bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Montmorency Cherries Reduce the Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Responses to Repeated Days High-Intensity Stochastic Cycling
Authors: Bell Phillip , Walshe Ian , Davison Gareth , Stevenson Emma , Howatson Glyn
Published: February 2014

This investigation examined the impact of Montmorency tart cherry concentrate (MC) on physiological indices of oxidative stress, inflammation and muscle damage across 3 days simulated road cycle racing. Trained cyclists (n = 16) were divided into equal groups and consumed 30 mL of MC or placebo (PLA), twice per day for seven consecutive days. A simulated, high-intensity, stochastic road cycling trial, lasting 109 min, was completed on days 5, 6 and 7. Oxidative stress and inflammation were measured from blood samples collected at baseline and immediately pre- and post-trial on days 5, 6 and 7. Analyses for lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-β), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and creatine kinase (CK) were conducted. LOOH (p < 0.01), IL-6 (p < 0.05) and hsCRP (p < 0.05) responses to trials were lower in the MC group versus PLA. No group or interaction effects were found for the other markers. The attenuated oxidative and inflammatory responses suggest MC may be efficacious in combating post-exercise oxidative and inflammatory cascades that can contribute to cellular disruption. Additionally, we demonstrate direct application for MC in repeated days cycling and conceivably other sporting scenario’s where back-to-back performances are required.
Cocoa Polyphenols and Inflammatory Markers of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Khan Nasiruddin , Khymenets Olha , Urpí-Sardà Mireia , Tulipani Sara , Garcia-Aloy Mar , Monagas María , Mora-Cubillos Ximena , Llorach Rafael , Andres-Lacueva Cristina
Published: February 2014

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated the beneficial effect of plant-derived food intake in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The potential bioactivity of cocoa and its polyphenolic components in modulating cardiovascular health is now being studied worldwide and continues to grow at a rapid pace. In fact, the high polyphenol content of cocoa is of particular interest from the nutritional and pharmacological viewpoints. Cocoa polyphenols are shown to possess a range of cardiovascular-protective properties, and can play a meaningful role through modulating different inflammatory markers involved in atherosclerosis. Accumulated evidence on related anti-inflammatory effects of cocoa polyphenols is summarized in the present review.
Peptide-Based Polymer Therapeutics
Authors: Duro-Castano Aroa , Conejos-Sánchez Inmaculada , Vicent María
Published: February 2014

Polypeptides are envisaged to achieve a major impact on a number of different relevant areas such as biomedicine and biotechnology. Acquired knowledge and the increasing interest on amino acids, peptides and proteins is establishing a large panel of these biopolymers whose physical, chemical and biological properties are ruled by their controlled sequences and composition. Polymer therapeutics has helped to establish these polypeptide-based constructs as polymeric nanomedicines for different applications, such as disease treatment and diagnostics. Herein, we provide an overview of the advantages of these systems and the main methodologies for their synthesis, highlighting the different polypeptide architectures and the current research towards clinical applications.
Catastrophe Insurance Modeled by Shot-Noise Processes
Authors: Schmidt Thorsten
Published: February 2014

Shot-noise processes generalize compound Poisson processes in the following way: a jump (the shot) is followed by a decline (noise). This constitutes a useful model for insurance claims in many circumstances; claims due to natural disasters or self-exciting processes exhibit similar features. We give a general account of shot-noise processes with time-inhomogeneous drivers inspired by recent results in credit risk. Moreover, we derive a number of useful results for modeling and pricing with shot-noise processes. Besides this, we obtain some highly tractable examples and constitute a useful modeling tool for dynamic claims processes. The results can in particular be used for pricing Catastrophe Bonds (CAT bonds), a traded risk-linked security. Additionally, current results regarding the estimation of shot-noise processes are reviewed.
True Grit: Programmed Necrosis in Antiviral Host Defense, Inflammation, and Immunogenicity
Authors: Mocarski Edward S. , Kaiser William J. , Livingston-Rosanoff Devon , Upton Jason W. , Daley-Bauer Lisa P.
Published: February 2014

Programmed necrosis mediated by receptor interacting protein kinase (RIP)3 (also called RIPK3) has emerged as an alternate death pathway triggered by TNF family death receptors, pathogen sensors, IFNRs, Ag-specific TCR activation, and genotoxic stress. Necrosis leads to cell leakage and acts as a “trap door,” eliminating cells that cannot die by apoptosis because of the elaboration of pathogen-encoded caspase inhibitors. Necrotic signaling requires RIP3 binding to one of three partners—RIP1, DAI, or TRIF—via a common RIP homotypic interaction motif. Once activated, RIP3 kinase targets the pseudokinase mixed lineage kinase domain-like to drive cell lysis. Although necrotic and apoptotic death can enhance T cell cross-priming during infection, mice that lack these extrinsic programmed cell death pathways are able to produce Ag-specific T cells and control viral infection. The entwined relationship of apoptosis and necrosis evolved in response to pathogen-encoded suppressors to support host defense and contribute to inflammation.
Enterprise risk management and firm value within China’s insurance industry
Authors: Li Qiuying , Wu Yue , Ojiako Udechukwu , Marshall Alasdair , Chipulu Maxwell
Published: February 2014

Orientation: The article discusses the relationship between enterprise risk management (ERM) and firm value.Research purpose: The purpose of the study is to empirically examine the relationship between ERM and firm value. The study is undertaken within the context of the Chinese insurance industry.Motivation for the study: Recent attempts to link ERM with firm value have been undertaken primarily in the USA and Europe and have produced ambiguous and inconclusive findings.Research design, approach and method: Data was obtained from the China Insurance Regulatory Commission, a government body responsible for regulating insurance products and services in China. The data sample consisted of 135 insurance companies operating in China (in 2010). Regression modelling is employed to analyse the data.Main findings: The results show the relationship between ERM and firm value at first appears statistically significant within a Pearson correlation matrix but then falls below statistical significance on closer scrutiny through regression analysis. Accordingly, it is recommended that insurers in China should not look to aggressive investment in ERM as a strategy for producing quick gains in firm value.Practical/managerial implications: Risk managers should plan ERM development from a risk management maturity perspective, which equates the highest level of ERM development with ERM’s capacity to improve firm resilience to the unknown and serve as a mechanism for strategic decision-making.Contribution/value-add: The study employed return on equity as a proxy for firm value, utilising ordinary least squares regression modelling to test propositions of the relationships between variables.
Chronic myeloid leukemia data from India
Authors: Bansal Shweta , Prabhash Kumar , Parikh Purvish
Published: February 2014

In an effort to collaborate the data of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patient from all over India,meeting was conceived by ICON ( Indian Cooperative Oncology Network) in 2010. This article presents the summarized picture of the data presented in the meeting. In the meeting 8115 patients data was presented and 18 centres submitted their manuscripts comprising of 6677 patients. This data represents large series of patients from all over the country treated on day to day clinical practice and presents the actual outcomes of CML patients in India. The compilation of data confirms the younger age at presentation, increased incidence of resistance and poor outcomes in patients with late chronic phase. It also addresses the issues like Glivec versus Generic drug outcomes, safety of Imatinib during pregnancy and mutational analysis among resistant patients. It concludes that survival and quality of life of CML patients in India has improved over the years especially when treated in early chronic phase. The generic drug is a good option where original is unable to reach the patient due to various reasons. Hopefully, this effort will provide a platform to conduct systematic studies in learning the best treatment options among CML patients in Indian settings.
A model of the magnetosheath magnetic field during magnetic clouds
Authors: Turc L. , Fontaine D. , Savoini P. , Kilpua E. K. J.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Magnetic clouds (MCs) are huge interplanetary structures which originate from the Sun and have a paramount importance in driving magnetospheric storms. Before reaching the magnetosphere, MCs interact with the Earth's bow shock. This may alter their structure and therefore modify their expected geoeffectivity. We develop a simple 3-D model of the magnetosheath adapted to MCs conditions. This model is the first to describe the interaction of MCs with the bow shock and their propagation inside the magnetosheath. We find that when the MC encounters the Earth centrally and with its axis perpendicular to the Sun–Earth line, the MC's magnetic structure remains mostly unchanged from the solar wind to the magnetosheath. In this case, the entire dayside magnetosheath is located downstream of a quasi-perpendicular bow shock. When the MC is encountered far from its centre, or when its axis has a large tilt towards the ecliptic plane, the MC's structure downstream of the bow shock differs significantly from that upstream. Moreover, the MC's structure also differs from one region of the magnetosheath to another and these differences vary with time and space as the MC passes by. In these cases, the bow shock configuration is mainly quasi-parallel. Strong magnetic field asymmetries arise in the magnetosheath; the sign of the magnetic field north–south component may change from the solar wind to some parts of the magnetosheath. We stress the importance of the Bx component. We estimate the regions where the magnetosheath and magnetospheric magnetic fields are anti-parallel at the magnetopause (i.e. favourable to reconnection). We find that the location of anti-parallel fields varies with time as the MCs move past Earth's environment, and that they may be situated near the subsolar region even for an initially northward magnetic field upstream of the bow shock. Our results point out the major role played by the bow shock configuration in modifying or keeping the structure of the MCs unchanged. Note that this model is not restricted to MCs, it can be used to describe the magnetosheath magnetic field under an arbitrary slowly varying interplanetary magnetic field.
Sub-grid scale representation of vegetation in global land surface schemes: implications for estimation of the terrestrial carbon sink
Authors: Melton J. R. , Arora V. K.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Terrestrial ecosystem models commonly represent vegetation in terms of plant functional types (PFTs) and use their vegetation attributes in calculations of the energy and water balance as well as to investigate the terrestrial carbon cycle. Sub-grid scale variability of PFTs in these models is represented using different approaches with the "composite" and "mosaic" approaches being the two end-members. The impact of these two approaches on the global carbon balance has been investigated with the Canadian Terrestrial Ecosystem Model (CTEM v 1.2) coupled to the Canadian Land Surface Scheme (CLASS v 3.6). In the composite (single-tile) approach, the vegetation attributes of different PFTs present in a grid cell are aggregated and used in calculations to determine the resulting physical environmental conditions (soil moisture, soil temperature, etc.) that are common to all PFTs. In the mosaic (multi-tile) approach, energy and water balance calculations are performed separately for each PFT tile and each tile's physical land surface environmental conditions evolve independently. Pre-industrial equilibrium CLASS-CTEM simulations yield global totals of vegetation biomass, net primary productivity, and soil carbon that compare reasonably well with observation-based estimates and differ by less than 5% between the mosaic and composite configurations. However, on a regional scale the two approaches can differ by > 30%, especially in areas with high heterogeneity in land cover. Simulations over the historical period (1959–2005) show different responses to evolving climate and carbon dioxide concentrations from the two approaches. The cumulative global terrestrial carbon sink estimated over the 1959–2005 period (excluding land use change (LUC) effects) differs by around 5% between the two approaches (96.3 and 101.3 Pg, for the mosaic and composite approaches, respectively) and compares well with the observation-based estimate of 82.2 ± 35 Pg C over the same period. Inclusion of LUC causes the estimates of the terrestrial C sink to differ by 15.2 Pg C (16%) with values of 95.1 and 79.9 Pg C for the mosaic and composite approaches, respectively. Spatial differences in simulated vegetation and soil carbon and the manner in which terrestrial carbon balance evolves in response to LUC, in the two approaches, yields a substantially different estimate of the global land carbon sink. These results demonstrate that the spatial representation of vegetation has an important impact on the model response to changing climate, atmospheric CO2 concentrations, and land cover.
Efficient GIS-based model-driven method for flood risk management and its application in central China
Authors: Liu Y. , Zhou J. , Song L. , Zou Q. , Guo J. , Wang Y.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. In recent years, an important development in flood management has been the focal shift from flood protection towards flood risk management. This change greatly promoted the progress of flood control research in a multidisciplinary way. Moreover, given the growing complexity and uncertainty in many decision situations of flood risk management, traditional methods, e.g., tight-coupling integration of one or more quantitative models, are not enough to provide decision support for managers. Within this context, this paper presents a beneficial methodological framework to enhance the effectiveness of decision support systems, through the dynamic adaptation of support regarding the needs of the decision-maker. In addition, we illustrate a loose-coupling technical prototype for integrating heterogeneous elements, such as multi-source data, multidisciplinary models, GIS tools and existing systems. The main innovation is the application of model-driven concepts, which put the system in a state of continuous iterative optimization. We define the new system as a model-driven decision support system (MDSS ). Two characteristics that differentiate the MDSS are as follows: (1) it is made accessible to non-technical specialists; and (2) it has a higher level of adaptability and compatibility. Furthermore, the MDSS was employed to manage the flood risk in the Jingjiang flood diversion area, located in central China near the Yangtze River. Compared with traditional solutions, we believe that this model-driven method is efficient, adaptable and flexible, and thus has bright prospects of application for comprehensive flood risk management.
Glacier dynamics at Helheim and Kangerdlugssuaq glaciers, southeast Greenland, since the Little Ice Age
Authors: Khan S. A. , Kjeldsen K. K. , Kjær K. H. , Bevan S. , Luckman A. , Aschwanden A. , Korsgaard N. J. , Bjørk A. A. , Box J. , van den Broeke M. , van Dam T. M. , Fitzner A.
Published: February 2014

Abstract. Observations over the past decade show significant ice loss associated with the speed-up of glaciers in southeast Greenland from 2003, followed by a deceleration from 2006. These short-term, episodic, dynamic perturbations have a major impact on the mass balance at the decadal scale. To improve the projection of future sea level rise, a long-term data record that reveals the mass balance beyond such episodic events is required. Here, we extend the observational record of marginal thinning of Helheim glacier (HG) and Kangerdlugssuaq glacier (KG) from 10 to more than 150 yr. We show that although the frontal portion of HG thinned by more than 100 m between 2003 and 2006, it thickened by more than 50 m during the previous two decades. In contrast, KG was stable from 1981 to 1998 and experienced major thinning only after 2003. Extending the record back to the end of the Little Ice Age (ca. 1850) shows no significant thinning of HG from 1850 to 1981, while KG underwent substantial thinning of ~265 m. Analyses of their sensitivity to sub-surface water temperature anomalies and variations in air temperature suggest that both HG and KG are highly sensitive to short-term atmospheric and ocean forcing, and respond very quickly to small fluctuations. At century time-scales, however, multiple external parameters (e.g. outlet shape) dominate the mass change. These findings undermine attempts to use measurements over the last decade as initial conditions to project future dynamic ice loss.
Hysterical Virgins and Little Magazines:
Authors: Bazin Victoria
Published: February 2014

The decisions Marianne Moore made when editor at The Dial magazine between 1925 and 1929 are often interpreted as evidence of a fussy or even “hysterical” antipathy to obscenity. This article questions the gendered assumptions embedded in the critical history of Moore's editorial role at The Dial by comparing her encounters with Hart Crane and James Joyce to the less well-known cases of Mary Butts, and D. H. Lawrence. It argues that the “downstream work” of editors needs to be recovered and understood in relation to the material constraints of periodical publication.
Fascist Parody and Wish Fulfillment:
Authors: Patterson Martha H.
Published: February 2014

This article discusses George Schuyler's rejection of fascism, both within and without the African American community.
Presentación Vol.9
Authors: Suazo Martha Lorena
Published: February 2014

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/pdac.v9i0.1301 Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes Vol.9 2013: 5-6
Cambios en la organización familiar en Argentina: el aumento de las familias monoparentales. Diferencias regionales, 1980-2010
Authors: Mazzeo Victoria
Published: February 2014

El objetivo es analizar los cambios en la organización familiar de Argentina, principalmente la importancia de las familias monoparentales observando las diferencias según jurisdicción, en el período 1980-2010. Una primera lectura indica que en Argentina, entre los años 1980 y 2010, las familias monoparentales se incrementaron el 138%, (884.041 hogares en 1980 y 2.099.549 hogares en 2010) llegando a representar el 22,3% del total de hogares conyugales. Al tener en cuenta sólo la jefatura femenina, los datos indican que este aumento fue del 158% y que, en el año 2010, constituyó el 65% del total de hogares conyugales de jefatura femenina. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/pdac.v9i0.1302 Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes Vol.9 2013: 9-17
Mortalidad infantil en el año 2009 y determinantes sociales
Authors: Romero Ma. Guadalupe , Garay Ingrid Carolina
Published: February 2014

Las condiciones sociales, económicas, políticas y ambientales, y en este caso, territoriales en las cuales la gente nace, vive y envejece, son aspectos claves en la salud de la población. La mortalidad infantil, es un indicador relevante del nivel de desarrollo de un país. Las mejoras en la salud sólo podrán suceder si se focaliza en los determinantes sociales de la salud. El presente trabajo de investigación revisa los determinantes de la mortalidad infantil a saber: territorialidad, definido por las regiones departamentales; índice de educación e índice de ingreso. Esta investigación es de diseño descriptivo retros-pectivo. Los datos de mortalidad infantil se tomaron del Boletín Epidemiológico de la Secretaría de Salud correspondiente al año 2009. Los índices de educación y de ingreso se obtuvieron del documento del Programa de las Naciones Unidas para el Desarrollo (PNUD) denominado: Desarrollo Humano en Honduras: limitado por la inequidad territorial del año 2009. Los departamentos con mayores tasas de mortalidad infantil para el 2009 en su orden fueron: Francisco Morazán, Cortés, Copán, Intibucá, Lempira y Ocotepeque. La velocidad de muerte fue de 43 por semana epidemiológica. Los índices de educación y de ingreso más altos, corresponden a los departamentos de Francisco Morazán, Cortés, Atlántida, por lo que se concluye que aun cuando los departamentos mencionados tienen mayores ventajas son los que presentan mayores tasas de mortalidad, haciendo hincapié en que se debe realizar un análisis más exhaustivo de los determinantes que permitan explicar la mortalidad infantil. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/pdac.v9i0.1306 Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes Vol.9 2013: 57-64
Contexto de violencia de género en Honduras en el quinquenio 2008-2012
Authors: Ponce María Victoria
Published: February 2014

Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar el contexto de violencia de género en Honduras en el quinquenio compren­dido entre los años 2008 – 2012, indagando sobre los casos de mujeres que denuncian situaciones de violencia; asimismo, se pretende determinar la incidencia de la agresión y muerte violenta de las mujeres, haciendo una relación con el modelo cultural patriarcal prevaleciente en la sociedad hondureña; finalmente, se examina la respuesta institucional de acuerdo a la Política Nacional de la Mujer en el eje de violencia, el cumplimiento de la legislación nacional y convenios internacionales suscritos por Honduras en la lucha contra la prevención y erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/pdac.v9i0.1307 Revista Población y Desarrollo: Argonautas y Caminantes Vol.9 2013: 67-77
Artistic Merit
Authors: Budd Malcolm
Published: February 2014

This paper seeks to refute the view that judgments of artistic value improperly aspire to intersubjective validity, which is to say that they can only be true or false for a particular person (or others relevantly like him), that they cannot be straightforwardly true or false. It aims to do this by showing that the principal considerations that have led to the acceptance of this view–the imprecision of the metric of artistic value and the existence of widespread and apparently unresolvable disagreements in artistic evaluation–fail to give it any support and that there are no other plausible considerations. This is achieved by distinguishing the individual relativity that is supposed (wrongly) to obtain for artistic evaluations from other forms of relativity for which artistic evaluations can properly be relative (none of these other forms implying individual relativity); by distinguishing between artistic evaluations and artistic preferences; and by identifying the value specific to art (the value of a work of art qua work of art) and, thus, the character of the properties of a work that can properly be cited as reasons in support of an artistic evaluation. The conclusion is that the claim to intersubjectivity that is built into a judgment of artistic value is in no way misplaced or suspect.
SPRUCE REGENERATION: THE MARITIMES — H. D. LONG
Authors: Brown K. B.
Published: February 2014

The papers presented at the Annual Meeting on Spruce Regeneration in various geographical regions of the Dominion were turned over to members particularly interested in the section to which the original paper pertained, with the request that they lead the discussion on them. The following comprise the discussion papers submitted dealing with the original papers as indicated.
NURSERY PRACTICE AT THE GREEN TIMBERS FOREST NURSERY
Authors: Wells T.
Published: February 2014

Nursery practice at this Station has undergone considerable change due to the necessity of initiating mass production methods. An annual output of six million trees demands as great a use of machine methods as is consistent with an ultimate high survival rate for the stock being produced. Some of the technique has been borrowed from forest nurseries in the Western United States while others have originated here. The present procedures yield satisfactory results and permit the production of two-year-old planting stock at a cost of $3.00 per thousand trees, f.o.b. the nursery.
TIMBER DUES AS A MEANS OF SILVICULTURAL CONTROL OF CUTTING
Authors: Mulloy G. A.
Published: February 2014

In high-grade lumber forests retention of a high proportion of the volume as growing stock is fundamental. Since diameter limit is in vogue as a method of cutting control, a simple method of instituting silvicultural treatment would be a sliding scale of dues that would place a premium on the selection of the trees of larger diameter and the leaving of smaller diameters that are, in any case, almost marginal in their yield value. In order to induce silvicultural treatment of our stands the most logical method under existing economic conditions is to make it profitable for the operator to assist in the process.
THE GLACIAL POT HOLE AREA, DURHAM COUNTY, ONTARIO
Authors: Carman R. S.
Published: February 2014

Protection forests, where absolute forest land is located at the headwaters of several prominent streams, are taken for granted.It is contended that marginal and sub-marginal agricultural lands, when located at the headwaters of rivers or creeks flowing through more valuable agricultural lands, should be considered in a similar manner and a protection forest established. The area under discussion comes under this classification and combines several other very valuable features.This is the first time, to the writer's knowledge, that it has been established that such a large area of a glacial moraine had no surface drainage to the adjacent streams, and yet, owing to the nature and depth of the sand and gravel formation, it contained the ground water reservoir which fed springs in those streams and kept the flow fairly uniform all year. This reservoir has been seriously depleted during the past one hundred years. It is contended that proper ground cover will reduce evaporation of Fall and Winter precipitation and make more water available for ground water storage.Groups of pot holes, such as the ones under discussion, are a very interesting geological formation and at the same time are of inestimable value to the surrounding agricultural lands.
FORESTRY SHOULD BEGIN WITH THE FOREST
Authors: Cline A. C.
Published: February 2014

Reforestation by planting has received a great deal of attention in the press and at conservation meetings.There are many thousands of square miles of sub-marginal land that requires planting, but are we preserving the woodland that we have and managing it efficiently. A survey of any farming section will show that woodlots are disappearing as a result of pasturing and that in many cases no attempt is being made to improve the woods by clearings and improvement cuttings. This work does not make the appeal that changing a bare field to a green forest in a decade by planting does but it is surer and will pay larger dividends.There is need for education and foresters should give the lead. It is easy to follow the line of least resistance and enthusiasm for planting has been followed by many.
NOTES ON THE CANADA PORCUPINE IN THE MARITIME PROVINCES
Authors: Reeks W. A.
Published: February 2014

The Canada porcupine is discussed mainly from the standpoint of damage and control. The paper is based on the analysis of a questionnaire issued to foresters and forest rangers and is supplemented by data from the literature and some original observations.Feeding on forest trees is extensive in parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia but since all of the trees attacked are not crop trees serious damage to the stand does not always follow. Damage is severe in localized areas where the stands are of particular value, as in plantations, experimental areas and around camp sites.The only method of large-scale control ever attempted in the Maritime Provinces has been the bounty system. While the effectiveness of this method has not been carefully studied, it appears from parallel cases in the United States that the bounty system is generally expensive for the degree of control effected. Control methods probably serve best if applied intensively to small areas where the damage is most serious. A method of localized control by den poisoning is discussed.
A PRACTICAL MEASURE OF STOCK DENSITY IN WHITE AND RED PINE STANDS
Authors: Mulloy G. A.
Published: February 2014

The findings of L. H. Reineke that a number of trees per acre on average diameter plotted on double logarithmic paper provides a straight line graph whose slope remains constant for all sites, age-classes and most species are checked against twenty years' record of sample plot data for red and white pine stands. The use of stand density index based on this principle in thinning technique and in forest management is developed.The practical application of these findings is shown. All that is necessary is to estimate the average diameter of the stand. The spacing for optimum development is then fixed.
Synthesis of Silviculture Options, Costs, and Consequences of Alternative Vegetation Management Practices Relevant to Boreal and Temperate Conifer Forests: Introduction
Authors: Bell F. Wayne , Thiffault Nelson , Szuba Kandyd , Luckai Nancy , Stinson Al
Published: February 2014

In 2007, a multi-agency, multi-disciplinary team from across Canada embarked on an exercise to synthesize knowledge about forest vegetation management alternatives and their use in northern forests. This exercise involved: (1) updating the Canadian Forest Pest Management database, (2) synthesizing relevant forest vegetation management literature, (3) conducting stand-level wildlife, wood quality, yield, and benefit–cost analyses, (4) conducting landscape-level analyses to determine the effects of a systematic reduction in herbicide use on forest management objectives, and (5) transferring the relevant information to forest managers. The results are presented as ten papers in this special issue of The Forestry Chronicle.
Benefit–cost Analysis of Vegetation Management Alternatives: An Ontario Case Study
Authors: Homagain Krish , Shahi Chander , Luckai Nancy , Leitch Mathew , Bell F. Wayne
Published: February 2014

Vegetation management practices are an integral component of forest management. In this paper, we report results of stand-level benefit–cost analyses of 12 vegetation management treatments applied at six study sites in northern Ontario. Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVSOntario) was used to project gross total and merchantable volumes to 70 years of age, and BUCK-2 was used to optimize potential products. Net present value (NPV), benefit–cost ratio (BCR), and internal rate of return (IRR) were calculated using 2009 constant dollars and variable real discount rates. Aerial herbicide treatments produced the highest NPV, BCR, and IRR. Internal rates of return of 4.32%, 2.90%, 2.82% and 2.50% for aerial herbicide, manual brush cutting, ground-applied herbicide, and brush cutting plus herbicide treatments, respectively, indicated that all of the vegetation management alternatives evaluated are economically viable.
Social Concerns, Risk and The Acceptability of Forest Vegetation Management Alternatives: Insights for Managers
Authors: Wyatt Stephen , Rousseau Marie-Hélène , Nadeau Solange , Thiffault Nelson , Guay Louis
Published: February 2014

Although public opinion and social issues have significant influence on policy-making, research on forest vegetation management (FVM) in Canada has a strong focus on biological aspects, with less attention being paid to social concerns. This paper reviews the social context in which FVM occurs. Individual views about FVM reflect a combination of values, beliefs, and attitude while also including differing perceptions of risks. Public views and the broader social acceptability of management decisions can be linked to five key factors: context, risk, aesthetics, trust, and knowledge. Judgements about acceptability will usually change over time and across specific situations and various segments of a population could make opposing judgements. We identify a variety of public concerns related to FVM in Canada, synthesizing research that can help resource managers consider the social impacts of their choices. We also note particular concerns related to Aboriginal peoples and the FVM workforce. Information about the benefits and disadvantages of FVM options can help resolve public concerns, but using technical information to convince the public is rarely successful. Forest management agencies and resource managers need access to reliable information about social values and concerns to make management decisions that will be socially acceptable.
Modelling Landscape-level Effects of Reduced Herbicide Use in Two Forests in Northern Ontario
Authors: Dacosta Jennifer , Szuba Kandyd , Bell F. Wayne , Moore Tom , Lennon Ken , Leach Jeff , Bazeley Don , Luckai Nancy
Published: February 2014

In Ontario, forest management planning requires that legal obligations to sustain forest composition and pattern, wildlife habitat, and other values are met, while at the same time addressing, for example, wood supply needs, costs, forest access, and stakeholder concerns. One of the latter is pressure to reduce herbicide use. Stand-level effects of vegetation management alternatives have been documented, but how these effects scale up to the landscape-level and affect the achievement of social, ecological, and economic objectives embedded in forest management plans (FMPs) remains uncertain. We applied nine modelling scenarios in the context of approved FMPs to explore the potential landscape-level effects of replacing herbicide use with an alternative (brush saw) for two large forests in northeastern Ontario. Results of non-spatial and spatial modelling over 60 years suggested that although herbicides are applied to only 25% to 34% of the harvested area in these forests, reductions in use would affect: (i) overall wood supply, with 14% to 44% less conifer and 6% to 17% less hardwood available; (ii) habitat supply, with less habitat for species preferring recent disturbances and more habitat for species preferring mature and older forest; (iii) costs, with wood transportation cost increasing by 16% to 20% and increased spending on silviculture; (iv) size and distribution of cutblocks and disturbance patches, with more small patches; and (v) the extent of the active road network, which would increase.
Operational implementation of a LiDAR inventory in Boreal Ontario
Authors: Woods Murray , Pitt Doug , Penner Margaret , Lim Kevin , Nesbitt Dave , Etheridge Dave , Treitz Paul
Published: February 2014

An existing Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data set captured on the Romeo Malette Forest near Timmins, Ontario, was used to explore and demonstrate the feasibility of such data to enrich existing strategic forest-level resource inventory data. Despite suboptimal calibration data, stand inventory variables such as top height, average height, basal area, gross total volume, gross merchantable volume, and above-ground biomass were estimated from 136 calibration plots and validated on 138 independent plots, with root mean square errors generally less than 20% of mean values. Stand densities (trees per ha) were estimated with less precision (30%). These relationships were used as regression estimators to predict the suite of variables for each 400 m2 tile on the 630 000-ha forest, with predictions capable of being aggregated in any user-defined manner—for a stand, block, or forest—with appropriate estimates of statistical precision. This pilot study demonstrated that LiDAR data may satisfy growing needs for inventory data to scale operational/tactical, through strategic needs, as well as provide spatial detail for planning and the optimization of forest management activities.
Forest management certification around the world –Progress and problems
Authors: Rotherham Tony
Published: February 2014

Certification to approved forest management standards is a recognized business practice. There are two international forest certification programs: the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The common objective of both is to improve forest management and provide assurance to the public and customers that forest products come from sustainably managed forests and not from illegal operations. As of June 2011 there were approximately 372 million ha of certified forests around the world. There are 234 million ha of forests in 26 countries that have been certified to standards approved by PEFC. There are143 million ha of forest certified to FSC standards in 81 countries. In 20 of these countries, with101 million ha (70%), the forests have been certified to standards approved by FSC. In the remaining 61 countries, 42 million ha (30%), the forests have been certified to draft or “interim standards” that have not gone through the FSC approval process. Consumers have no way of knowing whether the wood or paper products with an FSC label are from forests certified to FSC-approved standards or to “interim standards” developed by FSC certification bodies.
The efficacy of forest certification: Perceptions of Canadian forest products retailers
Authors: Chen Juan , Tikina Anna , Kozak Robert , Innes John , Duinker Peter , Larson Bruce
Published: February 2014

A nation-wide survey of wood products retailers was conducted to examine their perceptions related to forest certification and its impacts in the market place. Four widely accepted forest certification standards were taken into account: International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) 14001, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Z809 Standard. The survey inquired about the economic impacts of forest certification, namely wood purchasing policies and the potential for price premiums on certified wood products. The responses indicated that most retailers had no particular purchasing policies for certified products. However, they reported up to a 20% price premium on certain certified products, although the number of consumers who request certified wood products was small (less than 10%). The retailers also indicated that the most important reasons for buying or selling certified forest products revolved around improved company image, being an environmental leader in the field, and maintaining or increasing market share. Finally, respondents felt that forest certification had minimal impacts on the social aspects of forest management, while the environmental and economic aspects of forest management were perceived to be subject to more marked changes.
The carbon neutrality assumption for forest bioenergy: A case study for northwestern Ontario
Authors: Ter-Mikaelian Michael , McKechnie Jon , Colombo Stephen , Chen Jiaxin , MacLean Heather
Published: February 2014

Minimum break-even and carbon-neutral periods resulting from displacing coal with wood pellets for energy generation at the Atikokan Generating Station (GS) were estimated using forest resource inventory for four forest management units (FMU) in northwestern Ontario. The break-even period was defined as the time since harvest at which the combined greenhouse gas (GHG) benefit of displacing coal with wood pellets and the amount of carbon in the regenerating forest equalled the amount of carbon in the forest had it not been harvested for wood pellets. The carbon-neutral period was defined as the time since harvest at which the amount of carbon in the regenerating forest equalled the amount of carbon in the forest had it not been harvested for wood pellets. Theoretically achievable minimum break-even and carbon-neutral periods were estimated as equal to 18 and 28 years after harvest, respectively. However, for the current forest age structure in the selected FMUs, production of wood pellets required for operation of the Atikokan GS would result in a minimum break-even period of 32 years after harvest. These results must be treated as optimistic since we assumed that all forest was available for harvest for wood pellet production, applied the “best” post-harvest silvicultural regime, and may have underestimated merchantable volume and total carbon stocks in older stands.
Review of science-based assessments of species vulnerability: Contributions to decision-making for assisted migration
Authors: Beardmore Tannis , Winder Richard
Published: February 2014

Assessing climate change impacts on forest species can significantly assist forest management planning. Recently, many tools have been developed for assessing species-specific vulnerability to climate change. These tools are question-based assessments that consider multiple criteria for individual species; the criteria are related to exposure and sensitivity to climate change. The following tools are discussed in relation to their use in Canada: (1) the NatureServe Climate Change Vulnerability Index; (2) the System for Assessing Vulnerability of Species to Climate Change (SAVS); (3) the Forest Tree Genetic Risk Assessment; (4) the Index for Predicting Tree Species Vulnerability; (5) ecological standards developed for the assisted migration of Torreya taxifolia; and (6) the Seeds of Success Program. These tools can all be applied to different forest species and they vary in such areas as their species-specific evaluation criteria, means for addressing uncertainty, and the integration of climate change models.
Forest certification in Canada: An exploratory study of perceptions of provincial and territorial government employees
Authors: Tikina Anna V. , Kozak Robert A. , Innes John L. , Duinker Peter N. , Larson Bruce C.
Published: February 2014

This article provides a review of the governmental approaches to forest certification and of the applicability of forest certification requirements across Canada. Surveys of Canadian provincial and territorial government employees were conducted to examine their views about the rise of non-governmental governance in the form of forest certification. Respondents perceived that forest certification has had a positive effect on many aspects of forest management. The most prominent effects of certification from their perspectives were improved market access, increased monitoring, better emergency preparedness, and the creation of a mechanism by which corrective measures can be applied to remedy issues.
A management strategy for emerald ash borer in St. Lawrence Islands National Park
Authors: Bowman Stacey , M. Smith Sandy
Published: February 2014

This article presents a strategy for managing emerald ash borer (EAB) in the St. Lawrence Islands National Park (SLINP), which is located in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville in eastern Ontario along 100 km of Lake Ontario shoreline and the St. Lawrence River. Background information about EAB and SLINP is followed by an outline of the possible ecological impacts of an EAB infestation on the Park, predictions of where infestations are more likely to occur and how quickly they could spread, whether there will be interactions between EAB-affected stands and invasive vegetation, and whether visitor safety may be compromised. Recommendations to slow the spread of EAB in the Park, prepare for and attempt to mitigate its impacts, contribute to scientific research to better understand it, and conserve ash genetic material include: 1) implement a ban on outside firewood; 2) develop and implement a seed collection program; 3) prioritize invasive vegetation control activities in areas at risk of EAB infestation; 4) establish an EAB detection program for high-traffic areas of the Park; 5) compile a forest resource inventory of the Park and tree inventories of high-traffic areas; 6) conduct branch sampling to determine if EAB is present on Main Duck Island, and if not, consider closing the island to the public; 7) develop and implement a strategic EAB communications plan; and 8) develop a cross-section committee to oversee EAB management.
Forest inventory and monitoring information to support diverse management needs in the Lake Simcoe watershed
Authors: N. Day Aaron , Puric-Mladenovic Danijela
Published: February 2014

Analysis using the Vegetation Sampling Protocol (VSP) pilot data collected in the Lake Simcoe watershed (2011) was done to assess the protocol's effectiveness in supporting natural heritage monitoring for the Lake Simcoe Protection Plan (LSPP). The VSP data was analyzed and assessed in the context of information needs for forest management and conservation. Specific information needs to support forest management are used as a criterion for stand analysis. While a variety of inventory approaches and methods are used in the Lake Simcoe watershed, most are done for specific purposes or lack necessary stand-level, compositional and structural information to inform biodiversity reporting, monitoring, and other management objectives of the LSPP. The study has shown that VSP plot data can be used to meet the requirements of the LSPP and further support the requisite information for active forest management. Stand analyses provide insight into the varying conditions of the Lake Simcoe watershed forests and can steer future analysis and comparisons.
Challenges in the implementation of conservation policies in the Reventazón Model Forest, Costa Rica
Authors: Moya José Alberto Cubero , Quirós Ligia , Jiménez Mildred
Published: February 2014

We present an analysis of the implementation of the main conservation policies in the Reventazón Model Forest in Costa Rica, and its contribution to the sustainability of environmental services. The existing environmental legislation has helped to curtail environmental degradation and loss of forest cover. The Reventazón Model Forest is an initiative created as a means of implementing Costa Rica’s commitment to the application of the ecosystem approach, and has served as a framework for putting into practice sustainable development policies with broad participation by communities in Cartago Province. The Payment for Environmental Services (PES) program has played a role in forest conservation and reforestation in 9% of the Model Forest. The challenge now is to increase the impact of this program in the Reventazón Model Forest, above all in the biological corridors, and we analyze some of the causes that could be limiting the PES program.