Koch, Christian

2012-01-01

A company that suffers from low internal integration between corporate functions performs worse than its more integrated competitors, leaving it in a position of competitive disparity. This paper reports on an investigation of the effects of internal integration between purchasing and operations...... on the mobilization of supplier resources. Low internal integration generates uncoordinated operations and purchasing behaviors that negatively affect supplier resource mobilization. We find that the lack of operations support for eight major purchasing initiatives in a construction company negatively affects...

Climate Wind Power Resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nana M. Berdzenishvili

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Georgia as a whole is characterized by rather rich solar energy resources, which allows to construct alternative power stations in the close proximity to traditional power plants. In this case the use of solar energy is meant. Georgia is divided into 5 zones based on the assessment of wind power resources. The selection of these zones is based on the index of average annual wind speed in the examined area, V> 3 m / s and V> 5 m / s wind speed by the summing duration in the course of the year and V = 0. . . 2 m / s of passive wind by total and continuous duration of these indices per hour.

Renewable energy resources and technologies practice in Bangladesh

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rofiqul Islam, M.; Rafiqul Alam Beg, M. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi 6204 (Bangladesh); Rabiul Islam, M. [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology, Rajshahi 6204 (Bangladesh)

2008-02-15

Bangladesh has very limited nonrenewable energy resources of its own. She is facing energy crisis and serious desertification problem in rural areas. These issues could be removed if renewable energy is used as a primary source of energy in rural areas. It is essential for scientists and researchers to find out the renewable energy resources and effective technologies. Bangladesh is endowed with vast renewable energy resources such as biomass and solar insolation. Besides, hydro and wind power can be considered as potential renewable energy resources. Harnessing these resources appears to be a promising solution for improving the quality of life of rural villagers. The government and many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have tried to comprehend and have strived to address the problem of energy. This paper reviews the renewable energy resources and renewable energy technologies (RETs) practicing in Bangladesh in terms of its implementation, research and development activities. The development and trial of systems are mostly funded so far by donor agencies in collaboration with government and NGOs. Biomass energy sources are traditionally used for domestic cooking and in small rural industries. Approximately 60% of total energy demand of the country is supplied by indigenous biomass based fuels. Activities on the development and promotion of biomass technologies have been going on for one decade. Some national and international funds have been available for biogas technology, improved biomass cookers and production of biomass briquettes. At the time, around 25,000 biogas plants exist all over the country in rural areas and educational institutes, etc. More than 0.20 million improve stoves have been installed to save biomass fuel. Over 900 briquetting machines have been operating in the country on commercial basis. The annual solar radiation availability in Bangladesh is as high as 1700 kWh/m{sup 2}. Research and demonstration activities carried out for one

Energy analysis applied to uranium resource estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mortimer, N.D.

1980-01-01

It is pointed out that fuel prices and ore costs are interdependent, and that in estimating ore costs (involving the cost of fuels used to mine and process the uranium) it is necessary to take into account the total use of energy by the entire fuel system, through the technique of energy analysis. The subject is discussed, and illustrated with diagrams, under the following heads: estimate of how total workable resources would depend on production costs; sensitivity of nuclear electricity prices to ore costs; variation of net energy requirement with ore grade for a typical PWR reactor design; variation of average fundamental cost of nuclear electricity with ore grade; variation of cumulative uranium resources with current maximum ore costs. (U.K.)

Effect of hydrothermal processing on total polyphenolics and antioxidant potential of underutilized leafy vegetables, Boerhaavia diffusa and Portulaca oleracea

Science.gov (United States)

Nagarani, Gunasekaran; Abirami, Arumugam; Nikitha, Prasad; Siddhuraju, Perumal

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the effect of different processing methods on antioxidant properties of acetone extract of aerial parts from Boerhaavia diffusa and Portulaca oleracea. Methods The total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined by Folin-Ciocalteau and aluminum chloride method, respectively. FRAP, metal chelating activity, DPPH, ABTS, nitric oxide, hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activities, carotene/linoleic acid bleaching activity were used for the determination of antioxidant capacity. Results The total phenolics in Boerhaavia diffusa (82.79-162.80 mg GAE/g extract) were found to be higher when compared to that of Portulaca oleracea (22.94-10.02 mg GAE/g extract). Hydrothermal processing enhanced the level of inhibition on synthetic radicals such as DPPH (3 439-309 549 mmol TE/g extract) and ABTS (17 808-53 818 mmol TE/g extract) as well as biologically relevant radicals such as superoxide anion (70%-90%) and nitric oxide (49%-57%). In addition, boiling of the vegetables were found to be maximum capacity of FRAP (6 404.95 mmol Fe (II)/g extract) and metal chelating activity (1.53 mg EDTA/g extract) than the respective raw samples. Conclusions The present investigation suggests that the processing enhance the functionality and improves the availability of bioactive substances of these vegetables. In addition, they also exhibited more potent antioxidant activity. Therefore these natural weeds from the crop land ecosystem could be suggested as cost effective indigenous green vegetables for human diet and potential feed resources for animals. Further extensive studies on role and importance of those weeds in sustaining the agro biodiversity are also needed. PMID:25183131

Antidepressant effects of total tertiary alkaloid fraction of Cissampelos sympodialis Eichler in rodents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sueli Mendonça-Netto

Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of total tertiary alkaloid fraction (TTAF of Cissampelos sympodialis Eichler (Menispermaceae on two animal models of depression: a forced swim test and b reserpine test. Treatment of mice with TTAF (12.5 mg/kg reduced the total immobility time. It also reversed the reserpine-induced hypothermia, demonstrating an antidepressant effect in both models. Additionally, TTAF treatment did not modify the ambulation and rearing evaluated in open field test in order to investigate if the immobility time reduction found in the forced swimming test was caused by locomotive activity stimulation. Since warifteine is one of the main alkaloids present in the TTAF of C. sympodialis, and it has inhibitory activity of the phosphodiesterase enzyme, it may be responsible by the antidepressant effect found in the fraction studied.

Theological foundations for an effective Christian response to the global disease burden in resource-constrained regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel W. O’Neill

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Given the global disease burden and resource disparity that exists in the world and the globalization of Christianity, Christians are in a critical position to effect radical change in individuals, communities and systems for human flourishing. This paper describes the theological basis of seven key elements that the Church can contribute to sustainable development, global health equity, and universal access as an expanding movement: defining health, speaking truth, providing care, making peace, cooperating, setting priorities, and mobilizing resources for maximum stewardship in low resource settings.

Resource allocation for phantom cellular networks: Energy efficiency vs spectral efficiency

KAUST Repository

Abdelhady, Amr Mohamed Abdelaziz; Amin, Osama; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2016-01-01

Multi-tier heterogeneous networks have become an essential constituent for next generation cellular networks. Mean-while, energy efficiency (EE) has been considered a critical design criterion along with the traditional spectral efficiency (SE) metric. In this context, we study power and spectrum allocation for the recently proposed two-tier network architecture known as phantom cellular networks. The optimization framework includes both EE and SE, where we propose an algorithm that finds the SE and EE resource allocation strategies for phantom cellular networks. Then, we compare the performance of both design strategies versus the number of users, and phantom cells share of the total number of available resource blocks. We aim to investigate the effect of some system parameters to achieve improved SE performance at a non-significant loss in EE performance, or vice versa. It was found that increasing phantom cells share of resource blocks decreases the SE performance loss due to EE optimization when compared with the optimized SE performance. © 2016 IEEE.

Resource allocation for phantom cellular networks: Energy efficiency vs spectral efficiency

KAUST Repository

Abdelhady, Amr M.

2016-07-26

Multi-tier heterogeneous networks have become an essential constituent for next generation cellular networks. Mean-while, energy efficiency (EE) has been considered a critical design criterion along with the traditional spectral efficiency (SE) metric. In this context, we study power and spectrum allocation for the recently proposed two-tier network architecture known as phantom cellular networks. The optimization framework includes both EE and SE, where we propose an algorithm that finds the SE and EE resource allocation strategies for phantom cellular networks. Then, we compare the performance of both design strategies versus the number of users, and phantom cells share of the total number of available resource blocks. We aim to investigate the effect of some system parameters to achieve improved SE performance at a non-significant loss in EE performance, or vice versa. It was found that increasing phantom cells share of resource blocks decreases the SE performance loss due to EE optimization when compared with the optimized SE performance. © 2016 IEEE.

Image-guided total marrow and total lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultheiss, Timothy E.; Wong, Jeffrey; Liu, An; Olivera, Gustavo; Somlo, George

2007-01-01

Purpose: To develop a treatment technique to spare normal tissue and allow dose escalation in total body irradiation (TBI). We have developed intensity-modulated radiotherapy techniques for the total marrow irradiation (TMI), total lymphatic irradiation, or total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation using helical tomotherapy. Methods and Materials: For TBI, we typically use 12 Gy in 10 fractions delivered at an extended source-to-surface distance (SSD). Using helical tomotherapy, it is possible to deliver equally effective doses to the bone marrow and lymphatics while sparing normal organs to a significant degree. In the TMI patients, whole body skeletal bone, including the ribs and sternum, comprise the treatment target. In the total lymphatic irradiation, the target is expanded to include the spleen and major lymph node areas. Sanctuary sites for disease (brain and testes) are included when clinically indicated. Spared organs include the lungs, esophagus, parotid glands, eyes, oral cavity, liver, kidneys, stomach, small and large intestine, bladder, and ovaries. Results: With TBI, all normal organs received the TBI dose; with TMI, total lymphatic irradiation, and total bone marrow plus lymphatic irradiation, the visceral organs are spared. For the first 6 patients treated with TMI, the median dose to organs at risk averaged 51% lower than would be achieved with TBI. By putting greater weight on the avoidance of specific organs, greater sparing was possible. Conclusion: Sparing of normal tissues and dose escalation is possible using helical tomotherapy. Late effects such as radiation pneumonitis, veno-occlusive disease, cataracts, neurocognitive effects, and the development of second tumors should be diminished in severity and frequency according to the dose reduction realized for the organs at risk

Overestimating Resource Value and Its Effects on Fighting Decisions

OpenAIRE

Dugatkin, Lee Alan; Dugatkin, Aaron David

2011-01-01

Much work in behavioral ecology has shown that animals fight over resources such as food, and that they make strategic decisions about when to engage in such fights. Here, we examine the evolution of one, heretofore unexamined, component of that strategic decision about whether to fight for a resource. We present the results of a computer simulation that examined the evolution of over- or underestimating the value of a resource (food) as a function of an individual's current hunger level. In ...

Assessment of the regional economic impacts of catastrophic events: CGE analysis of resource loss and behavioral effects of an RDD attack scenario.

Science.gov (United States)

Giesecke, J A; Burns, W J; Barrett, A; Bayrak, E; Rose, A; Slovic, P; Suher, M

2012-04-01

We investigate the regional economic consequences of a hypothetical catastrophic event-attack via radiological dispersal device (RDD)-centered on the downtown Los Angeles area. We distinguish two routes via which such an event might affect regional economic activity: (i) reduction in effective resource supply (the resource loss effect) and (ii) shifts in the perceptions of economic agents (the behavioral effect). The resource loss effect relates to the physical destructiveness of the event, while the behavioral effect relates to changes in fear and risk perception. Both affect the size of the regional economy. RDD detonation causes little capital damage and few casualties, but generates substantial short-run resource loss via business interruption. Changes in fear and risk perception increase the supply cost of resources to the affected region, while simultaneously reducing demand for goods produced in the region. We use results from a nationwide survey, tailored to our RDD scenario, to inform our model values for behavioral effects. Survey results, supplemented by findings from previous research on stigmatized asset values, suggest that in the region affected by the RDD, households may require higher wages, investors may require higher returns, and customers may require price discounts. We show that because behavioral effects may have lingering long-term deleterious impacts on both the supply-cost of resources to a region and willingness to pay for regional output, they can generate changes in regional gross domestic product (GDP) much greater than those generated by resource loss effects. Implications for policies that have the potential to mitigate these effects are discussed. © 2011 Society for Risk Analysis.

The Paradigm of the Total Quality Management in the Portuguese Higher Education

OpenAIRE

Saraiva, Margarida; Reis, Elizabeth

2006-01-01

Total quality management is a process based on a “to do differently” strategy. This strategy implies trying to achieve continuous improvement by sharing responsibilities reducing misused resource and meeting customer’s expectations. Typically, Total Quality Management is implemented in industry and services using a group of principles. The implementation of such principles guides the organizations towards the improvement of quality standards. Deming contributed to the total qua...

The Effect of Structured Exercise Intervention on Intensity and Volume of Total Physical Activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niko Wasenius

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week structured exercise intervention on total physical activity and its subcategories. Twenty-three overweight or obese middle aged men with impaired glucose regulation were randomized into a 12-week Nordic walking group, a power-type resistance training group, and a non-exercise control group. Physical activity was measured with questionnaires before the intervention (1–4 weeks and during the intervention (1–12 weeks and was expressed in metabolic equivalents of task. No significant change in the volume of total physical activity between or within the groups was observed (p > 0.050. The volume of total leisure-time physical activity (structured exercises + non-structured leisure-time physical activity increased significantly in the Nordic walking group (p 0.050 compared to the control group. In both exercise groups increase in the weekly volume of total leisure-time physical activity was inversely associated with the volume of non-leisure-time physical activities. In conclusion, structured exercise intervention did not increase the volume of total physical activity. Albeit, endurance training can increase the volume of high intensity physical activities, however it is associated with compensatory decrease in lower intensity physical activities. To achieve effective personalized exercise program, individuality in compensatory behavior should be recognised.

National hydroelectric power resources study. Preliminary inventory of hydropower resources. Volume 2. Pacific Southwest region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1979-07-01

The estimates of existing, incremental, and the undeveloped hydropower potential for all states in the various regions of the country are presented. In the Pacific Southwest region, the maximum physical potential for all sites exceeds 33,000 MW of capacity with an estimated average annual energy greater than 85,000 GWH. By comparison, these values represent about 6% of the total potential capacity and hydroelectric energy generation estimated for the entire US. Of the total capacity estimated for the region, 9900 MW has been installed. The remainder (23,200 MW) is the maximum which could be developed by upgrading and expanding existing projects (6000 MW) and by installing new hydroelectric power capacity at all potentially feasible, undeveloped sites (17,200 MW). Small-scale facilities account for less than 4% of the region's total installed capacity, but another 600 MW could be added to these and other small water resource projects. In addition, 600 MW could be installed at potentially feasible, undeveloped small-scale sites. The small-scale resource varies considerably, with the states of California and Utah having the largest potential for incremental development at existing projects in the Pacific Southwest region. States comprising the Southwest are Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah.

Green Lean TQM Human Resource Management Practices in Malaysian Automotive Companies

OpenAIRE

Noor Azlina Mohd Salleh; Salmiah Kasolang; Ahmed Jaffar

2012-01-01

Green Lean Total Quality Management (LTQM) Human Resource Management (HRM) System is a system comprises of HRM in Environmental Management System (EMS) practices which is integrated to TQM with Lean Manufacturing (LM) principles. HRM is essential especially in dealing with low motivation and less productive employees. The ultimate goal of this system is to focus on achieving total human resource development that is motivated and capable to optimize their creativity to be a part of Green and L...

Developmentally Sensitive Interaction Effects of Genes and the Social Environment on Total and Subcortical Brain Volumes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer S Richards

Full Text Available Smaller total brain and subcortical volumes have been linked to psychopathology including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. Identifying mechanisms underlying these alterations, therefore, is of great importance. We investigated the role of gene-environment interactions (GxE in interindividual variability of total gray matter (GM, caudate, and putamen volumes. Brain volumes were derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging scans in participants with (N = 312 and without ADHD (N = 437 from N = 402 families (age M = 17.00, SD = 3.60. GxE effects between DAT1, 5-HTT, and DRD4 and social environments (maternal expressed warmth and criticism; positive and deviant peer affiliation as well as the possible moderating effect of age were examined using linear mixed modeling. We also tested whether findings depended on ADHD severity. Deviant peer affiliation was associated with lower caudate volume. Participants with low deviant peer affiliations had larger total GM volumes with increasing age. Likewise, developmentally sensitive GxE effects were found on total GM and putamen volume. For total GM, differential age effects were found for DAT1 9-repeat and HTTLPR L/L genotypes, depending on the amount of positive peer affiliation. For putamen volume, DRD4 7-repeat carriers and DAT1 10/10 homozygotes showed opposite age relations depending on positive peer affiliation and maternal criticism, respectively. All results were independent of ADHD severity. The presence of differential age-dependent GxE effects might explain the diverse and sometimes opposing results of environmental and genetic effects on brain volumes observed so far.

Developmentally Sensitive Interaction Effects of Genes and the Social Environment on Total and Subcortical Brain Volumes.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Jennifer S; Arias Vásquez, Alejandro; Franke, Barbara; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Heslenfeld, Dirk J; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Faraone, Stephen V; Buitelaar, Jan K; Hartman, Catharina A

2016-01-01

Smaller total brain and subcortical volumes have been linked to psychopathology including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Identifying mechanisms underlying these alterations, therefore, is of great importance. We investigated the role of gene-environment interactions (GxE) in interindividual variability of total gray matter (GM), caudate, and putamen volumes. Brain volumes were derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging scans in participants with (N = 312) and without ADHD (N = 437) from N = 402 families (age M = 17.00, SD = 3.60). GxE effects between DAT1, 5-HTT, and DRD4 and social environments (maternal expressed warmth and criticism; positive and deviant peer affiliation) as well as the possible moderating effect of age were examined using linear mixed modeling. We also tested whether findings depended on ADHD severity. Deviant peer affiliation was associated with lower caudate volume. Participants with low deviant peer affiliations had larger total GM volumes with increasing age. Likewise, developmentally sensitive GxE effects were found on total GM and putamen volume. For total GM, differential age effects were found for DAT1 9-repeat and HTTLPR L/L genotypes, depending on the amount of positive peer affiliation. For putamen volume, DRD4 7-repeat carriers and DAT1 10/10 homozygotes showed opposite age relations depending on positive peer affiliation and maternal criticism, respectively. All results were independent of ADHD severity. The presence of differential age-dependent GxE effects might explain the diverse and sometimes opposing results of environmental and genetic effects on brain volumes observed so far.

Solution of resource allocation problem for identification of cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrianov, A.; Kuptsov, I.

2013-01-01

This report presents a methodology of selection of cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks. The methodology relies on a graded security model used in practice in different applications. The method is based on the controlled finite Markov chain approach set in combination with discrete dynamic programming and MCDM (Multi Criteria Decision Making) techniques that enables the expert to select the cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks depending on availability of resources. The analysis performed with different number of possible measures confirms the conclusions that the implementation of extra-large costs may not produce the required effect, and the increase in resources above a certain level does not appear sensitive. Diversification in improving the effectiveness of other measures seems more rational and efficient for the whole system than the unlimited improvement of the effectiveness of only one measure

Solution of resource allocation problem for identification of cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrianov, A.; Kuptsov, I. [Obninsk Institute for Nuclear Power Engineering, Studgorodok 1, Obninsk, Kaluga region 249030 (Russian Federation)

2013-07-01

This report presents a methodology of selection of cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks. The methodology relies on a graded security model used in practice in different applications. The method is based on the controlled finite Markov chain approach set in combination with discrete dynamic programming and MCDM (Multi Criteria Decision Making) techniques that enables the expert to select the cost-effective measures to reduce nuclear proliferation risks depending on availability of resources. The analysis performed with different number of possible measures confirms the conclusions that the implementation of extra-large costs may not produce the required effect, and the increase in resources above a certain level does not appear sensitive. Diversification in improving the effectiveness of other measures seems more rational and efficient for the whole system than the unlimited improvement of the effectiveness of only one measure.

Mapping and Assessment of the United States Ocean Wave Energy Resource

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jacobson, Paul T; Hagerman, George; Scott, George

2011-12-01

This project estimates the naturally available and technically recoverable U.S. wave energy resources, using a 51-month Wavewatch III hindcast database developed especially for this study by National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) National Centers for Environmental Prediction. For total resource estimation, wave power density in terms of kilowatts per meter is aggregated across a unit diameter circle. This approach is fully consistent with accepted global practice and includes the resource made available by the lateral transfer of wave energy along wave crests, which enables wave diffraction to substantially reestablish wave power densities within a few kilometers of a linear array, even for fixed terminator devices. The total available wave energy resource along the U.S. continental shelf edge, based on accumulating unit circle wave power densities, is estimated to be 2,640 TWh/yr, broken down as follows: 590 TWh/yr for the West Coast, 240 TWh/yr for the East Coast, 80 TWh/yr for the Gulf of Mexico, 1570 TWh/yr for Alaska, 130 TWh/yr for Hawaii, and 30 TWh/yr for Puerto Rico. The total recoverable wave energy resource, as constrained by an array capacity packing density of 15 megawatts per kilometer of coastline, with a 100-fold operating range between threshold and maximum operating conditions in terms of input wave power density available to such arrays, yields a total recoverable resource along the U.S. continental shelf edge of 1,170 TWh/yr, broken down as follows: 250 TWh/yr for the West Coast, 160 TWh/yr for the East Coast, 60 TWh/yr for the Gulf of Mexico, 620 TWh/yr for Alaska, 80 TWh/yr for Hawaii, and 20 TWh/yr for Puerto Rico.

A Critical Study of Effect of Web-Based Software Tools in Finding and Sharing Digital Resources--A Literature Review

Science.gov (United States)

Baig, Muntajeeb Ali

2010-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to review the effect of web-based software tools for finding and sharing digital resources. A positive correlation between learning and studying through online tools has been found in recent researches. In traditional classroom, searching resources are limited to the library and sharing of resources is limited to the…

Natural resource dependence, human capital accumulation, and economic growth: A combined explanation for the resource curse and the resource blessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shao, Shuai; Yang, Lili

2014-01-01

In existing studies, no consensus has been reached on the relationship between natural resource dependence and human capital accumulation. To narrow the divergence, this paper carries out a normative research to explain the co-existence of the phenomena of the resource curse and the resource blessing based on an organic combination of conceptual and mathematical models. It first establishes a conceptual model to analyse the potential effects of the government's policy preference and natural resource development activities on human capital accumulation and economic growth. Furthermore, it develops an endogenous growth model to normatively illuminate the effects in the conceptual model and to explore the condition for the occurrence of the resource curse. The conceptual model analysis indicates that the rate of return on education investment and government behaviours play the crucial role in promoting the formation of the economic virtuous circle at the micro-level and macro-level, respectively, while resource development activities exert dual impacts on the circle. The main mechanisms in the conceptual model can be validated in the mathematical model. The rise in the subjective discount rate, the elasticity of intertemporal substitution, and resource goods price are adverse to the economic virtuous circle, while high-quality education and the institutional environment giving priority to manufacturing can become the necessary condition and sufficient condition for forming the circle, respectively. The allocation efficiency of production factors plays a decisive role in whether the blessing occurs, whereas sufficient human capital is an essential guarantee for evading the curse. - Highlights: • We conduct normative research combining a conceptual model and a mathematical model. • We discuss the potential impact of resource dependence on human capital and growth. • We explain the co-existence of the resource blessing and resource curse phenomena. �

Gentilly 2 maintenance in a total quality environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ross, M H; Marois, H [Hydro-Quebec, Gentilly (Canada). Gentilly Generating Station

1993-12-31

Comprehensive preventive maintenance programs at Gentilly-2 Nuclear Generating Station are based on a policy that seeks to balance requirements against resources. A commitment to total quality aims at performance improvement and total customer satisfaction. To improve overall performance to an annual availability factor of 90%, planned outages must be limited to 21 days per year, and the preventive maintenance program must be upgraded. A quality improvement team is involved in supporting this initiative. This team will seek to bring a new balance to the program, and eventually optimize it, using reliability-centred maintenance techniques. 24 figs.

Total Quality Management in Higher Education: Applying Deming's Fourteen Points.

Science.gov (United States)

Masters, Robert J.; Leiker, Linda

1992-01-01

This article presents guidelines to aid administrators of institutions of higher education in applying the 14 principles of Total Quality Management. The principles stress understanding process improvements, handling variation, fostering prediction, and using psychology to capitalize on human resources. (DB)

Access to environmental resources and physical activity levels of adults in Hawaii.

Science.gov (United States)

Geller, Karly S; Nigg, Claudio R; Ollberding, Nicholas J; Motl, Robert W; Horwath, Caroline; Dishman, Rodney K

2015-03-01

Examine associations between physical activity (PA) and spatial accessibility to environmental PA resources in Hawaii. Metabolic equivalents (METs) of mild, moderate, and strenuous PA were compared for accessibility with environmental PA resources within a population-based sample of Hawaiian adults (n = 381). Multiple linear regression estimated differences in PA levels for residing further from a PA resource or residing in an area with a greater number of resources. No associations were found in the total sample. Analyses within subsamples stratified by ethnicity revealed that greater spatial accessibility to a PA resource was positively associated with strenuous PA among Caucasians (P = .04) but negatively associated with moderate PA among Native Hawaiians (P = .00). The lack of association in the total sample may be a consequence of Hawaii's unique environment. Results of stratified sample analyses are unique, providing groundwork for future examinations within parallel environments and among similar ethnic groups. © 2012 APJPH.

Group attributional training as an effective approach to human resource development under team work systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Z M

1994-07-01

An experimental programme of group attributional training under team work system was conducted as part of human resource development in Chinese industrial enterprises. One hundred and ten shopfloor employees participated in the study. Among them, 58 employees took part in the factorial-designed experiment to find out the effects of attributions on performance, and 52 employees of ten work groups participated in the group attributional training programme twice a week for two months. The results showed that the group attributional training was effective in modifying employees' attributional patterns and enhancing group performance and satisfaction. On the basis of the results, an attributional model of work motivation is proposed, and its theoretical and practical implications for human resource management discussed.

Analyses on Water Vapor Resource in Chengdu City

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, B.; Xiao, T.; Wang, C.; Chen, D.

2017-12-01

Chengdu is located in the Sichuan basin, and it is the most famous inland city in China. With suitable temperatures and rainfall, Chengdu is the most livable cities in China. With the development of urban economy and society, the population has now risen to 16 million, and it will up to 22 million in 2030. This will cause the city water resources demand, and the carrying capacity of water resources become more and more serious. In order to improve the contradiction between urban waterlogging and water shortage, sponge city planning was proposed by Chengdu government, and this is of great practical significance for promoting the healthy development of the city. Base on the reanalysis data from NCEP during 2007-2016, the characters of Water Vapor Resources was analyzed, and the main contents of this research are summarized as follows: The water vapor resource in Chengdu plain is more than that in Southeast China and less in Northwest China. The annual average water vapor resource is approximately 160 mm -320 mm, and the water vapor resource in summer can reach 3 times in winter. But the annual average precipitation in Chengdu is about 800 mm -1200 mm and it is far greater than the water vapor resource, this is because of the transport of water vapor. Using the formula of water vapor flux, the water vapor in Chengdu is comes from the west and the south, and the value is around 50kg/(ms). Base on the calculation of boundary vapor budget, the water vapor transport under 500hPa accounted for 97% of the total. Consider the water vapor transport, transformation and urban humidification effect, the Water Vapor Resource in Chengdu is 2500mm, and it can be used by artificial precipitation enhancement. Therefore, coordinated development of weather modification and sponge city construction, the shortage of water resources in Chengdu plain can be solved. Key words: Chengdu; Sponge city; Water vapor resource; Precipitation; Artificial precipitation enhancement Acknowledgements

Natural resources: A curse on education spending?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cockx, Lara; Francken, Nathalie

2016-01-01

In line with the rising interest in harnessing natural resource revenues for economic and human development through productive government investments, this paper aims to address an important blind spot in our understanding of the “resource curse” by contributing innovative insights on how natural resource wealth impacts government priorities and expenditure practices. Using a large panel dataset of 140 countries covering the period from 1995 to 2009, we find an adverse effect of resource dependence on public education expenditures relative to GDP that is robust to controlling for a range of additional covariates. Furthermore, our findings indicate that this resource curse effect on the government prioritization of education mainly stems from point-source natural resources. These results are of particular importance for the sustainable management of natural resource wealth in developing countries, as they could achieve especially high returns by investing resource revenues in public goods such as education. While this paper underlines the importance of institutions and government accountability, our findings also raise questions on the role of the private sector as a partner in development, as the extractives industry could consider increasing funding for education through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. - Highlights: •We use a panel dataset of 140 countries covering the period from 1995 to 2009. •We find an inverse relationship between resource dependence and education spending. •The effect of resource dependence is robust to controlling for several covariates. •Indirect effects through a decline in accountability and the service industry. •This curse mainly stems from point-source resource dependence.

Managing Academic Libraries with Fewer Resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Riggs, Donald E.

1992-01-01

A discussion of academic library management during retrenchment looks at a variety of issues, including staffing needs in the labor-intensive library environment, acquisitions budgeting, interlibrary cooperation (ownership vs. access to resources), entrepreneurship and strategic planning for problem solving, and use of total quality management…

Gender differences and social ties effects in resource sharing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

d'Exelle, Ben; Riedl, Arno

2016-01-01

In rural areas in developing countries gender inequality tends to be severe which might have substantial welfare implications if it determines how scarce economic resources are shared between men and women. Therefore, it is important to know how gender influences resource sharing and - given the

Industrial Performance of the Renewable Resources Industry in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dong Zhou

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Promoting the development of renewable resources industry is an effective way to solve the problems of resources shortage and environmental pollution in China. In this paper, studies have found that “market structure” and “ownership structure”, namely “double structure”, is an important explanatory variable that affects industrial performance according to the “structure-conduct-performance” paradigm. Literature reviews have shown that large state-owned enterprises are playing an important role in improving the industrial performance because of the advantage in technology and capital. However, this paper analyzed the performance of China’s renewable resource industry from two aspects—the overall industrial development and the listed companies, from which two conclusions have drawn: (1 Above a designated size, private enterprises have the greatest contribution, while the contribution of state-owned and foreign-funded enterprises is different; (2 The main reason for the high positive growth rate of total factor productivity between 2009 and 2013 is the rapid growth of technological progress such as the improvement of production processes and manufacturing skills, rather than the promotion of management, system, or polices.

The effect of natural resources on a sustainable development policy: The approach of non-sustainable externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, Markus; Chiang Lichun

2011-01-01

The debate about the importance of non-renewable resources for economic development between optimists and pessimists shows that the extensive depletion of non-renewable resources, particularly oil, along with a higher level of consumption could have a significant impact on the economic development of future generations. Based on this debate, this paper proposes criteria under which the depletion of non-renewable resources would create excess costs for future generations. Therefore, this paper aims to answer the question 'What will be the impact of the depletion of non-renewable resources on sustainable economic development?' Accordingly, a sustainable development policy appears feasible by minimizing non-sustainable externalities which derive from future externalities that weigh the benefits from a previous employment of natural resources. The research based on qualitative analysis clarifies the reasons for and the extents of taking sustainability into account as well as points to difficulties of implementing policies to time the transition towards a sustainable economic development. Finally, the research shows the implications of this approach for environmental degradation, the depletion of non-renewable resources and energy production. - Research Highlights: →Economic development will more or less smoothly switch to the use of renewable substitutes. →The transition towards a sustainable use of resources may inherit costs for future generations. →Non-sustainable externalities show the future costs of excessive resource depletion. →The approach aims to take the long-term global effects of resource substitution into account.

The Effects of Wheat Guarantee Price on the Economic Value of Groundwater Resources; the Case Study of Orzoiye Region, Kerman

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S.H. Mosavi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Agriculture as one of main axis of development in Iran is heavily depend on irrigation water. on the other hand, water resources have been under heavy pressure due to rising demand with different uses. Hence, water resources management and optimal water allocation have become increasingly important Undoubtedly, one of the most important tools for optimal allocation of water resources, is the economic valuation of the long-term development strategy of the country. However, the main question is whether the various agricultural policies of the government are to achieve self-sufficiency in the production decisions, in line with the management of water resources? Materials and Methods: To develop an analytical context for responding to above question, in this study, the effect of guaranteed purchase policy of wheat as one of the most supporting government policies, on the economic value of water resources in Orzoiyeh plain of Kerman province was studied. In order to achieve our goals, a dynamic mathematical programming model was used. A number of key questions are involved with the modeling of dynamic situations. Fundamentally, one must ask whether an explicit multiple time period representation is necessary. If so, a number of other questions are relevant. First, the length of the total time period and the starting date must be determined. Second, the length of the time intervals explicitly represented within the total time period must be determined. Third, initial and final inventory conditions must be specified. Fourth, one must decide on activity life, i.e., when a particular activity is begun and how long it lasts. Fifth, the rate of time preference must be determined, i.e., one needs the discount rate at which future returns are considered when compared with current returns. Sixth and finally, one must decide whether to include uncertainty. The sections below present discussion on each of these topics. Dynamic situations may not

ANALYSIS OF AGRARIAN SECTOR RESOURCE PROVIDING IN UKRAINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iryna Bezpyata

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is an analysis of material well-being level in agrarian sector of economy by productive resources (by land, labour, hardware providing with that provides efficiency of economic activity and ground of basic directions of the rational bringing in and use of resource potential of agrarian sector of economy in Ukraine in market conditions. Research methodology consists in the use of statistical and economic research methods for analysis of productive resources using modern state of agriculture for period from 2010 to 2014 years. Research results show that the resource providing agrarian sector development can be defined as totality of certain types of resources (land, technological, labour, financial and sources of their forming, directly participating in the processes of agrarian sector economies development that can be mobilized with the purpose of providing the scale using of their potential possibilities and transition of agriculture to the qualitatively new state. Analysis of the modern state of material well-being of agrarian sector resources of economy in Ukraine is unsatisfactory and with every year gets worse. To overcome this problem agricultural commodity producers are unable only by themselves. For the improvement of the economic state of agrarian sector of economy in whole country and regional state support of home agricultural producer, stimulation of his activity is needed. And first of all the self-weighted investment policy of the state should become such measures in the agrarian sector of economy that will allow bringing in of greater amount of investment resources for the improvement of technical equipment at agricultural enterprises, development of production co-operation and products sale, introduction of personnel management modern methodology, increase in labour activity level in agrarian sector, realization of the permanent updating and increase in products quality control, etc. Practical value. Got

Totally tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy: is it safe and effective in preschool children?

Science.gov (United States)

Ozturk, Ahmet; Guven, Selcuk; Kilinc, Mehmet; Topbaş, Emrah; Piskin, Mesut; Arslan, Mehmet

2010-12-01

After the introduction of tubeless percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), many studies conducted in adult patients have confirmed its efficacy and safety. There are limited studies reporting that tubeless PNL can be safely applied in children, however. Furthermore, there are no reports that evaluate the use of totally tubeless PNL in children. The present study evaluates the results of totally tubeless PNL in preschool children. The data of children seen in our clinic who were considered suitable for totally tubeless PNL were analyzed. Of 16 children, 8 patients underwent totally tubeless PNL (group 1) and 8 standard PNL (group 2). The two groups of patients were compared with regard to length of hospitalization, analgesic requirements, transfusion rates, hemoglobin (Hb) decrease, and immediate, early, and late complications. The mean ages of the patients were 56.6 months (9-84 mos) and 56.0 months (5-84 mos), and the mean follow-up was 21.5 months (3-44 mos) and 43.4 months (36-54 mos) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Both groups were similar with regard to age, stone size, Hb change, and complications. Although operation duration, hospitalization period, and analgesic requirement were less in the totally tubeless PNL group, these differences were not statistically significant. The latest application of PNL, totally tubeless PNL, is also a safe and effective procedure in very small children if they are selected properly and if the surgeon has sufficient experience with the procedure. More studies with a higher number of participants are needed, however, to confirm that totally tubeless PNL increases the comfort of pediatric patients, decreases their hospitalization period, and is more economical.

Clinical benefit and cost effectiveness of total knee arthroplasty in the older patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krummenauer F

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose Total knee arthroplasty (TKA is an effective, but also cost-intensive health care procedure for the elderly. Furthermore, bearing demographic changes in Western Europe in mind, TKA-associated financial investment for health care insurers will increase notably and thereby catalyze discussions on ressource allocation to Orthopedic surgery. To derive a quantitative rationale for such discussions within Western Europe's health care systems, a prospective assessment of both the benefit of TKA from a patient's perspective as well as its cost effectiveness from a health care insurer's perspective was implemented. Methods A prospective cost effectiveness trial recruited a total of 65 patients (60% females, who underwent TKA in 2006; median age of patients was 66 years (interquartile range 61 - 74 years. Before and three months after surgery patients were interviewed by means of the EuroQol-5D and the WOMAC questionnaires to assess their individual benefit due to TKA and the subsequent inpatient rehabilitation. Both questionnaires' benefit estimates were transformed into the number of gained quality adjusted life years [QALYs]. Total direct cost estimates for the overall care were based on German DRG and rehabilitation cost rates [€]. The primary clinical endpoint of the investigation was the individual number of QALYs gained by TKA based on the WOMAC interview; the primary health economic endpoint was the marginal cost effectiveness ratio (MCER relating the costs to the associated gain in quality of life [€/QALY]. Results Total direct costs for the overall procedure were estimed 9549 € in median. The WOMAC based interview revealed an overall gain of 4.59 QALYs (interquartile range 2.39 - 6.21 QALYs, resulting in marginal costs of 1795 €/QALY (1488 - 3288 €/QALY. The corresponding EuroQol based estimates were 2.93 QALYs (1.75 - 5.59 QALYs and 3063 €/QALY (1613 - 5291 €/QALY. Logistic regression modelling identified the

Total evaporation estimates from a Renosterveld and dryland wheat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2010-07-09

Jul 9, 2010 ... 1 CSIR Natural Resources and the Environment, PO Box 320 Stellenbosch 7599, South ... A change in land use from Renosterveld to dryland annual crops could therefore affect the soil .... Modelling total evaporation spatially: Surface Energy ..... similar, with ETo's ranging between 1.8 mm∙d-1 (on a cloudy/.

Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Subject to Due Dates: Preemption Permitted with Penalty

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrouz Afshar-Nadjafi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Extensive research works have been carried out in resource constrained project scheduling problem. However, scarce researches have studied the problems in which a setup cost must be incurred if activities are preempted. In this research, we investigate the resource constrained project scheduling problem to minimize the total project cost, considering earliness-tardiness and preemption penalties. A mixed integer programming formulation is proposed for the problem. The resulting problem is NP-hard. So, we try to obtain a satisfying solution using simulated annealing (SA algorithm. The efficiency of the proposed algorithm is tested based on 150 randomly produced examples. Statistical comparison in terms of the computational times and objective function indicates that the proposed algorithm is efficient and effective.

Surface Acting and Job-Related Affective Wellbeing: Preventing Resource Loss Spiral and Resource Loss Cycle for Sustainable Workplaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seongwook Ha

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This study empirically examines the synergistic negative effect of two kinds of job demand on job-related affective wellbeing (JAW and the accelerating effects of cynicism in the negative relationships between job demands and JAW using a sample of 299 employees in the Chinese banking industry. Job demands include quantitative role overload and surface acting to represent the quantitative and qualitative aspects of job demands. Cynicism is introduced as a state where one’s energy resource is lost. The results of this study show that surface acting has a negative relationship with JAW, but quantitative role overload has no relationship with JAW. High levels of quantitative role overload exacerbate the negative relationship between surface acting and JAW. Cynicism also exacerbates the negative relationship between surface acting and JAW but does not have any moderating effect in the relationship between quantitative role overload and JAW. These results are consistent with the relationships predicted by resource loss spiral and resource loss cycle. The resource loss spiral means that resource loss, caused by handling with a quantitative role overload, lessens the employee’s ability to cope with surface acting. The resource loss cycle represents a vicious circle that amplifies the resource loss caused by surface acting. Surface acting reduces the level of one’s resources. Furthermore, surface acting reduces JAW and resources more strongly when an individual has low levels of previous energy resources than it reduces JAW and resources when he or she has high levels of previous energy resources.

Awareness and utilization of open access resources in Asom Bur ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study examined the extent of awareness and utilization of open access resources in University of Mkar library (Asom Bur Learning Resource Centre). One hundred (100) undergraduate students out of a total of about One thousand and fifty (1,050) were randomly selected. Descriptive survey design was employed and ...

Family Resources and Effects on Child Behavior Problem Interventions: A Cumulative Risk Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Tømmerås, Truls; Kjøbli, John

2017-01-01

Family resources have been associated with health care inequality in general and with social gradients in treatment outcomes for children with behavior problems. However, there is limited evidence concerning cumulative risk-the accumulation of social and economic disadvantages in a family-and whether cumulative risk moderates the outcomes of evidence-based parent training interventions. We used data from two randomized controlled trials evaluating high-intensity ( n  = 137) and low-intensity ( n  = 216) versions of Parent Management Training-Oregon (PMTO) with a 50:50 allocation between participants receiving PMTO interventions or regular care. A nine-item family cumulative risk index tapping socioeconomic resources and parental health was constructed to assess the family's exposure to risk. Autoregressive structured equation models (SEM) were run to investigate whether cumulative risk moderated child behaviors at post-treatment and follow-up (6 months). Our results showed opposite social gradients for the treatment conditions: the children exposed to cumulative risk in a pooled sample of both PMTO groups displayed lower levels of behavior problems, whereas children with identical risk exposures who received regular care experienced more problems. Furthermore, our results indicated that the social gradients differed between PMTO interventions: children exposed to cumulative risk in the low-intensity (five sessions) Brief Parent Training fared equally well as their high-resource counterparts, whereas children exposed to cumulative risk in the high-intensity PMTO (12 sessions) experienced vastly better treatment effects. Providing evidence-based parent training seem to be an effective way to counteract health care inequality, and the more intensive PMTO treatment seemed to be a particularly effective way to help families with cumulative risk.

Use of the method for addressing the challenges of resources procurement management at a mining enterprise

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, T. V.; Strekalov, S. V.; Novichikhin, A. V.

2017-09-01

The article is devoted to the analysis of possible application of the total cost of ownership method for the purchase of resources at a mining enterprise. The description of the total cost of ownership method and experience of using this method in other spheres is provided. The article identifies the essential components needed to calculate the total cost of ownership of a resource. Particular attention is paid to the ratio of the price of the purchased resource and the total cost of ownership. To justify the relevance of application of this method at a mining enterprise for resources purchase, the technical and economic conditions of mining enterprises have been analyzed, which are quite specific and force to introduce certain adjustments to the application of the considered method and opens up new possibilities for its use. Specific spheres for application of this method at a mining enterprise are determined. The main result of the study is the proposed practical recommendations for the introduction and extension of the practice of using the method when a mining enterprise purchases resources.

Code development for eigenvalue total sensitivity analysis and total uncertainty analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Chenghui; Cao, Liangzhi; Wu, Hongchun; Zu, Tiejun; Shen, Wei

2015-01-01

Highlights: • We develop a new code for total sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. • The implicit effects of cross sections can be considered. • The results of our code agree well with TSUNAMI-1D. • Detailed analysis for origins of implicit effects is performed. - Abstract: The uncertainties of multigroup cross sections notably impact eigenvalue of neutron-transport equation. We report on a total sensitivity analysis and total uncertainty analysis code named UNICORN that has been developed by applying the direct numerical perturbation method and statistical sampling method. In order to consider the contributions of various basic cross sections and the implicit effects which are indirect results of multigroup cross sections through resonance self-shielding calculation, an improved multigroup cross-section perturbation model is developed. The DRAGON 4.0 code, with application of WIMSD-4 format library, is used by UNICORN to carry out the resonance self-shielding and neutron-transport calculations. In addition, the bootstrap technique has been applied to the statistical sampling method in UNICORN to obtain much steadier and more reliable uncertainty results. The UNICORN code has been verified against TSUNAMI-1D by analyzing the case of TMI-1 pin-cell. The numerical results show that the total uncertainty of eigenvalue caused by cross sections can reach up to be about 0.72%. Therefore the contributions of the basic cross sections and their implicit effects are not negligible

Modelling the effect of environmental factors on resource allocation in mixed plants systems

Science.gov (United States)

Gayler, Sebastian; Priesack, Eckart

2010-05-01

In most cases, growth of plants is determined by competition against neighbours for the local resources light, water and nutrients and by defending against herbivores and pathogens. Consequently, it is important for a plant to grow fast without neglecting defence. However, plant internal substrates and energy required to support maintenance, growth and defence are limited and the total demand for these processes cannot be met in most cases. Therefore, allocation of carbohydrates to growth related primary metabolism or to defence related secondary metabolism can be seen as a trade-off between the demand of plants for being competitive against neighbours and for being more resistant against pathogens. A modelling approach is presented which can be used to simulate competition for light, water and nutrients between plant individuals in mixed canopies. The balance of resource allocation between growth processes and synthesis of secondary compounds is modelled by a concept originating from different plant defence hypothesis. The model is used to analyse the impact of environmental factors such as soil water and nitrogen availability, planting density and atmospheric concentration of CO2 on growth of plant individuals within mixed canopies and variations in concentration of carbon-based secondary metabolites in plant tissues.

The effect of total noise on two-dimension OCDMA codes

Science.gov (United States)

Dulaimi, Layth A. Khalil Al; Badlishah Ahmed, R.; Yaakob, Naimah; Aljunid, Syed A.; Matem, Rima

2017-11-01

In this research, we evaluate the performance of total noise effect on two dimension (2-D) optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA) performance systems using 2-D Modified Double Weight MDW under various link parameters. The impact of the multi-access interference (MAI) and other noise effect on the system performance. The 2-D MDW is compared mathematically with other codes which use similar techniques. We analyzed and optimized the data rate and effective receive power. The performance and optimization of MDW code in OCDMA system are reported, the bit error rate (BER) can be significantly improved when the 2-D MDW code desired parameters are selected especially the cross correlation properties. It reduces the MAI in the system compensate BER and phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN) in incoherent OCDMA The analysis permits a thorough understanding of PIIN, shot and thermal noises impact on 2-D MDW OCDMA system performance. PIIN is the main noise factor in the OCDMA network.

The effect of total noise on two-dimension OCDMA codes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khalil Al Dulaimi Layth A.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In this research, we evaluate the performance of total noise effect on two dimension (2-D optical code-division multiple access (OCDMA performance systems using 2-D Modified Double Weight MDW under various link parameters. The impact of the multi-access interference (MAI and other noise effect on the system performance. The 2-D MDW is compared mathematically with other codes which use similar techniques. We analyzed and optimized the data rate and effective receive power. The performance and optimization of MDW code in OCDMA system are reported, the bit error rate (BER can be significantly improved when the 2-D MDW code desired parameters are selected especially the cross correlation properties. It reduces the MAI in the system compensate BER and phase-induced intensity noise (PIIN in incoherent OCDMA The analysis permits a thorough understanding of PIIN, shot and thermal noises impact on 2-D MDW OCDMA system performance. PIIN is the main noise factor in the OCDMA network.

OECD Reviews of School Resources : Austria 2016

OpenAIRE

Theisens, Henno

2016-01-01

The effective use of school resources is a policy priority across OECD countries. The OECD Reviews of School Resources explore how resources can be governed, distributed, utilised and managed to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. The series considers four types of resources: financial resources, such as public funding of individual schools; human resources, such as teachers, school leaders and education administrators; physical resources, such as location, buildin...

A note on resource allocation scheduling with group technology and learning effects on a single machine

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Yuan-Yuan; Wang, Ji-Bo; Ji, Ping; He, Hongyu

2017-09-01

In this article, single-machine group scheduling with learning effects and convex resource allocation is studied. The goal is to find the optimal job schedule, the optimal group schedule, and resource allocations of jobs and groups. For the problem of minimizing the makespan subject to limited resource availability, it is proved that the problem can be solved in polynomial time under the condition that the setup times of groups are independent. For the general setup times of groups, a heuristic algorithm and a branch-and-bound algorithm are proposed, respectively. Computational experiments show that the performance of the heuristic algorithm is fairly accurate in obtaining near-optimal solutions.

Core Skills for Effective Science Communication: A Teaching Resource for Undergraduate Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Mercer-Mapstone, Lucy; Kuchel, Louise

2017-01-01

Science communication is a diverse and transdisciplinary field and is taught most effectively when the skills involved are tailored to specific educational contexts. Few academic resources exist to guide the teaching of communication with non-scientific audiences for an undergraduate science context. This mixed methods study aimed to explore what…

The Effect of Modeling and Visualization Resources on Student Understanding of Physical Hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Jilll A.; Castillo, Adam J.; Cardenas, M. Bayani

2015-01-01

We investigated the effect of modeling and visualization resources on upper-division, undergraduate and graduate students' performance on an open-ended assessment of their understanding of physical hydrology. The students were enrolled in one of five sections of a physical hydrology course. In two of the sections, students completed homework…

Nonthermal Quantum Channels as a Thermodynamical Resource

Science.gov (United States)

Navascués, Miguel; García-Pintos, Luis Pedro

2015-07-01

Quantum thermodynamics can be understood as a resource theory, whereby thermal states are free and the only allowed operations are unitary transformations commuting with the total Hamiltonian of the system. Previous literature on the subject has just focused on transformations between different state resources, overlooking the fact that quantum operations which do not commute with the total energy also constitute a potentially valuable resource. In this Letter, given a number of nonthermal quantum channels, we study the problem of how to integrate them in a thermal engine so as to distill a maximum amount of work. We find that, in the limit of asymptotically many uses of each channel, the distillable work is an additive function of the considered channels, computable for both finite dimensional quantum operations and bosonic channels. We apply our results to bound the amount of distillable work due to the natural nonthermal processes postulated in the Ghirardi-Rimini-Weber (GRW) collapse model. We find that, although GRW theory predicts the possibility of extracting work from the vacuum at no cost, the power which a collapse engine could, in principle, generate is extremely low.

Total volume versus bouts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chinapaw, Mai; Klakk, Heidi; Møller, Niels Christian

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Examine the prospective relationship of total volume versus bouts of sedentary behaviour (SB) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with cardiometabolic risk in children. In addition, the moderating effects of weight status and MVPA were explored. SUBJECTS....../METHODS: Longitudinal study including 454 primary school children (mean age 10.3 years). Total volume and bouts (i.e. ≥10 min consecutive minutes) of MVPA and SB were assessed by accelerometry in Nov 2009/Jan 2010 (T1) and Aug/Oct 2010 (T2). Triglycerides, total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio (TC:HDLC ratio......, with or without mutual adjustments between MVPA and SB. The moderating effects of weight status and MVPA (for SB only) were examined by adding interaction terms. RESULTS: Children engaged daily in about 60 min of total MVPA and 0-15 min/week in MVPA bouts. Mean total sedentary time was around 7 h/day with over 3...

Total rewards and its effects on organisational commitment in higher education institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Calvin M. Mabaso

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Retaining staff with special endeavours within higher education institutions has become a top priority and crucial for any organisational productivity and competiveness. Attracting and retaining talent has remained a critical and complex issue for human capital management in organisations. Research purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of total rewards on organisational commitment measured by Total Rewards Scale and Organisational Commitment Questionnaire. Motivation for the study: There is paucity in research on the impact of total rewards on organisational commitment. Commitment of academic staff is significant as higher education institutions are influential in the development of a country. Research design, approach and method: This study employed the quantitative research method using a survey design. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect survey data. A sample of 279 academic staff, which was the total population of participants, was selected for this study. Main findings: Results show a positive and significant correlation between elements of total rewards (performance management, 0.387; recognition, 0.335; talent development and career opportunities, 0.328; compensation, 0.231; benefits, 0.213; work–life balance, 0.024 and organisational commitment. A variance of 52.3% of total rewards explained organisational commitment. Performance management, compensation, benefits, recognition, talent development and career opportunities significantly predicted organisational commitment. However, work–life balance indicated a negative effect on organisational commitment. Practical managerial implications: Findings of the study has implications to managers because they have to encourage and promote total rewards in order to enforce talent retention within higher education institutions for the benefit of both institutions and employees. Contribution: The results are important to managers

Effectiveness of trauma team on medical resource utilization and quality of care for patients with major trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chih-Jung; Yen, Shu-Ting; Huang, Shih-Fang; Hsu, Su-Chen; Ying, Jeremy C; Shan, Yan-Shen

2017-07-24

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death in Taiwan, and its medical expenditure escalated drastically. This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of trauma team, which was established in September 2010, on medical resource utilization and quality of care among major trauma patients. This was a retrospective study, using trauma registry data bank and inpatient medical service charge databases. Study subjects were major trauma patients admitted to a medical center in Tainan during 2009 and 2013, and was divided into case group (from January, 2011 to August, 2013) and comparison group (from January, 2009 to August, 2010). Significant reductions in several items of medical resource utilization were identified after the establishment of trauma team. In the sub-group of patients who survived to discharge, examination, radiology and operation charges declined significantly. The radiation and examination charges reduced significantly in the subcategories of ISS = 16 ~ 24 and ISS > 24 respectively. However, no significant effectiveness on quality of care was identified. The establishment of trauma team is effective in containing medical resource utilization. In order to verify the effectiveness on quality of care, extended time frame and extra study subjects are needed.

Seven-year cost-effectiveness of ProDisc-C total disc replacement: results from investigational device exemption and post-approval studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Radcliff, Kris; Lerner, Jason; Yang, Chao; Bernard, Thierry; Zigler, Jack E

2016-05-01

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 7-year cost-effectiveness of cervical total disc replacement (CTDR) versus anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for the treatment of patients with single-level symptomatic degenerative disc disease. A change in the spending trajectory for spine care is to be achieved, in part, through the selection of interventions that have been proven effective yet cost less than other options. This analysis complements and builds upon findings from other cost-effectiveness evaluations of CTDR through the use of long-term, patient-level data from a randomized study. METHODS This was a 7-year health economic evaluation comparing CTDR versus ACDF from the US commercial payer perspective. Prospectively collected health care resource utilization and treatment effects (quality-adjusted life years [QALYs]) were obtained from individual patient-level adverse event reports and SF-36 data, respectively, from the randomized, multicenter ProDisc-C total disc replacement investigational device exemption (IDE) study and post-approval study. Statistical distributions for unit costs were derived from a commercial claims database and applied using Monte Carlo simulation. Patient-level costs and effects were modeled via multivariate probabilistic analysis. Confidence intervals for 7-year costs, effects, and net monetary benefit (NMB) were obtained using the nonparametric percentile method from results of 10,000 bootstrap simulations. The robustness of results was assessed through scenario analysis and within a parametric regression model controlling for baseline variables. RESULTS Seven-year follow-up data were available for more than 70% of the 209 randomized patients. In the base-case analysis, CTDR resulted in mean per-patient cost savings of $12,789 (95% CI $5362-$20,856) and per-patient QALY gains of 0.16 (95% CI -0.073 to 0.39) compared with ACDF over 7 years. CTDR was more effective and less costly in 90.8% of probabilistic

The Maximum Resource Bin Packing Problem

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boyar, J.; Epstein, L.; Favrholdt, L.M.

2006-01-01

Usually, for bin packing problems, we try to minimize the number of bins used or in the case of the dual bin packing problem, maximize the number or total size of accepted items. This paper presents results for the opposite problems, where we would like to maximize the number of bins used...... algorithms, First-Fit-Increasing and First-Fit-Decreasing for the maximum resource variant of classical bin packing. For the on-line variant, we define maximum resource variants of classical and dual bin packing. For dual bin packing, no on-line algorithm is competitive. For classical bin packing, we find...

Effect of early release of tourniquet in total knee arthroplasty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbas, K.; Raza, H.; Umer, M.; Hafiz, K.

2013-01-01

To evaluate whether tourniquet release intraoperatively is better than postoperative release in reducing overall blood loss, duration of surgery, duration of tourniquet, length of hospital stay, wound related complications and transfusion requirement. Study Design: Comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Surgery, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from January 2004 to June 2007. Methodology: One hundred and thirty patient files were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups. Group-A consisted of 65 patients with early deflation of tourniquet and group-B comprised of 65 patients with the release of tourniquet after applying compressive dressing. Total blood loss (determined by Gross method) and other study variables were noted as per objective and computed. Results: There were 22 males and 108 females with comparable BMI. All had undergone posterior stabilized cemented total knee replacement. Calculated blood loss was 1.208 L and 1.108 L in group-A and B respectively (p = 0.27). Significant increase in duration of surgery was noted in group-A patients. Four patients in group-B showed complication related to wound with 3 being minor and 1 requiring additional operation room visit. Mean length of hospital stay was 9 days. Transfusion frequency was higher in group-B despite comparable postoperative haemoglobin values. Conclusion: Intraoperative tourniquet release does not reduce overall blood loss with no effect in conserving blood after total knee replacement, however, this group had relatively shorter hospital stay. (author)

Effect of road side dust pollution on the growth and total chlorophyll ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of dust in Vitis vinifera L. on its pigmentation and growth was studied in 2012. Measurements were taken for plants in the Campus University of Balochistan, Quetta. A significant reduction in plant length, cover, number of leaves and total chlorophyll contents for V. vinifera L. was observed. The maximum reduction ...

Estimation of economic parameters of U.S. hydropower resources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, Douglas G. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab. (INEEL); Hunt, Richard T. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab. (INEEL); Reeves, Kelly S. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab. (INEEL); Carroll, Greg R. [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Lab. (INEEL)

2003-06-01

Tools for estimating the cost of developing and operating and maintaining hydropower resources in the form of regression curves were developed based on historical plant data. Development costs that were addressed included: licensing, construction, and five types of environmental mitigation. It was found that the data for each type of cost correlated well with plant capacity. A tool for estimating the annual and monthly electric generation of hydropower resources was also developed. Additional tools were developed to estimate the cost of upgrading a turbine or a generator. The development and operation and maintenance cost estimating tools, and the generation estimating tool were applied to 2,155 U.S. hydropower sites representing a total potential capacity of 43,036 MW. The sites included totally undeveloped sites, dams without a hydroelectric plant, and hydroelectric plants that could be expanded to achieve greater capacity. Site characteristics and estimated costs and generation for each site were assembled in a database in Excel format that is also included within the EERE Library under the title, “Estimation of Economic Parameters of U.S. Hydropower Resources - INL Hydropower Resource Economics Database.”

Uranium market and resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capus, G.; Arnold, T.

2005-01-01

Under the combined effect of various factors, such as interrogations related to facing the climatic changes, the increasing prices of oil versus announced decrease of its resources, the major geopolitical evolution and the remarkable development of Asia, we live nowadays a revival of nuclear power in the very front of stage. In tis context, the following question is posed: could the nuclear fission be a sustainable source of energy when taking into consideration the availability of uranium resources? The article aims at pinpointing the knowledge we have about the world uranium resources, their limits of uncertainty and the relation between knowledge resources and market evolution. To conclude, some susceptible tracks are proposed to improve the using process of uranium resources particularly in softening the impact of high prices

Joint effects of job demands and job resources on vocational teachers’ innovative work behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Messmann, G.; Stoffers, J.M.M.; Heijden, B.I.J.M. van der; Mulder, R.H.; Stoffers, J.; Mulder, R.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE - The purpose of this paper is to investigate interactions of job demands and job resources in the facilitation of innovative work behavior (IWB). In particular, the paper aims at researching interactive effects of psychological empowerment and participative safety and their potential to

Quantifying effects of humans and climate on groundwater resources of Hawaii through sharp-interface modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Rotzoll, K.; Izuka, S. K.; Nishikawa, T.; Fienen, M. N.; El-Kadi, A. I.

2016-12-01

Some of the volcanic-rock aquifers of the islands of Hawaii are substantially developed, leading to concerns related to the effects of groundwater withdrawals on saltwater intrusion and stream base-flow reduction. A numerical modeling analysis using recent available information (e.g., recharge, withdrawals, hydrogeologic framework, and conceptual models of groundwater flow) advances current understanding of groundwater flow and provides insight into the effects of human activity and climate change on Hawaii's water resources. Three island-wide groundwater-flow models (Kauai, Oahu, and Maui) were constructed using MODFLOW 2005 coupled with the Seawater-Intrusion Package (SWI2), which simulates the transition between saltwater and freshwater in the aquifer as a sharp interface. This approach allowed coarse vertical discretization (maximum of two layers) without ignoring the freshwater-saltwater system at the regional scale. Model construction (FloPy3), parameter estimation (PEST), and analysis of results were streamlined using Python scripts. Model simulations included pre-development (1870) and recent (average of 2001-10) scenarios for each island. Additionally, scenarios for future withdrawals and climate change were simulated for Oahu. We present our streamlined approach and results showing estimated effects of human activity on the groundwater resource by quantifying decline in water levels, rise of the freshwater-saltwater interface, and reduction in stream base flow. Water-resource managers can use this information to evaluate consequences of groundwater development that can constrain future groundwater availability.

Effect of weed control treatments on total leaf area of plantation black walnut (Juglans nigra)

Science.gov (United States)

Jason Cook; Michael R. Saunders

2013-01-01

Determining total tree leaf area is necessary for describing tree carbon balance, growth efficiency, and other measures used in tree-level and stand-level physiological growth models. We examined the effects of vegetation control methods on the total leaf area of sapling-size plantation black walnut trees using allometric approaches. We found significant differences in...

Managing Disruptive Physician Behavior: First Steps for Designing an Effective Online Resource

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derek Puddester

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Interviews with physician leaders from hospitals in a mid-sized Ontario City were conducted to determine their needs with regard to managing disruptive physician behaviour. These findings were used to inform the design of a two-day skill-development workshop for physician leaders on disruptive behaviour. The workshop was evaluated using a modified version of the Learner Experience Feedback Form, which was built to align with W(eLearn, http://www.ennovativesolution.com/WeLearn/ a framework developed to guide the design, delivery, development, and evaluation of online interprofessional courses and programs (MacDonald, Stodel, Thompson, & Casimiro, 2009. The surveys gathered information related to the content, media, service, structure, and outcomes of the workshop. The findings from the focus group interviews and workshop evaluation identify physician leaders’ needs with regard to disruptive behavior and were used to inform the design of the world’s first Online Physician Health and Wellness Resource http://www.ephysicianhealth.com/ an open access learning resources currently being used globally, in 91 countries. The resource was the recipient of the winner of the International Business/Professional 2010 International eLearning Award. The findings demonstrated the importance of conducting a needs analysis and using a framework to guide the design, delivery and evaluation of effective online healthcare education.

Evaluating the Effect of Display Realism on Natural Resource Decision Making

Science.gov (United States)

Chong, Steven S.

2018-05-01

Geographic information systems (GIS) facilitate location-based decision making. Despite the improved availability of GIS software to non-professionals, training in cartographic design has not followed suit. Prior research indicates that when presented with map choices, users are influenced by naïve realism, a preference for realistic displays cotaining irrelevant, extraneous details, leading to decreased task efficiency. This study investigated the role of naïve realism in decision making for natural resource management, a field that often employs geospatial tools. Data was collected through a GIS user ability test, a questionnaire and direct observation. Forty volunteer expert and non-expert resource managers evaluated the suitability of different sites for a land management scenario. Each participant was tested on two map display treatments containing different levels of realism - a simpler 2D display and a more complex 3D display - to compare task performance. Performance was measured by task accuracy and task completion time. User perceptions and preferences about the displays were also recorded. Display realism had an impact on performance and there were indications naïve realism was present. Users completed tasks significantly faster on the 2D display and many individuals misjudged which display they were most accurate or fastest with. The results are informative for designing information systems containing interactive maps, particularly for resource management applications. The results also suggest that the order displays were presented had a significant effect and may have implications for teaching users map-based tasks.

The effects of positive cognitions on the relationship between alienation and resourcefulness in nursing students in Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Bekhet, Abir K; ElGuenidi, Mervat; Zauszniewski, Jaclene A

2011-01-01

Alienation is a subjective state, a feeling of being a stranger, as if one were not one's normal self. It is also a sense of homelessness; a feeling of uneasiness or discomfort, which signifies the person's exclusion from social or cultural participation. Alienation can adversely affect healthy functioning of nursing students. Nursing students are the adolescents of today and the nurses of tomorrow who will deal with human behavior, and their psychological well-being will be important in managing their clients' conditions. Healthy nursing students are likely to become healthy nurses who can then model and promote healthy lifestyles for their patients. This study looked at whether the effects of alienation on adolescents' resourcefulness are influenced by positive cognitions. Zauszniewski's theory of resourcefulness, which is based on the conceptualization of two forms of resourcefulness: personal (self-help) and social (help-seeking) resourcefulness, served as the theoretical framework for the study. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used to examine hypothesized relationships among the study variables in a convenience sample of 170 first-year nursing students aged 17 to 20 years. Results showed that positive cognitions had a moderating and a partial mediating effect on the relationship between alienation and resourcefulness. It is imperative for nurse educators to generate interventions to enhance positive cognitions among nursing students.

Females paired with new and heavy mates reduce intra-clutch differences in resource allocation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maud Poisbleau

Full Text Available Reproductive investment affects both offspring and parental fitness and influences the evolution of life histories. Females may vary their overall primary reproductive effort in relation to the phenotypic characteristics of their mate. However, the effects of male quality on differential resource allocation within clutches have been largely neglected despite the potential implications for mate choice and population dynamics, especially in species exhibiting biparental care and brood reduction. Female southern rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome paired with heavy mates reduced intra-clutch variation in egg and albumen masses. Females paired with new mates also reduced intra-clutch variation in yolk androgen levels. Since both an increased mass and increased androgen concentrations positively influence chick survival under sibling competition, the chances of fledging the whole clutch are likely to be higher for newly formed pairs with heavy males than for previously formed pairs with light males. Interestingly, total clutch provisioning did not vary with male quality. We show for the first time that females vary intra-clutch variation in resource allocation according to male quality. In species with brood reduction, it may be more adaptive for females to modulate the distribution of resources within the clutch according to breeding conditions, than to change their total clutch provisioning.

Reliability criteria selection for integrated resource planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiu, D.; Ye, C.; Billinton, R.; Lakhanpal, D.

1993-01-01

A study was conducted on the selection of a generating system reliability criterion that ensures a reasonable continuity of supply while minimizing the total costs to utility customers. The study was conducted using the Institute for Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) reliability test system as the study system. The study inputs and results for conditions and load forecast data, new supply resources data, demand-side management resource data, resource planning criterion, criterion value selection, supply side development, integrated resource development, and best criterion values, are tabulated and discussed. Preliminary conclusions are drawn as follows. In the case of integrated resource planning, the selection of the best value for a given type of reliability criterion can be done using methods similar to those used for supply side planning. The reliability criteria values previously used for supply side planning may not be economically justified when integrated resource planning is used. Utilities may have to revise and adopt new, and perhaps lower supply reliability criteria for integrated resource planning. More complex reliability criteria, such as energy related indices, which take into account the magnitude, frequency and duration of the expected interruptions are better adapted than the simpler capacity-based reliability criteria such as loss of load expectation. 7 refs., 5 figs., 10 tabs

Is total pancreatectomy as feasible, safe, efficacious, and cost-effective as pancreaticoduodenectomy? A single center, prospective, observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Casadei, Riccardo; Ricci, Claudio; Taffurelli, Giovanni; Guariniello, Anna; Di Gioia, Anthony; Di Marco, Mariacristina; Pagano, Nico; Serra, Carla; Calculli, Lucia; Santini, Donatella; Minni, Francesco

2016-09-01

Total pancreatectomy is actually considered a viable option in selected patients even if large comparative studies between partial versus total pancreatectomy are not currently available. Our aim was to evaluate whether total pancreatectomy can be considered as feasible, safe, efficacious, and cost-effective as pancreaticoduodenectomy. A single center, prospective, observational trial, regarding postoperative outcomes, long-term results, and cost-effectiveness, in a tertiary referral center was conducted, comparing consecutive patients who underwent elective total pancreatectomy and/or pancreaticoduodenectomy. Seventy-three consecutive elective total pancreatectomies and 184 pancreaticoduodenectomies were compared. There were no significant differences regarding postoperative outcomes and overall survival. The quality of life, evaluated in 119 patients according to the EQ-5D-5L questionnaire, showed that there were no significant differences regarding the five items considered. The mean EQ-5D-5L score was similar in the two procedures (total pancreatectomy = 0.872, range 0.345-1.000; pancreaticoduodenectomy = 0.832, range 0.393-1.000; P = 0.320). The impact of diabetes according to the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) questionnaire did not show any significant differences except for question 13 (total pancreatectomy = 0.60; pancreaticoduodenectomy = 0.19; P = 0.022). The cost-effectiveness analysis suggested that the quality-adjusted life year was not significantly different between the two procedures (total pancreatectomy = 0.910, range 0.345-1.000; pancreaticoduodenectomy = 0.910, range -0.393-1.000; P = 0.320). From this study, it seems reasonable to suggest that total pancreatectomy can be considered as safe, feasible, and efficacious as PD and acceptable in terms of cost-effectiveness.

Panel discussion on exploitation of geothermal resources in thermal zones

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viramonte, J G; Mange, J; Stefani, G

1978-03-01

The topics discussed include the major known geothermal resources, varying ways of exploiting geothermal resources, technical and economic difficulties in the exploitation, the place of geothermal energy in the total energy policy of a given country, advanced exploration techniques, and indications of needed areas of study. The panelists represented most of the South American countries, Mexico, and Italy. (JSR)

Lost water and nitrogen resources due to EU consumer food waste

Science.gov (United States)

Vanham, D.; Bouraoui, F.; Leip, A.; Grizzetti, B.; Bidoglio, G.

2015-08-01

The European Parliament recently called for urgent measures to halve food waste in the EU, where consumers are responsible for a major part of total waste along the food supply chain. Due to a lack of data on national food waste statistics, uncertainty in (consumer) waste quantities (and the resulting associated quantities of natural resources) is very high, but has never been previously assessed in studies for the EU. Here we quantify: (1) EU consumer food waste, and (2) associated natural resources required for its production, in term of water and nitrogen, as well as estimating the uncertainty of these values. Total EU consumer food waste averages 123 (min 55-max 190) kg/capita annually (kg/cap/yr), i.e. 16% (min 7-max 24%) of all food reaching consumers. Almost 80%, i.e. 97 (min 45-max 153) kg/cap/yr is avoidable food waste, which is edible food not consumed. We have calculated the water and nitrogen (N) resources associated with avoidable food waste. The associated blue water footprint (WF) (the consumption of surface and groundwater resources) averages 27 litre per capita per day (min 13-max 40 l/cap/d), which slightly exceeds the total blue consumptive EU municipal water use. The associated green WF (consumptive rainwater use) is 294 (min 127-max 449) l/cap/d, equivalent to the total green consumptive water use for crop production in Spain. The nitrogen (N) contained in avoidable food waste averages 0.68 (min 0.29-max 1.08) kg/cap/yr. The food production N footprint (any remaining N used in the food production process) averages 2.74 (min 1.02-max 4.65) kg/cap/yr, equivalent to the use of mineral fertiliser by the UK and Germany combined. Among all the food product groups wasted, meat accounts for the highest amounts of water and N resources, followed by wasted cereals. The results of this study provide essential insights and information on sustainable consumption and resource efficiency for both EU policies and EU consumers.

Controlling percolation with limited resources

Science.gov (United States)

Schröder, Malte; Araújo, Nuno A. M.; Sornette, Didier; Nagler, Jan

2017-12-01

Connectivity, or the lack thereof, is crucial for the function of many man-made systems, from financial and economic networks over epidemic spreading in social networks to technical infrastructure. Often, connections are deliberately established or removed to induce, maintain, or destroy global connectivity. Thus, there has been a great interest in understanding how to control percolation, the transition to large-scale connectivity. Previous work, however, studied control strategies assuming unlimited resources. Here, we depart from this unrealistic assumption and consider the effect of limited resources on the effectiveness of control. We show that, even for scarce resources, percolation can be controlled with an efficient intervention strategy. We derive such an efficient strategy and study its implications, revealing a discontinuous transition as an unintended side effect of optimal control.

Effectiveness of a brief educational workshop intervention among primary care providers at 6 months: uptake of dental emergency supporting resources.

Science.gov (United States)

Skapetis, Tony; Gerzina, Tania M; Hu, Wendy; Cameron, W Ian

2013-01-01

Dental emergencies often present to primary care providers in general practice and Emergency Departments (ED), who may be unable to manage them effectively due to limited knowledge, skills and available resources. This may impact negatively on patient outcomes. Provision of a short educational workshop intervention in the management of such emergencies, including education in supporting resources, may provide a practical strategy for assisting clinicians to provide this aspect of comprehensive primary care. This descriptive study used a validated questionnaire survey instrument to measure the effectiveness of a short multimodal educational intervention through the uptake and perceived usefulness of supporting resources at 6 months following the intervention. Between 2009 and 2010, 15 workshops, of which eight were for regional and rural hospital ED doctors, were conducted by the same presenter using the same educational materials and training techniques. A sample of 181 workshop participants, 63% of whom were in rural or remote practice and engaged in providing primary care medical services, returned responses at 6 months on the perceived usefulness of the dental emergencies resource. Thirty percent of clinicians had used the dental emergencies resource within the six-month follow-up period. Significance was demonstrated between professional category and use of the resource, with emergency registrars utilising this resource most and GPs the least. The Dental Handbook, specifically designed for ED use, and tooth-filling material contained within this resource, were deemed the most useful components. There were overall positive open-ended question responses regarding the usefulness of the resource, especially when it was made available to clinicians who had attended the education workshops. Utilisation and perceived usefulness of a supporting resource at 6 months are indicators of the effectiveness of a short workshop educational intervention in the management of

The job demands-resources model of burnout.

Science.gov (United States)

Demerouti, E; Bakker, A B; Nachreiner, F; Schaufeli, W B

2001-06-01

The job demands-resources (JD-R) model proposes that working conditions can be categorized into 2 broad categories, job demands and job resources. that are differentially related to specific outcomes. A series of LISREL analyses using self-reports as well as observer ratings of the working conditions provided strong evidence for the JD-R model: Job demands are primarily related to the exhaustion component of burnout, whereas (lack of) job resources are primarily related to disengagement. Highly similar patterns were observed in each of 3 occupational groups: human services, industry, and transport (total N = 374). In addition, results confirmed the 2-factor structure (exhaustion and disengagement) of a new burnout instrument--the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory--and suggested that this structure is essentially invariant across occupational groups.

The Resource Benefits Evaluation Model on Remanufacturing Processes of End-of-Life Construction Machinery under the Uncertainty in Recycling Price

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian-wang Deng

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In the process of end-of-life construction machinery remanufacturing, the existence of uncertainties in all aspects of the remanufacturing process increase the difficulty and complexity of resource benefits evaluation for them. To quantify the effects of those uncertainty factors, this paper makes a mathematical analysis of the recycling and remanufacturing processes, building a resource benefits evaluation model for the end-of-life construction machinery. The recycling price and the profits of remanufacturers can thereby be obtained with a maximum remanufacturing resource benefit. The study investigates the change regularity of the resource benefits, recycling price, and profits of remanufacturers when the recycling price, quality fluctuation coefficient, demand coefficient, and the reusing ratio of products or parts are varying. In the numerical experiment, we explore the effects of uncertainties on the remanufacturing decisions and the total expected costs. The simulated analysis shows when the quality fluctuation coefficient is approaching to 1, the values of the profits of remanufacturer, the maximal resource benefits and recycling price grade into constants.

Unused Energy Resources of the Republic of Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potocnik, V.

2008-01-01

Croatia has very modest fossil fuels resources and relatively large unused potentials of increasing energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. Energy import dependency is close to 60 percent and constantly rising, thus increasing already considerable Croatian foreign debt. By using potential of these resources until the year 2020 Croatia could almost totally eliminate fossil fuels import, reduce foreign debt as well as energy systems' harmful influences on environment, climate and health, and increase domestic employment.(author)

Total Quality Management: A Mindset and Method to Stimulate Change.

Science.gov (United States)

Mullen, Janet A.

1993-01-01

Provides a review of the total quality management movement and process, and advocates applying it to higher education as a solution to current problems. Customer emphasis, continuous improvement, developing human resources, and using tools for process development are described; and examples from specific academic institutions are included.…

MiSNPDb: a web-based genomic resources of tropical ecology fruit mango (Mangifera indica L.) for phylogeography and varietal differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Iquebal, M A; Jaiswal, Sarika; Mahato, Ajay Kumar; Jayaswal, Pawan K; Angadi, U B; Kumar, Neeraj; Sharma, Nimisha; Singh, Anand K; Srivastav, Manish; Prakash, Jai; Singh, S K; Khan, Kasim; Mishra, Rupesh K; Rajan, Shailendra; Bajpai, Anju; Sandhya, B S; Nischita, Puttaraju; Ravishankar, K V; Dinesh, M R; Rai, Anil; Kumar, Dinesh; Sharma, Tilak R; Singh, Nagendra K

2017-11-02

Mango is one of the most important fruits of tropical ecological region of the world, well known for its nutritive value, aroma and taste. Its world production is >45MT worth >200 billion US dollars. Genomic resources are required for improvement in productivity and management of mango germplasm. There is no web-based genomic resources available for mango. Hence rapid and cost-effective high throughput putative marker discovery is required to develop such resources. RAD-based marker discovery can cater this urgent need till whole genome sequence of mango becomes available. Using a panel of 84 mango varieties, a total of 28.6 Gb data was generated by ddRAD-Seq approach on Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. A total of 1.25 million SNPs were discovered. Phylogenetic tree using 749 common SNPs across these varieties revealed three major lineages which was compared with geographical locations. A web genomic resources MiSNPDb, available at http://webtom.cabgrid.res.in/mangosnps/ is based on 3-tier architecture, developed using PHP, MySQL and Javascript. This web genomic resources can be of immense use in the development of high density linkage map, QTL discovery, varietal differentiation, traceability, genome finishing and SNP chip development for future GWAS in genomic selection program. We report here world's first web-based genomic resources for genetic improvement and germplasm management of mango.

Sustainability Learning in Natural Resource Use and Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. David Tàbara

2007-12-01

Full Text Available We contribute to the normative discussion on sustainability learning and provide a theoretical integrative framework intended to underlie the main components and interrelations of what learning is required for social learning to become sustainability learning. We demonstrate how this framework has been operationalized in a participatory modeling interface to support processes of natural resource integrated assessment and management. The key modeling components of our view are: structure (S, energy and resources (E, information and knowledge (I, social-ecological change (C, and the size, thresholds, and connections of different social-ecological systems. Our approach attempts to overcome many of the cultural dualisms that exist in the way social and ecological systems are perceived and affect many of the most common definitions of sustainability. Our approach also emphasizes the issue of limits within a total social-ecological system and takes a multiscale, agent-based perspective. Sustainability learning is different from social learning insofar as not all of the outcomes of social learning processes necessarily improve what we consider as essential for the long-term sustainability of social-ecological systems, namely, the co-adaptive systemic capacity of agents to anticipate and deal with the unintended, undesired, and irreversible negative effects of development. Hence, the main difference of sustainability learning from social learning is the content of what is learned and the criteria used to assess such content; these are necessarily related to increasing the capacity of agents to manage, in an integrative and organic way, the total social-ecological system of which they form a part. The concept of sustainability learning and the SEIC social-ecological framework can be useful to assess and communicate the effectiveness of multiple agents to halt or reverse the destructive trends affecting the life-support systems upon which all humans

Effect of total lymphoid irradiation in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cook, S.D.; Devereux, C.; Troiano, R.; Hafstein, M.P.; Zito, G.; Hernandez, E.; Lavenhar, M.; Vidaver, R.; Dowling, P.C.

1986-01-01

Total lymphoid irradiation (TLI; 1980 cGy) or sham irradiation was given to 40 patients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) in a prospective, randomised, double-blind study. During mean follow-up of 21 months, MS patients treated with TLI has less functional decline than sham-irradiated MS patients (p<0.01). A significant relation was noted between absolute blood lymphocyte counts in the first year after TLI and subsequent course, patients with higher lymphocyte counts generally having a worse prognosis (p<0.01). TLI was well tolerated and associated with only mild short-term, and to date, long-term side-effects. (author)

PENGARUH JOB DEMANDS, JOB RESOURCES DAN PERSONAL RESOURCES TERHADAP WORK ENGAGEMENT

OpenAIRE

Diah Restu Ayu; M. Syamsul Maarif; Anggraini Sukmawati

2015-01-01

The purposes of this study were to identify the influence of job demands, job resources and personal resources toward work engagement, define the best predictors of work engagement and the influence of work engagement towards turnover intention. Structural equation modeling was used in this research to estimate the influence of variables simultaneously. This research was conducted to 116 samples of manufacturing employees. The results showed that job demands have direct effect to work engagem...

Biodiversity effects on resource use efficiency and community turnover of plankton in Lake Nansihu, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Wang; Zhang, Huayong; Zhang, Jian; Zhao, Lei; Miao, Mingsheng; Huang, Hai

2017-04-01

The relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning is a central issue in ecology, especially in aquatic ecosystems due to the ecophysiological characteristics of plankton. Recently, ecologists have obtained conflicting conclusions while analyzing the influence of species diversity on plankton resource use efficiency (RUE) and community turnover. In this study, both phytoplankton and zooplankton communities were investigated seasonally from 2011 to 2013 in Lake Nansihu, a meso-eutrophic and recovering lake in China. The effects of phytoplankton diversity on RUE of phytoplankton (RUE PP ), zooplankton (RUE ZP ), and community turnover were analyzed. Results showed that both phytoplankton species richness and evenness were positively correlated with RUE PP . RUE ZP had a negative relationship with phytoplankton species richness, but a weak unimodal relationship with phytoplankton evenness. Cyanobacteria community had the opposite influence on RUE PP and RUE ZP . Thus, cyanobacteria dominance will benefit RUE PP in eutrophic lakes, but the growth and reproduction of zooplankton are greatly limited. The strong negative relationship between total phosphorus and RUE ZP confirmed these results. Phytoplankton community turnover tended to decrease with increasing phytoplankton evenness, which was consistent with most previous studies. The correlation coefficient between phytoplankton species richness and community turnover was negative, but not significant (p > 0.05). Therefore, phytoplankton community turnover was more sensitive to the variation of evenness than species richness. These results will be helpful in understanding the effects of species diversity on ecosystem functioning in aquatic ecosystems.

The effects of capital and human resource investments on hospital performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Gregory N; McDermott, Christopher; McDermott, Margaret

2014-01-01

Data are employed from a sample of New York hospitals and the Hospital Consumer Assessment Healthcare Providers and Systems database to analyze the effects of capital spending, staffing levels, and salaries on hospital performance. The most striking result is that higher average salaries are associated with lower length of stay, lower mortality rate, and higher satisfaction but are not significantly related to cost per patient. Therefore, it appears that human resource investments may be associated with better patient outcomes without significantly increasing the cost of patient care.

Multimode Preemptive Resource Investment Problem Subject to Due Dates for Activities: Formulation and Solution Procedure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Behrouz Afshar-Nadjafi

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The preemptive Multimode resource investment problem is investigated. The Objective is to minimize the total renewable/nonrenewable resource costs and earliness-tardiness costs by a given project deadline and due dates for activities. In this problem setting preemption is allowed with no setup cost or time. The project contains activities interrelated by finish-start type precedence relations with a time lag of zero, which require a set of renewable and nonrenewable resources. The problem formed in this way is an NP-hard. A mixed integer programming formulation is proposed for the problem and parameters tuned genetic algorithm (GA is proposed to solve it. To evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, 120 test problems are used. Comparative statistical results reveal that the proposed GA is efficient and effective in terms of the objective function and computational times.

The job crafting intervention: effects on job resources, self-efficacy, and affective well-being

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Heuvel, M.; Demerouti, E.; Peeters, M.C.W.

2015-01-01

This quasi-experimental field study examines the effects of an intervention designed to boost job resources, affective well-being, and self-efficacy via job crafting behaviour. Employees (n = 39) in a Dutch police district received a 1-day training, after which they worked towards self-set crafting

The job crafting intervention : Effects on job resources, self-efficacy, and affective well-being

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van den Heuvel, Machteld; Demerouti, Evangelia; Peeters, Maria|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/07487893X

2015-01-01

This quasi-experimental field study examines the effects of an intervention designed to boost job resources, affective well-being, and self-efficacy via job crafting behaviour. Employees (n = 39) in a Dutch police district received a 1-day training, after which they worked towards self-set crafting

Effects of Crew Resource Management Training on Medical Errors in a Simulated Prehospital Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Carhart, Elliot D.

2012-01-01

This applied dissertation investigated the effect of crew resource management (CRM) training on medical errors in a simulated prehospital setting. Specific areas addressed by this program included situational awareness, decision making, task management, teamwork, and communication. This study is believed to be the first investigation of CRM…

Effectiveness and feasibility of telepsychiatry in resource ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... the integration of telepsychiatry into local health system contexts. Conclusion: Based on the evidence, resource constrained countries such as South Africa should be encouraged to develop telepsychiatry programs along with rigorous evaluation methods. Keywords: Videoconferencing; Psychiatry; Education; South Africa ...

The total dose effects on the 1/f noise of deep submicron CMOS transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Rongbin; Wang Yuxin; Lu Wu

2014-01-01

Using 0.18 μm CMOS transistors, the total dose effects on the 1/f noise of deep-submicron CMOS transistors are studied for the first time in mainland China. From the experimental results and the theoretic analysis, we realize that total dose radiation causes a lot of trapped positive charges in STI (shallow trench isolation) SiO 2 layers, which induces a current leakage passage, increasing the 1/f noise power of CMOS transistors. In addition, we design some radiation-hardness structures on the CMOS transistors and the experimental results show that, until the total dose achieves 750 krad, the 1/f noise power of the radiation-hardness CMOS transistors remains unchanged, which proves our conclusion. (semiconductor devices)

Municipal solid waste management for total resource recycling: a case study on Haulien County in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yu-Min; Liu, Chien-Chung; Dai, Wen-Chien; Hu, Allen; Tseng, Chao-Heng; Chou, Chieh-Mei

2013-01-01

This work presents the enforcement performance of recent Haulien County, Taiwan municipal solid waste (MSW) recycling management programs. These programs include: Mandatory Refuse Sorting and Recycling, Diverse Bulk Waste Reuse, Pay-as-you-Discharge, Total Food Waste Recycling, Restricted Use on Plastic Shopping Bags & Plastic Tableware, Recycling Fund Management, and Ash Reuse. These programs provide incentives to reduce the MSW quantity growth rate. It was found that the recycled material fraction of MSW generated in 2001 was from 6.8%, but was 32.4% in 2010 and will increase stably by 2-5% yearly in the near future. Survey data for the last few years show that only 2.68% (based on total MSW generated) of food waste was collected in 2001. However, food waste was up to 9.7% in 2010 after the Total Food Waste Recycling program was implemented. The reutilization rate of bottom ash was 20% in 2005 and up to 65% in 2010 owing to Ash Reuse Program enforcement. A quantified index, the Total Recycle Index, was proposed to evaluate MSW management program performance. The demonstrated county will move toward a zero waste society in 2015 if the Total Recycle Index approaches 1.00. Exact management with available programs can lead to slow-growing waste volume and recovery of all MSW.

Can the 'Assessment Drives Learning' effect be detected in clinical skills training? - Implications for curriculum design and resource planning

Science.gov (United States)

Buss, Beate; Krautter, Markus; Möltner, Andreas; Weyrich, Peter; Werner, Anne; Jünger, Jana; Nikendei, Christoph

2012-01-01

Purpose: The acquisition of clinical-technical skills is of particular importance for the doctors of tomorrow. Procedural skills are often trained for the first time in skills laboratories, which provide a sheltered learning environment. However, costs to implement and maintain skills laboratories are considerably high. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate students’ patterns of attendance of voluntary skills-lab training sessions and thereby answer the following question: Is it possible to measure an effect of the theoretical construct related to motivational psychology described in the literature – ‘Assessment drives learning’ – reflected in patterns of attendance at voluntary skills-lab training sessions? By answering this question, design recommendations for curriculum planning and resource management should be derived. Method: A retrospective, descriptive analysis of student skills-lab attendance related to voluntary basic and voluntary advanced skills-lab sessions was conducted. The attendance patterns of a total of 340 third-year medical students in different successive year groups from the Medical Faculty at the University of Heidelberg were assessed. Results: Students showed a preference for voluntary basic skills-lab training sessions, which were relevant to clinical skills assessment, especially at the beginning and at the end of the term. Voluntary advanced skills-lab training sessions without reference to clinical skills assessment were used especially at the beginning of the term, but declined towards the end of term. Conclusion: The results show a clear influence of assessments on students’ attendance at skills-lab training sessions. First recommendations for curriculum design and resource management will be described. Nevertheless, further prospective research studies will be necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the motivational factors impacting students’ utilisation of voluntary skills

The Effect of Jump on Evaluating Natural Resource Investments

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Yang Haisheng; Zhou Yongzhang; Wang Shugong

2004-01-01

The evaluation of mining and other natural resource projects is made particularly difficult by the high degree of uncertainty attaching to output prices.It is shown that the techniques of continuous time arbitrage and stochastic control theory may be used not only to value such projects but also to determine the optimal policies for developing managing. This paper describes a model for evaluating natural resource investments under uncertainty from a new perspective. The previous works in this field mostly regard the movements of natural resource prices as a continuous GBM process, which pays few attentions to the shock of unexpected bad news. Our model provides the first theoretical method to analyze the impact of such "jump" on investment decisions. It concludes that the more frequently bad news happens,the earlier a project will be invested.

Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) 10: operationalising disinvestment in a conceptual framework for resource allocation.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Claire; Green, Sally; Elshaug, Adam G

2017-09-08

This is the tenth in a series of papers reporting a program of Sustainability in Health care by Allocating Resources Effectively (SHARE) in a local healthcare setting. After more than a decade of research, there is little published evidence of active and successful disinvestment. The paucity of frameworks, methods and tools is reported to be a factor in the lack of success. However there are clear and consistent messages in the literature that can be used to inform development of a framework for operationalising disinvestment. This paper, along with the conceptual review of disinvestment in Paper 9 of this series, aims to integrate the findings of the SHARE Program with the existing disinvestment literature to address the lack of information regarding systematic organisation-wide approaches to disinvestment at the local health service level. A framework for disinvestment in a local healthcare setting is proposed. Definitions for essential terms and key concepts underpinning the framework have been made explicit to address the lack of consistent terminology. Given the negative connotations of the word 'disinvestment' and the problems inherent in considering disinvestment in isolation, the basis for the proposed framework is 'resource allocation' to address the spectrum of decision-making from investment to disinvestment. The focus is positive: optimising healthcare, improving health outcomes, using resources effectively. The framework is based on three components: a program for decision-making, projects to implement decisions and evaluate outcomes, and research to understand and improve the program and project activities. The program consists of principles for decision-making and settings that provide opportunities to introduce systematic prompts and triggers to initiate disinvestment. The projects follow the steps in the disinvestment process. Potential methods and tools are presented, however the framework does not stipulate project design or conduct; allowing

Effects of organizational complexity and resources on construction site risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Forteza, Francisco J; Carretero-Gómez, Jose M; Sesé, Albert

2017-09-01

Our research is aimed at studying the relationship between risk level and organizational complexity and resources on constructions sites. Our general hypothesis is that site complexity increases risk, whereas more resources of the structure decrease risk. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) approach was adopted to validate our theoretical model. To develop our study, 957 building sites in Spain were visited and assessed in 2003-2009. All needed data were obtained using a specific tool developed by the authors to assess site risk, structure and resources (Construction Sites Risk Assessment Tool, or CONSRAT). This tool operationalizes the variables to fit our model, specifically, via a site risk index (SRI) and 10 organizational variables. Our random sample is composed largely of small building sites with general high levels of risk, moderate complexity, and low resources on site. The model obtained adequate fit, and results showed empirical evidence that the factors of complexity and resources can be considered predictors of site risk level. Consequently, these results can help companies, managers of construction and regulators to identify which organizational aspects should be improved to prevent risks on sites and consequently accidents. Copyright © 2017 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Attractor neural networks with resource-efficient synaptic connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Pehlevan, Cengiz; Sengupta, Anirvan

Memories are thought to be stored in the attractor states of recurrent neural networks. Here we explore how resource constraints interplay with memory storage function to shape synaptic connectivity of attractor networks. We propose that given a set of memories, in the form of population activity patterns, the neural circuit choses a synaptic connectivity configuration that minimizes a resource usage cost. We argue that the total synaptic weight (l1-norm) in the network measures the resource cost because synaptic weight is correlated with synaptic volume, which is a limited resource, and is proportional to neurotransmitter release and post-synaptic current, both of which cost energy. Using numerical simulations and replica theory, we characterize optimal connectivity profiles in resource-efficient attractor networks. Our theory explains several experimental observations on cortical connectivity profiles, 1) connectivity is sparse, because synapses are costly, 2) bidirectional connections are overrepresented and 3) are stronger, because attractor states need strong recurrence.

The status quo and the prospect of extraction of resources in seawater

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katoh, Shunsaku

1991-01-01

Sea is the natural storage, and the enormous quantity of river water which contains the large amount of ions and compositions flows into sea, accordingly it has been calculated that seawater is replaced with new water in about 4 x 10 4 years. Sea is always agitated by tidal current, therefore, the composition of seawater is nearly uniform in most sea areas. Almost all elements existing in nature are dissolved in seawater, and the state of dissolution of main elements and their concentration are shown. The total quantity of seawater is as enormous as 1.35 x 10 9 km 3 , accordingly even in the trace elements in seawater, the total dissolved amount is enormous. For Japan which lacks resources, it is the important subject to develop the technology of effectively utilizing the resources in sea. The methods of obtaining sodium chloride, magnesium, bromine and potassium, which are the main components of seawater, are briefly explained. As the extraction of trace components, gold and silver, uranium, lithium, boron, strontium, vanadium, molybdenum, yttrium and heavy water are taken up. The optimal system must be built including the development of high performance adsorbents. (K.I.)

Natural resources and control processes

CERN Document Server

Wang, Mu-Hao; Hung, Yung-Tse; Shammas, Nazih

2016-01-01

This edited book has been designed to serve as a natural resources engineering reference book as well as a supplemental textbook. This volume is part of the Handbook of Environmental Engineering series, an incredible collection of methodologies that study the effects of pollution and waste in their three basic forms: gas, solid, and liquid. It complements two other books in the series including Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering and Integrated Natural Resources Management that serve as a basis for advanced study or specialized investigation of the theory and analysis of various natural resources systems. This book covers the management of many waste sources including those from agricultural livestock, deep-wells, industries manufacturing dyes, and municipal solid waste incinerators. The purpose of this book is to thoroughly prepare the reader for understanding the sources, treatment and control methods of toxic wastes shown to have harmful effects on the environment. Chapters provide information ...

Resource Abundance and Resource Dependence in China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ji, K.; Magnus, J.R.; Wang, W.

2010-01-01

This paper reconsiders the ‘curse of resources’ hypothesis for the case of China, and distinguishes between resource abundance, resource rents, and resource dependence. Resource abundance and resource rents are shown to be approximately equivalent, and their association with resource dependence

Effects of combination of leaf resources on competition in container mosquito larvae.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiskind, M H; Zarrabi, A A; Lounibos, L P

2012-08-01

Resource diversity is critical to fitness in many insect species, and may determine the coexistence of competitive species and the function of ecosystems. Plant material provides the nutritional base for numerous aquatic systems, yet the consequences of diversity of plant material have not been studied in aquatic container systems important for the production of mosquitoes. To address how diversity in leaf detritus affects container-inhabiting mosquitoes, we examined how leaf species affect competition between two container inhabiting mosquito larvae, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, that co-occur in many parts of the world. We tested the hypotheses that leaf species changes the outcome of intra- and interspecific competition between these mosquito species, and that combinations of leaf species affect competition in a manner not predictable based upon the response to each leaf species alone (i.e. the response to leaf combinations is non-additive). We find support for our first hypothesis that leaf species can affect competition, evidence that, in general, leaf combination alters competitive interactions, and no support that leaf combination impacts interspecific competition differently than intraspecific competition. We conclude that combinations of leaves increase mosquito production non-additively such that combinations of leaves act synergistically, in general, and result in higher total yield of adult mosquitoes in most cases, although certain leaf combinations for A. albopictus are antagonistic. We also conclude that leaf diversity does not have a different effect on interspecific competition between A. aegypti and A. albopictus, relative to intraspecific competition for each mosquito.

Exploitation of heterogeneous resources for ATLAS Computing

CERN Document Server

Chudoba, Jiri; The ATLAS collaboration

2018-01-01

LHC experiments require significant computational resources for Monte Carlo simulations and real data processing and the ATLAS experiment is not an exception. In 2017, ATLAS exploited steadily almost 3M HS06 units, which corresponds to about 300 000 standard CPU cores. The total disk and tape capacity managed by the Rucio data management system exceeded 350 PB. Resources are provided mostly by Grid computing centers distributed in geographically separated locations and connected by the Grid middleware. The ATLAS collaboration developed several systems to manage computational jobs, data files and network transfers. ATLAS solutions for job and data management (PanDA and Rucio) were generalized and now are used also by other collaborations. More components are needed to include new resources such as private and public clouds, volunteers' desktop computers and primarily supercomputers in major HPC centers. Workflows and data flows significantly differ for these less traditional resources and extensive software re...

Report on a survey in fiscal 1999. Part 3. Survey on total energy and material control (Survey on feasibility of structuring a circulation type society); 1999 nendo total energy and material control ni kansuru chosa hokokusho. 3. Junkangata shakai kochiku kanosei chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

Structuring a circulation type society indispensably requires effective utilization of energies and resources, to which approaches have been taken by industries independently. An approach upon structuring an industry crossing network may be taken effective for further effective utilization of the energies and resources. The present survey is intended to extract problems therefrom. It is also intended to perform surveys and studies on the following three points: (1) process-linking with different industries aimed at zero wasting in industrial complexes and electric furnaces dispersed adequately nationwide, (2) effective use and cascading utilization of energies and resources, and (3) a circulating type economic system simulation using metallic material industry as the core. It is further intended that problems shall be extracted; the results are compiled as the 'basic technology development for the metallic material circulating type economic system'; technological development themes are extracted; and the draft proposal shall be prepared. The total energy and materials control system (TECOS) activities are aimed at structuring a circulation type industrial structure, in which the following requirements are executed: the process-linking transcending the conventional industrial boundaries is performed; substances included in respective materials and discharges, and energies used in the processes are controlled comprehensively; the energies are utilized at ultra-high efficiency; and minimization of all the discharges is realized. (NEDO)

Report on a survey in fiscal 1999. Part 3. Survey on total energy and material control (Survey on feasibility of structuring a circulation type society); 1999 nendo total energy and material control ni kansuru chosa hokokusho. 3. Junkangata shakai kochiku kanosei chosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-03-01

Structuring a circulation type society indispensably requires effective utilization of energies and resources, to which approaches have been taken by industries independently. An approach upon structuring an industry crossing network may be taken effective for further effective utilization of the energies and resources. The present survey is intended to extract problems therefrom. It is also intended to perform surveys and studies on the following three points: (1) process-linking with different industries aimed at zero wasting in industrial complexes and electric furnaces dispersed adequately nationwide, (2) effective use and cascading utilization of energies and resources, and (3) a circulating type economic system simulation using metallic material industry as the core. It is further intended that problems shall be extracted; the results are compiled as the 'basic technology development for the metallic material circulating type economic system'; technological development themes are extracted; and the draft proposal shall be prepared. The total energy and materials control system (TECOS) activities are aimed at structuring a circulation type industrial structure, in which the following requirements are executed: the process-linking transcending the conventional industrial boundaries is performed; substances included in respective materials and discharges, and energies used in the processes are controlled comprehensively; the energies are utilized at ultra-high efficiency; and minimization of all the discharges is realized. (NEDO)

Preliminary assessment of the Velocity Pump Reaction Turbine as a geothermal total-flow expander

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Demuth, O.J.

1985-01-01

A preliminary evaluation was made of the Velocity Pump Reaction Turbine (VPRT) as a total flow expander in a geothermal-electric conversion cycle. Values of geofluid effectiveness of VPRT systems were estimated for conditions consisting of: a 360/sup 0/F geothermal resource, 60/sup 0/F wet-bulb ambient temperature, zero and 0.003 mass concentrations of dissolved noncondensible gas in the geofluid, 100 and 120/sup 0/F condensing temperature, and engine efficiencies ranging from 0.4 to 1.0. Achievable engine efficiencies were estimated to range from 0.47 to 0.77, with plant geofluid effectivenss values ranging as high as 9.5 Watt hr/lbm geofluid. This value is competitive with magnitudes of geofluid effectiveness projected for advanced binary plants, and is on the order of 40% higher than estimates for dual-flash steam systems and other total flow systems reviewed. Because of its potentially high performance and relative simplicity, the VPRT system appears to warrant further investigation toward its use in a well-head geothermal plant. 13 refs., 5 figs.

Resource development and the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donihee, J.

1999-01-01

Changes to the resource management regime of the Northwest Territories based on land claim agreements with native peoples which result from the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act are the result of commitments made by Canada during the negotiation of these land claims. This statute effects important changes to the legislative framework for environmental impact assessment and land and water management. It also establishes land use planning processes for the Gwich'in and Sahtu settlement areas and will result in an environmental and cumulative effects monitoring program for the Mackenzie Valley. The Act also establishes new institutions of public government responsible for environmental impact assessment, land and water management, and land use planning. These boards will play an internal and continuing role in resource development and management in the Mackenzie Valley. A brief overview is included of some features of the new legislative scheme, specifically focussing on environmental impact assessment and water management. An understanding of the new regime will be important for oil and gas companies that are looking north with renewed interest as a result of improved oil and gas prices and also for mining companies given the continuing interest in diamond exploration and development in the Northwest Territories. 29 refs

Fire severity effects on ash extractable Total Phosphorous

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Paulo; Úbeda, Xavier; Martin, Deborah

2010-05-01

Phosphorous (P) is a crucial element to plant nutrition and limits vegetal production. The amounts of P in soil are lower and great part of this nutrient is absorbed or precipitated. It is well known that fire has important implications on P cycle, that can be lost throughout volatilization, evacuated with the smoke, but also more available to transport after organic matter mineralization imposed by the fire. The release of P depends on ash pH and their chemical and physical characteristics. Fire temperatures impose different severities, according to the specie affected and contact time. Fire severity is often evaluated by ash colour and this is a low-cost and excellent methodology to assess the fire effects on ecosystems. The aim of this work is study the ash properties physical and chemical properties on ash extractable Total Phosphorous (TP), collected in three wildfires, occured in Portugal, (named, (1) Quinta do Conde, (2) Quinta da Areia and (3) Casal do Sapo) composed mainly by Quercus suber and Pinus pinaster trees. The ash colour was assessed using the Munsell color chart. From all three plots we analyzed a total of 102 ash samples and we identified 5 different ash colours, ordered in an increasing order of severity, Very Dark Brown, Black, Dark Grey, Very Dark Grey and Light Grey. In order to observe significant differences between extractable TP and ash colours, we applied an ANOVA One Way test, and considered the differences significant at a p<0.05. The results showed that significant differences in the extractable TP among the different ash colours. Hence, to identify specific differences between each ash colour, we applied a post-hoc Fisher LSD test, significant at a p<0.05. The results obtained showed significant differences between the extractable TP from Very dark Brown and Black ash, produced at lower severities, in relation to Dark Grey, Very Dark Grey and Light Grey ash, generated at higher severities. The means of the first group were higher

Effect of total laryngectomy on esophageal motility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanks, J.B.; Fisher, S.R.; Meyers, W.C.; Christian, K.C.; Postlethwait, R.W.; Jones, R.S.

1981-01-01

Total laryngectomy for cancer can result in dysphagia and altered esophageal motility. Manometric changes in the upper esophageal sphincter (UES), and in proximal and distal esophageal function have been reported. However, most studies have failed to take into account radiation therapy and appropriate controls. We selected ten male patients (54.3 +/- 1.9 yr) for longitudinal manometric evaluation prior to laryngectomy then at two weeks and again six months later. No patient received preoperative radiation therapy, had a previous history of esophageal surgery, or developed a postoperative wound infection or fistula. Seven of ten patients had positive nodes and received 6,000-6,600 rads postoperative radiation therapy. Preoperatively 4 of 10 patients complained of dysphagia which did not significantly change following surgery and radiation. Two of three patients who did not complain of dysphagia preoperatively and received radiation postoperatively developed dysphagia. No patient without dysphagia preoperatively who received no radiation therapy developed symptoms. Our studies show that laryngectomy causes alterations in the UES resting and peak pressures but not in the proximal or distal esophagus, or the lower esophageal sphincter. These data also imply radiation therapy may be associated with progressive alterations in motility and symptomatology. Further study regarding the effects of radiation on esophageal motility and function are urged

Total joint arthroplasty in nonagenarians--a retrospective review of complications and resource use.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Baker, Joseph F

2012-12-01

Increased age brings with it the potential for increased surgical risk. Assessment of specific age cohorts is necessary to plan future service provision and this is the case in hip and knee arthroplasty as the demand for these procedures is anticipated to increase. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes, including complications, length of stay and blood transfusion rate, in a cohort of 35 nonagenarians undergoing primary or revision total hip and knee arthroplasty. All patients were pre-assessed by anaesthetists before being deemed suitable to undergo surgery in the unit. The mean length of hospital stay was 13.7 +\\/- 10 days (range 2-56). Thirty-one percent of patients required a blood transfusion. Patients who underwent primary total hip arthroplasty reported improved joint specific functional scores. In this appropriately selected group of nonagenarians, we found no evidence to suggest surgery be withheld on the basis of age alone. However, patients with multiple medical comorbidities warrant appropriate assessment and surgical intervention in an institution with appropriate support. Future planning needs to take into account the predicted increase in demand for arthroplasty surgery in this age group.

Uranium resources and requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silver, J.M.; Wright, W.J.

1975-08-01

Australia has about 19% of the reasonably assured resources of uranium in the Western World recoverable at costs of less than $A20 per kilogram, or about 9% of the resources (reasonably assured and estimated additional) recoverable at costs of less than $A30 per kilogram. Australia's potential for further discoveries of uranium is good. Nevertheless, if Australia did not export any of these resources it would probably have only a marginal effect on the development of nuclear power; other resources would be exploited earlier and prices would rise, but not sufficiently to make the costs of nuclear power unattractive. On the other hand, this policy could deny to Australia real benefits in foreign currency earnings, employment and national development. (author)

Evaluation of uranium resources in Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeller, E.J.; Dreschhoff, G.A.M.

1980-01-01

The continent of Antarctica comprises roughly nine per cent of the total land surface of the earth and is the only large land area that has been left almost totally unexplored for uranium resources. In 1976 the first systematic uranium resource evaluation, entitled Antarctica International Radiometric Survey, was started as a part of the US Antarctic Research Program. This project was staffed jointly by scientists from the University of Kansas and the Bundesanstalt fuer Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe of the Federal Republic of Germany. The survey has continued for three antarctic field seasons and an extension of operations for the next four years has been approved. Two areas in the Transantarctic Mountains and one part of Marie Byrd Land have been surveyed by airborne gamma-ray spectrometric methods. The work that has been conducted demonstrates clearly that radiometric surveys can be performed successfully under the rigorous climatic conditions in Antarctica, and that significant and reproducible data can be obtained. So far no substantial concentrations of uranium have been detected but deposits of thorium minerals have been found. (author)

Effect of a short training on neonatal face-mask ventilation performance in a low resource setting.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Mazza

Full Text Available We assessed whether a short training, effective in a high resource country, was able to improve the quality of face-mask ventilation (FMV in a low resource setting.Local healthcare providers at the Centre Médico-Social, Kouvè, Togo were asked to ventilate a neonatal leak-free manikin before (time-t1 and after (t2 a two-minute training session. Immediately after this section, a further two-minute training with participants aware of the data monitor was offered. Finally, a third 1-minute FMV round (t3 was performed by each participant. Ventilatory parameters were recorded using a computerized system. Primary outcome was the percentage of breaths with relevant mask leak (>25%. Secondary outcomes were percentages of breaths with a low peak inspiratory pressure (PIP35 cm H2O.Twenty-six subjects participated in the study. The percentage of relevant mask leak significantly decreased (p35 cm H2O was 19.5% (SD 32.8% at t1 and 39.2% (SD 37.7% at t2 (padj = 0.27; β = +0.61, SE = 0.36 and significantly decreased (padj = 0.01; β = -1.61, SE = 0.55 to 6.0% (SD 15.4% at t3.A 2-minute training on FMV, effective in a high resource country, had a positive effect also in a low resource setting. FMV performance further improved after an extra 2-minute verbal recall plus real time feedback. Although the training was extended, it still does not cost much time and effort. Further studies are needed to establish if these basic skills are transferred in real patients and if they are maintained over time.

Effects of Human Resource Audit on Employee Performance in Secondary Schools in Kenya; a Case of Non Teaching Staff in Secondary Schools in Nyamache Sub County

Science.gov (United States)

Moke, Oeri Lydia; Muturi, Willy

2015-01-01

Human Resources Audit measures human resource outputs and effectiveness under the given circumstances and the degree of utilization of human resource skills. The purpose of the study was to assess the effect of Human resource Audit on employee performance in secondary schools in Nyamache Sub County. The specific objectives for the study included…

[Effects of Total Alkaloids of Harmaline on Learning and Memory in Vascular Dementia Rats].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao-shuang; Sun, Jian-ning; Yu, Hui-ling

2015-11-01

To investigate the effects of total alkaloids of harmaline on learning and memory in vascular dementia rats, and its mechanism. The model rats of vascular dementia were established with bilateral carotid artery ligation. After 30 days, the model rats were randomly divided into six groups: sham group, model group, nicergoline tablets 7 mg/kg group, and 25, 12.5 and 6.25 mg/kg dose groups of total alkaloids of harmaline, the rats were given medicine for 30 days. Learning and memory abilities were tested by Morris water maze, histomorphology in hippocampal CA1 area were observed by HE staining, BAX and BCL-2 protein expression in hippocampal CA1 area were detected by immunohistochemistry. Compared with model group, 25 mg/kg group of total alkaloids of harmaline shortened the incubation period in the third and fourth day significantly, 12.5 mg/kg group of total alkaloids of harmaline shortened the incubation period in the fourth day. 25 and 12.5 mg/kg groups of total alkaloids of harmaline significantly increased the times crossing the target. Total alkaloids of harmaline improved the neurons pathological changes of rat in the hippocampus CA1 area, 25 and 12.5 mg/kg of total alkaloids of harmaline downregulated the expression of apoptosis proteins BAX, upregulated the protein expression of BCL-2. Total alkaloids of harmaline can improve the learning and memory abilities in vascular dementia rats, which probably is related to inhibiting apoptosis of hippocampus cell.

OECD Reviews of School Resources: Kazakhstan

Science.gov (United States)

Pons, Anna; Amoroso, Jeremie; Herczynski, Jan; Kheyfets, Igor; Lockheed, Marlaine; Santiago, Paulo

2015-01-01

This joint OECD-World Bank report for Kazakhstan forms part of the OECD Review of Policies to Improve the Effectiveness of Resource Use in Schools. The purpose of the Review is to explore how resources can be governed, distributed, utilised and managed to improve the quality, equity and efficiency of school education. School resources are…

Conservation and aid: designing more effective investments in natural resource governance reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Fred

2009-10-01

Biodiversity conservation outcomes are closely related to the rules and institutions governing resource use. Creating local incentives for conservation through more secure resource tenure is central to conservation outcomes on private and communal lands, where the preponderance of biodiversity occurs. Conservation efforts in sub-Saharan Africa are therefore centrally concerned with governance dynamics and institutional reform processes, such as the decentralization of property rights, and how best to achieve such reforms. Traditional mechanisms for financing conservation efforts in Africa rely heavily on funds channeled through multilateral and bilateral aid agencies. The history of development aid highlights a range of constraints these aid agencies face in terms of working toward more effective resource governance arrangements and promoting reforms. Government aid agencies possess incentives for promoting large-scale and short-term projects that maximize expenditure volumes and tend to define issues in technical rather than political terms. The history of development aid suggests that these and other characteristics of aid agencies impedes their ability to influence governance reform processes and that aid funding may discourage the adoption of reforms. Greater emphasis in African conservation financing needs to be placed on flexible, small-scale investments aligned to local interests and constituencies that prioritize innovation, learning, and experimentation. Additionally, more research is required that explores the linkages between conservation funding, donor decision-making processes, and governance reforms.

Environmental cost-effectiveness analysis in intertemporal natural resource policy: evaluation of selective fishing gear.

Science.gov (United States)

Kronbak, Lone Grønbæk; Vestergaard, Niels

2013-12-15

In most decision-making involving natural resources, the achievements of a given policy (e.g., improved ecosystem or biodiversity) are rather difficult to measure in monetary units. To address this problem, the current paper develops an environmental cost-effectiveness analysis (ECEA) to include intangible benefits in intertemporal natural resource problems. This approach can assist managers in prioritizing management actions as least cost solutions to achieve quantitative policy targets. The ECEA framework is applied to a selective gear policy case in Danish mixed trawl fisheries in Kattegat and Skagerrak. The empirical analysis demonstrates how a policy with large negative net benefits might be justified if the intangible benefits are included. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between learning resources and student's academic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study investigated relationship between learning resources and student's academic achievement in science subjects in Taraba State Secondary Schools. A total of 35 science teachers and 18 science head of departments from 6 schools from three geopolitical zones of Taraba State were involved in the study.

Immune epitope database analysis resource (IEDB-AR)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Qing; Wang, Peng; Kim, Yohan

2008-01-01

We present a new release of the immune epitope database analysis resource (IEDB-AR, http://tools.immuneepitope.org), a repository of web-based tools for the prediction and analysis of immune epitopes. New functionalities have been added to most of the previously implemented tools, and a total...

Determination of eligibility to antiretroviral therapy in resource ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

admin

Objective: This study was to determine eligibility for antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings using total lymphocyte .... ART until CD4+ T cell counts fall below 200 cells/mm3 ... (Abbott Cell Dyne Operators manual) were checked for.

The effect of total-body γ-irradiation on pigeons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadhia, P.K.; Shah, V.C.; Desai, R.

1979-01-01

A study of the effects of total-body 60 Coγ radiation (200 to 2000 rad) on the common pigeon (Columba livia) has indicated a LD 50/30 of 950 +- 50 rad. There were no deaths before 6 days and the peak frequency in average deaths occurred 9 days after irradiation. Most of the birds showed small changes in activity or behaviour in the first five days. A histopathological study was made of femoral bone marrow from irradiated (1000 rad) pigeons sacrificed 1 to 18 days post-irradiation. Slight aplasia was observed on the first day after irradiation, moderately marked on the third day and extensive on the fourth and fifth days. At the end of the second week regeneration was observed as the primitive lymphocyte-like cells were differentiating into granulocytes and erythrocytes. (UK)

Seal carrion is a predictable resource for coastal ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Quaggiotto, Maria-Martina; Barton, Philip S.; Morris, Christopher D.; Moss, Simon E. W.; Pomeroy, Patrick P.; McCafferty, Dominic J.; Bailey, David M.

2018-04-01

The timing, magnitude, and spatial distribution of resource inputs can have large effects on dependent organisms. Few studies have examined the predictability of such resources and no standard ecological measure of predictability exists. We examined the potential predictability of carrion resources provided by one of the UK's largest grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) colonies, on the Isle of May, Scotland. We used aerial (11 years) and ground surveys (3 years) to quantify the variability in time, space, quantity (kg), and quality (MJ) of seal carrion during the seal pupping season. We then compared the potential predictability of seal carrion to other periodic changes in food availability in nature. An average of 6893 kg of carrion •yr-1 corresponding to 110.5 × 103 MJ yr-1 was released for potential scavengers as placentae and dead animals. A fifth of the total biomass from dead seals was consumed by the end of the pupping season, mostly by avian scavengers. The spatial distribution of carcasses was similar across years, and 28% of the area containing >10 carcasses ha-1 was shared among all years. Relative standard errors (RSE) in space, time, quantity, and quality of carrion were all below 34%. This is similar to other allochthonous-dependent ecosystems, such as those affected by migratory salmon, and indicates high predictability of seal carrion as a resource. Our study illustrates how to quantify predictability in carrion, which is of general relevance to ecosystems that are dependent on this resource. We also highlight the importance of carrion to marine coastal ecosystems, where it sustains avian scavengers thus affecting ecosystem structure and function.

Resource quality or competition: why increase resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics?

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jeremy M; Nufio, César R; Papaj, Daniel R

2011-07-01

Some animal species increase resource acceptance rates in the presence of conspecifics. Such responses may be adaptive if the presence of conspecifics is a reliable indicator of resource quality. Similarly, these responses could represent an adaptive reduction in choosiness under high levels of scramble competition. Although high resource quality and high levels of scramble competition should both favor increased resource acceptance, the contexts in which the increase occurs should differ. In this paper, we tested the effect of social environment on egg-laying and aggressive behavior in the walnut fly, Rhagoletis juglandis, in multiple contexts to determine whether increased resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics was better viewed as a response to increased host quality or increased competition. We found that grouped females oviposit more readily than isolated females when provided small (low-quality) artificial hosts but not when provided large (high-quality) artificial hosts, indicating that conspecific presence reduces choosiness. Increased resource acceptance was observed even when exposure to conspecifics was temporally or spatially separate from exposure to the resource. Finally, we found that individuals showed reduced aggression after being housed in groups, as expected under high levels of scramble competition. These results indicate that the pattern of resource acceptance in the presence of conspecifics may be better viewed as a response to increased scramble competition rather than as a response to public information about resource quality.

Assessing water resources vulnerability and resilience of southern Taiwan to climate change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-Hsu Li

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Water resources management has become more challenging in Taiwan due to rapid socio-economic development and the complications of climate change. This study developed a systematic procedure for assessing water resources vulnerability and resilience with an integrated tool, TaiWAP, including climate change scenarios, a weather generator, a hydrological model, and system dynamic models. Five assessment indicators, including two for vulnerability, two for resilience, and one for availability were used to quantify changes in water resources and improvements after implementing adaption measures. Each indicator was presented with 3 grades, namely low, medium, and high. Water resources vulnerability and resilience for Tainan City in southern Taiwan were evaluated. Insufficient water supply facilities capacity is the major weakness causing low resilience. Water resources allocation flexibility is limited by substantial agricultural water demands. A total of 9 adaption measures and combinations of measures were assessed. Desalination plant implementation can steadily supply public water to lessen system failure duration. Although agricultural water conservation and fallow land can greatly reduce water demand, fallow compensation is a potential cost. When food security is considered, reducing irrigation leakage will be a better adaption measure to both water and agriculture stakeholders. Both agriculture water conservation and cropping systems adjustment have cross-spatial flexibilities. The combination of desalination, reservoirs and public water conservation provide the most beneficial effects in reducing climate change impact.

Resource assessment of the Imperial Valley. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biehler, S.; Lee, T.

1977-01-01

A resource assessment of the Imperial Valley has been made based on the use of the gravity anomalies as indicators of total excess mass. These data indicate a potential of producing electric power of 7 to 80 thousand megawatts for 30 years. Over half of the total potential is located in the Salton Sea Anomaly and approximately half of the potential of the Salton Sea field is water covered. An attempt has been made to assess not only the heat in storage in the fluid but also recoverable from the country rock by reinjection. Based on calculations, the natural recharge rate of heat in the Valley due to sea floor spreading is too small to give the resource an indefinite life-span since the economic rates of withdrawal appear to be at least an order of magnitude greater.

Are natural resources bad for health?

Science.gov (United States)

El Anshasy, Amany A; Katsaiti, Marina-Selini

2015-03-01

The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine whether economic dependence on various natural resources is associated with lower investment in health, after controlling for countries' geographical and historical fixed effects, corruption, autocratic regimes, income levels, and initial health status. Employing panel data for 118 countries for the period 1990-2008, we find no compelling evidence in support of a negative effect of resources on healthcare spending and outcomes. On the contrary, higher dependence on agricultural exports is associated with higher healthcare spending, higher life expectancy, and lower diabetes rates. Similarly, healthcare spending increases with higher mineral intensity. Finally, more hydrocarbon resource rents are associated with less diabetes and obesity rates. There is however evidence that public health provision relative to the size of the economy declines with greater hydrocarbon resource-intensity; the magnitude of this effect is less severe in non-democratic countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient resources available to bladder cancer patients: a pilot study of healthcare providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Cheryl T; Mei, Minghua; Ashley, Jan; Breslow, Gene; O'Donnell, Michael; Gilbert, Scott; Lemmy, Simon; Saxton, Claire; Sagalowsky, Arthur; Sansgiry, Shubhada; Latini, David M

2012-01-01

To survey thought leaders attending an annual bladder cancer conference about resources available to survivors at, primarily, large academic centers treating a high volume of patients. Bladder cancer is a disease with high treatment burden. Support groups and survivorship programs are effective at managing physical and psychosocial impairments experienced by patients. The Institute of Medicine recommends increased resources for cancer survivorship, but no description of current resources exists for bladder cancer patients. Preceding the 4th annual Bladder Cancer Think Tank meeting in August 2009, we carried out an Internet-based survey of registrants that queried respondents about institutional resources and support systems devoted to bladder cancer survivors. Data were collected using SurveyMonkey.com, and descriptive statistics were computed. A total of 43 eligible respondents included urologists (77%), medical oncologists (16%), and other physicians or health professionals (7%). Physician respondents represented 22 academic centers and 2 private groups. Although 63% of respondent institutions had a National Cancer Institute designation, only 33% had an active bladder cancer support group. Survivorship clinics were available in 29% of institutions, and peer support networks, community resources for education, and patient navigation were available in 58%, 13%, and 25% of respondent institutions, respectively. Resources for bladder cancer survivors vary widely and are lacking at several academic centers with high-volume bladder cancer populations. Bladder cancer providers are often unaware of available institutional resources for patients. Urologists need to advocate for additional survivor resources and partner with other disciplines to provide appropriate care. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of the Published Mineral Resource Estimates of the Haji-Gak Iron Deposit, Afghanistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutphin, David M.; Renaud, Karine M.; Drew, Lawrence J.

2011-01-01

The Haji-Gak iron deposit of eastern Bamyan Province, eastern Afghanistan, was studied extensively and resource calculations were made in the 1960s by Afghan and Russian geologists. Recalculation of the resource estimates verifies the original estimates for categories A (in-place resources known in detail), B (in-place resources known in moderate detail), and C 1 (in-place resources estimated on sparse data), totaling 110.8 Mt, or about 6% of the resources as being supportable for the methods used in the 1960s. C 2 (based on a loose exploration grid with little data) resources are based on one ore grade from one drill hole, and P 2 (prognosis) resources are based on field observations, field measurements, and an ore grade derived from averaging grades from three better sampled ore bodies. C 2 and P 2 resources are 1,659.1 Mt or about 94% of the total resources in the deposit. The vast P 2 resources have not been drilled or sampled to confirm their extent or quality. The purpose of this article is to independently evaluate the resources of the Haji-Gak iron deposit by using the available geologic and mineral resource information including geologic maps and cross sections, sampling data, and the analog-estimating techniques of the 1960s to determine the size and tenor of the deposit.

Cognitive radio resource allocation based on coupled chaotic genetic algorithm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zu Yun-Xiao; Zhou Jie; Zeng Chang-Chang

2010-01-01

A coupled chaotic genetic algorithm for cognitive radio resource allocation which is based on genetic algorithm and coupled Logistic map is proposed. A fitness function for cognitive radio resource allocation is provided. Simulations are conducted for cognitive radio resource allocation by using the coupled chaotic genetic algorithm, simple genetic algorithm and dynamic allocation algorithm respectively. The simulation results show that, compared with simple genetic and dynamic allocation algorithm, coupled chaotic genetic algorithm reduces the total transmission power and bit error rate in cognitive radio system, and has faster convergence speed

http://www.revistadestatistica.ro/index.php/effective-management-of-resources-for-environmental-protection-using-taxes-in-the-environmental-policy/

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia CĂPĂŢÎNĂ

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Establishment of environmental taxes, called green taxes or eco-taxes, are ways to internalize the environmental costs in the prices of goods or services, causing producers and consumers to use resources more efficiently and sustainably. Green taxes or Pigovian taxes, named after their inventor, Arthur Pigou are known as sin taxes and when are applied to the “sin” of pollution they may be called environmental taxes or eco-taxes. Sustainable development can not be sustained without the existence of adequate measures and effective for protection of the environment. The polluter pays principle is a principle embraced by all countries from the desire do not deplete environmental resources, some of which being non-renewable resources, to be used by future generations. Polluters are both individuals and legal entities who must to respond in one way or another for their irresponsible actions, compensating damages, protecting the environment and paying damages for any casualties. Green taxes can generate a tax reform. Any responsible person will try to manage in another way the resources when has to bear consequences. In this regard, the environment can be protected more effectively and more cost effective for citizens. The effects of irresponsible actions of some of us not only affect the environment but also all animals and vegetable bodies inclusive people.

Economics of technological change and the natural environment: How effective are innovations as a remedy for resource scarcity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bretschger, Lucas

2005-01-01

The paper aims to substantiate the importance of endogenous innovations when evaluating the compatibility of natural resource use and economic development. It explains that technological change has the potential to compensate for natural resource scarcity, diminishing returns to capital, poor input substitution, and material balance restrictions, but is limited by various restrictions like fading returns to innovative investments and rising research costs. It also shows how innovative activities are fostered by accurate price signals and research-favouring sectoral change. The simultaneous effects of increasing technical knowledge, decreasing resource inputs, and increasing world population largely determine the chances of long-run sustainable development. Consequently, future research has to be directed at a more thorough understanding of the mechanisms driving innovations in the presence of natural resource scarcity

Food web architecture and basal resources interact to determine biomass and stoichiometric cascades along a benthic food web.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael D Guariento

Full Text Available Understanding the effects of predators and resources on primary producers has been a major focus of interest in ecology. Within this context, the trophic cascade concept especially concerning the pelagic zone of lakes has been the focus of the majority of these studies. However, littoral food webs could be especially interesting because base trophic levels may be strongly regulated by consumers and prone to be light limited. In this study, the availability of nutrients and light and the presence of an omnivorous fish (Hyphessobrycon bifasciatus were manipulated in enclosures placed in a humic coastal lagoon (Cabiúnas Lagoon, Macaé - RJ to evaluate the individual and interactive effects of resource availability (nutrients and light and food web configuration on the biomass and stoichiometry of periphyton and benthic grazers. Our findings suggest that light and nutrients interact to determine periphyton biomass and stoichiometry, which propagates to the consumer level. We observed a positive effect of the availability of nutrients on periphytic biomass and grazers' biomass, as well as a reduction of periphytic C∶N∶P ratios and an increase of grazers' N and P content. Low light availability constrained the propagation of nutrient effects on periphyton biomass and induced higher periphytic C∶N∶P ratios. The effects of fish presence strongly interacted with resource availability. In general, a positive effect of fish presence was observed for the total biomass of periphyton and grazer's biomass, especially with high resource availability, but the opposite was found for periphytic autotrophic biomass. Fish also had a significant effect on periphyton stoichiometry, but no effect was observed on grazers' stoichiometric ratios. In summary, we observed that the indirect effect of fish predation on periphyton biomass might be dependent on multiple resources and periphyton nutrient stoichiometric variation can affect consumers' stoichiometry.

Total Productive Maintenance at Paccar INC

OpenAIRE

Ştefan Farkas

2010-01-01

This paper reports the application of total productive maintenance method at Paccar Inc. truck’s plant in Victoria, Australia. The total productive maintenance method and total productive maintenance house are presented. The global equipment effectiveness is computed and exemplified. The production structure and organising maintenance are presented. Resultas of the variation of global equipment effectiveness and autonomous maintenance in a two weeks period of time are reported.

Effect of aflatoxin ingestion on total body water (T OH3 - space), total body solids A KD on some physiological and reproductive characteristics of male albino rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nowar, M.S.; Eldarawany, A.A.; Habeeb, A.A.

1992-01-01

This investigation aimed to study the effects of aflatoxins B 1 +G 1 mixture mainly on total body water (TBW) and on total body solids (TBS) of male albino rats. Some blood components and some reproductive characteristic were also taken into consideration. Two groups, each of 8 male rats were fed the same ration. Rats of one group had been individually ingested daily with a dose of 22 μg B 1 plus 22 μg G 1 for 15 successive weeks. The obtained results showed that aflatoxin administration caused: 1- A decrease in final body weight (FBW), TBW (P<0.01) and TBS (P<0.05). 2- A decrease in serum total proteins (P<0.01), albumin (P<0.05), globulin (P<0.05), glucose (P<0.05) and increase in serum cholesterol, GOT and GPT (P<0.05) activities. 3- A decrease in each of the number of effective matings of males and delivery percentages of females mated with treated males.1 tab