bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psalm 32 as a wisdom intertext
Authors: Botha Philippus J.
Published: October 2014

Psalm 32 is considered by the majority of investigators to be a psalm of thanksgiving with a mix of wisdom poetry. In this article, the thesis is defended that it was devised from the beginning as a wisdom-teaching psalm although it simulates the form of a psalm of thanksgiving in certain respects. The case for this is argued on the basis of the complete integration of its parts, as well as its similarity to Proverbs 28:13–14 and some other wisdom texts. The aim of the psalmist seems to have been to argue (on the basis of a personal experience) that stubbornness in accepting the guilt of sin causes suffering, but that Yahweh is eager to restore an intimate relationship with those worshippers who confess their guilt and are willing to accept his guidance on the way of life.
Trauma − die meedoënlose vyand
Authors: Olwagen J.M.
Published: October 2014

No abstract available
Effect of water stress on dry mass accumulation and allocation in sweet potato based on stable isotope analysis
Authors: Zhang Hui , Zhu Lvdan , Zhang Congzhi , Ning Yunwang , Zhang Yongchun
Published: October 2014

Zhang, H., Zhu, L., Zhang, C., Ning, Y. and Zhang, Y. 2015. Effect of water stress on dry mass accumulation and allocation in sweet potato based on stable isotope analysis. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 263–271. Pot experiments were conducted to study the effect of water stress on the dry mass accumulation, allocation, ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) activity and stable carbon isotope composition in sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.). Three water regimes (50, 75 and 100% field water capacity, respectively) were investigated. Water stress effects on dry mass accumulation, allocation, gas exchange, stable carbon isotope composition and Rubisco enzyme activity were detected in sweet potato at different stages (seedling, vegetative, early maturity, and late maturity). In addition, relationships between Rubisco activity and photosynthetic rate, dry stress allocation and Δ13C under different water regimes were explored. The allocation of dry mass and Δ13C in leaves, petioles, stems and roots exhibited highest level in soil with 100% moisture content at different growth stages. The photosynthetic rate, transpiration, stomatal conductance, and RuBisCo activity of sweet potato at different growth stages also increased with increasing soil water content. The regression equations between the activity of RuBisCo and photosynthetic rate in 50, 75 and 100% field capacity were y=0.675x – 1.846, y=0.798x − 1.370, and y=0.516x+3.887. A positive correlation between dry mass allocation and Δ13C was observed. Water stress could affect dry mass accumulation, allocation, gas exchange, RuBisCo activity, and Δ13C content in sweet potato organs during plant development stages.
Canola rotation frequency impacts canola yield and associated pest species
Authors: Harker K. N. , O’Donovan J. T. , Turkington T. K. , Blackshaw R. E. , Lupwayi N. Z. , Smith E. G. , Johnson E. N. , Gan Y. , Kutcher H. R. , Dosdall L. M. , Peng G.
Published: October 2014

Harker, K. N., O’Donovan, J. T., Turkington, T. K., Blackshaw, R. E., Lupwayi, N. Z., Smith, E. G., Johnson, E. N., Gan, Y., Kutcher, H. R., Dosdall, L. M. and Peng, G. 2015. Canola rotation frequency impacts canola yield and associated pest species. Can. J. Plant Sci. 95: 9–20. Canola (Brassica napus L.) production has been steadily increasing in western Canada. Here we determine the effect of canola rotation frequency on canola seed yield, quality and associated pest species. From 2008 to 2013, direct-seeded experiments involving continuous canola and all rotation phases of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and canola or field pea (Pisum sativum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and canola were conducted at five western Canada locations. Fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides were applied as required for optimal production of all crops. Canola rotation frequency did not influence canola oil or protein concentration or the level of major (composition>1%) seed oil fatty acids. High canola yields were associated with sites that experienced cooler temperatures with adequate and relatively uniform precipitation events. For each annual increase in the number of crops between canola, canola yield increased from 0.20 to 0.36 Mg ha−1. Although total weed density was not strongly associated with canola yield, decreased blackleg disease and root maggot damage were associated with greater canola yields as rotational diversity increased. Long-term sustainable canola production will increase with cropping system diversity.
The Church on TV Portrayals of Priests, Pastors and Nuns on American Television Series
Authors: Wolff Richard
Published: October 2014

Each show depicts the church and its leaders and compares it to actual church history. Sister Bertrille, Father Dowling, and Reverend Camden - these three characters span the history of television's depiction of church leaders, from "The Flying Nun (1967-1970)" to "The Father Dowling Mysteries (1989-1990)" and "7th Heaven (1996-2007)". Each exemplifies one of three trends in television's chronicle of the church, from shows of the 1960s-70s that focus on internal conflicts in the church, to those of the 1980s and early 1990s that illustrate the church's struggle for relevance in the modern world, and finally those of the 1990s through today that portray the church in the family context. Along the way, the book discusses the programs' depiction of various issues facing the church of their times, including: the role of women in the church; clerics reconsidering their call; the sexuality of clerics; the ecumenical movement; and the church's response to abortion, homosexuality, racial injustice and illegal immigration. "The Church on TV" looks at American broadcast network programs that focused regularly and principally on church leaders. It takes a historical-critical approach, discussing seventeen programs in-depth and looking not only at how each depicted the church and its leaders but also comparing this depiction to actual church history. What trends emerged? Why? How accurate was the portrayal? What does the depiction say about American popular culture and its view of religion in American society? It's these probing questions and answers that bring the current research up to date.
Literacy, Learning and Health – A social practices view of health literacy
Authors: Papen Uta
Published: October 2014

In this paper, I use a social practices view of literacy to challenge dominant conceptions of health literacy. Health literacy is frequently defined as an abstract skill that can be measured through individual performance tests. The concept of health literacy as a skill neglects the contextual nature of reading and writing in health care settings. It risks ignoring the many ways in which patients access and comprehend health information, make sense of their experience and the resources they draw on. The paper presents findings from a study of forty five literacy and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students’ health-related reading and writing practices in the north-west of England. I suggest that health literacy needs to be understood as a situated social practice and that it is a shared resource frequently achieved collectively by groups of people, for example families. I conclude with some reflections on the implications of my research for adult education practice.
BUILDING PROFESSIONAL PRIDE IN LITERACY
Authors: Edney Denyse
Published: October 2014

What should professionalism mean in the literacy field?  Quigley cites the results of a survey of literacy practitioners. According to one participant, ‘To act “professionally” in literacy and adult education is to self-educate in professional development.’ Another replied that literacy practitioners act professionally when they view ‘students as most valued clients and attempt to engage their individual needs and goals within a high-quality program of basic skills instruction.’ The theme of caring was one of the strongest points made. Quigley quoted from another survey participant: ‘To act professionally in adult literacy one is service-oriented, friendly and accountable. A professional is ethical (with) strong values, especially those pertaining to literacy and the population one serves’.
Intuitive Mathematical Knowledge as an Essential Aspect of Contemporary Adult Learning: A case of women street vendors in the city of Gaborone
Authors: Nthogo Lekoko Rebecca , Getrude Garegae Kgomotso
Published: October 2014

The findings of a phenomenological interview study with women street vendors showed a strong link between participants’ perceptions of everyday use of mathematical literacy and the speculations that mathematical use arose spontaneously in response to a practical need. The concept of intuitive mathematics as used indicates that mathematical thinking is an indispensable element of everyday conversation. Although the study finds that intuition and spontaneity are essential principles of lifelong learning, it concludes with recommendations for an empowerment curriculum that interweaves participants’ experiences and intuition with formal/academic mathematical literacy and psychosocial skills necessary for success in a highly competitive business world.
Horatio Alger and the GED (General Education Development) Diploma: Narratives of success in adult literacy education
Authors: Sandlin Jennifer A
Published: October 2014

This article presents a qualitative analysis of stories of successful students told in adult literacy education. These stories follow a similar narrative, beginning with a protagonist who must overcome life obstacles, makes a conscious decision to change her life, rejects dependency, is of high moral character, remains optimistic despite challenges, and who ultimately succeeds through determination, perseverance, and hard work. After presenting these stories I argue that they are the latest manifestation of a genre of stories told for centuries in the United States and that comprise what many have called the ‘American Myth of Success’. This myth, which has its roots in seventeenth-century Puritanism, states that every person, as a result of hard work and effort, can create the life they want for themselves. While these myths might provide hope for some adult literacy learners and teachers, I conclude that unquestioningly telling these success stories help to perpetuate the assumptions of this myth of success, and results in blaming adult learners for their own failure while ignoring social and structural factors that impede success.
Literacy & Numeracy Studies Volume 15 No 2
Authors: Numeracy Studies Journal Literacy &
Published: October 2014

Notes on Contributors
Explicating Literacy Activities at Work: The use of ‘okay’ as an effective topic-changing device in service request calls
Authors: Kelly Ann
Published: October 2014

There is evidence from different spheres that the grounding of understandings of literacy within social practices has gradually become accepted within the adult literacy field in Australia. However, what has been not been sufficiently considered are those tacit literacies that underpin such practices in both everyday and work settings. This has been the case particularly for those literacies that are deployed through an oral communication mode in workplaces. This article offers a way of explicating such literacies by showing how the analysis of an audio-recording of a particular occupational activity, namely the reporting of a service request, can render visible particular key literacy features. In this case, such an analysis shows how the marker ‘okay’ is used in a critical way to close off segments of an interaction and to mark verbally that agreement about a particular aspect of the request has been reached.  It is argued that the use of recordings, both audio and video, for the purpose of highlighting tacit competencies has implications not only for adult literacy teachers but for trainers, assessors and curriculum developers within the broader vocational education and training sector.
Making Connections to Re-engage Young People in Learning: dimensions of practice
Authors: Chodkiewicz Andrew , Widin Jacquie , Yasukawa Keiko
Published: October 2014

The education of young people who have previously been excluded from formal education is a field often associated with a high risk of failure – failure for the learners, teachers and the program. In researching the teaching practices in this field, it is tempting for the researcher to do so through the lens of what they perceive as the pedagogical theories that should be informing contemporary practice. In the field of literacy and numeracy education, the social practices approach has gained prominence among researchers who are sympathetic to a socio-cultural study of literacy and numeracy because of its inclusiveness of multiple literacies and numeracies that can be found in different social contexts. This article analyses one of four case studies in a research project on the teaching practices of experienced literacy and numeracy teachers: teaching literacy and numeracy to socially excluded young people in an inner city youth centre. In their research, the authors had to critically challenge their taken for granted assumptions about what a pedagogy informed by a social practices approach to literacy and numeracy should look like. The teaching methods that they observed at the youth centre, while clearly effective – particularly in establishing connections with the learners to form strong relationships of mutual trust -  appeared on the surface to defy some of the key features of a social practices approach. In understanding the apparent contradictions between what the authors had expected to see and what they were seeing, Kemmis’s framework for the study of practice that is based on the notion of practices as reflexive and dialectical proved fruitful. The framework allowed us to interpret both the theory (the social practices approach to literacy and numeracy) and the practices at the youth centre in more  nuanced ways that deepened our appreciation of the theory – practice relationship.
Methadone, Counselling and Literacy: A health literacy partnership for Aboriginal clients
Authors: Black Stephen , Ndaba Anne , Kerr Christine , Doyle Brian
Published: October 2014

This paper describes a literacy program delivered at the Kirketon Road Centre (KRC), a primary health centre located in Kings Cross, Sydney. KRC was established to meet the health needs of ‘at risk’ young people, sex workers, and people who inject drugs. The literacy program was initiated from within an Aboriginal health group at KRC, following a request from clients in the group. A teacher from Tranby Aboriginal College delivered the literacy program one afternoon every fortnight over a period of approximately one year. This paper is based on recorded and transcribed ‘reflection’ discussions undertaken over several months between the literacy teacher, a KRC counsellor and the researcher immediately following the literacy sessions. Of particular interest is the nature of the literacy program and its pedagogical approach which is based largely on the delivery of popularly themed worksheet exercises. These activities represent in some ways an approach to adult literacy education that we term ‘autonomous’, that is, as a single set of skills generalisable to other life contexts. This pedagogical approach, however, needs to be understood in relation to the social capital outcomes of the course which take into account the complex and varying relationships and networks of the client group. The real value of the course can be seen largely in terms of the social capital outcomes for individual participants.
Automatization and Retention of Literacy Skills in Adult Learners
Authors: Bebko James M , Rhee Thomas , McMorris Carly , Segers Magali
Published: October 2014

Findings from recent efficacy studies comparing literacy program types suggest that struggling adult readers often make limited to moderate gains across varied types of literacy interventions, with no specific approach consistently surpassing others to date. An alternative to comparing program types is to investigate whether there are specific characteristics or skills that vary by individual that can predict higher gains and skill retention across program type. Using an experimental, prospective, longitudinal design, the present study examined the role of automatization (over-learning) of component skills involved in reading during participation in general literacy programs. On average, participants in the study gained the equivalent of one full reading grade-level after participation in programs for six months. The degree of automatization of reading skills was found to be the strongest predictor of gains made during programs; a measure of automatization was also the strongest predictor of subsequent retention of skills, months later at follow-up testing. Implications for adult literacy practitioners and directions for future research related to skill retention are discussed.
Vale Alison Lee
Authors: Wickert Rosie
Published: October 2014

Literacy educators world-wide will be saddened to hear of the death of Professor Alison Lee following a tough struggle with pancreatic cancer. Alison has been one of the editors of Literacy and Numeracy Studies since 1994 and her commitment to ensuring its quality and its future will be much missed.
Reviews
Authors: Reedy Alison , Dyne Janet
Published: October 2014

Inge Kral and Jerry Schwab's Learning Spaces: Youth, literacy and new media in remote Indigenous Australia, reviewed by Alison ReedyInge Kral's Talk, Text and Technology: Literacy and social practice in a remote Indigenous community,reviewed by Janet Dyne
Exploring Academic Voice in Multimodal Quantitative Texts
Authors: Prince Robert , Archer Arlene
Published: October 2014

Research on students’ academic literacies practices has tended to focus on the written mode in order to understand the academic conventions necessary to access Higher Education. However, the representation of quantitative information can be a challenge to many students. Quantitative information can be represented through a range of modes (such as writing, visuals and numbers) and different information graphics (such as tables, charts, graphs). This paper focuses on the semiotic aspects of graphic representation in academic work, using student and published data from the Health Science, and an information graphic from the social domain as a counterpoint to explore aspects about agency and choice in academic voice in multimodal texts. It explores voice in terms of three aspects which work across modes, namely authorial engagement, citation and modality. The work of different modes and their inter-relations in quantitative texts is established, as is the use of sources in citation. We also look at the ways in which credibility and validity are established through modality. This exploration reveals that there is a complex interplay of modes in the construction of academic voice, which are largely tacit. This has implications for the way we think about and teach writing and text-making in quantitative disciplines in Higher Education.
Assessment of China's virtual air pollution transport embodied in trade by a consumption-based emission inventory
Authors: Zhao H. Y. , Zhang Q. , Davis S. J. , Guan D. , Liu Z. , Huo H. , Lin J. T. , Liu W. D. , He K. B.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. High anthropogenic emissions from China have resulted in serious air pollution, and it has attracted considerable academic and public concern. The physical transport of air pollutants in the atmosphere has been extensively investigated, however, understanding the mechanisms how the pollutants were transferred through economic and trade activities remains challenge. In this work, we assessed China's virtual air pollutant transport embodied in trade, by using consumption-based accounting approach. We first constructed a consumption-based emission inventory for China's four key air pollutants (primary PM2.5, sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC)) in 2007, based on the bottom-up sectoral emission inventory concerning their production activities – a production-based inventory. We used a multiregional input-output (MRIO) model to integrate the sectoral production-based emissions and the associated economic and trade activities, and finally obtained consumption-based inventory. Unlike the production-based inventory, the consumption-based inventory tracked emissions throughout the supply chain related to the consumption of goods and services and hereby identified the emission flows followed the supply chains. From consumption-based perspective, emissions were significantly redistributed among provinces due to interprovincial trade. Large amount of emissions were embodied in the net imports of east regions from northern and central regions; these were determined by differences in the regional economic status and environmental policies. We also calculated the emissions embodied in exported and imported goods and services. It is found that 15–23% of China's pollutant emissions were related to exports for foreign consumption; that proportion was much higher for central and export-oriented coastal regions. It is suggested that measures should be introduced to reduce air pollution by integrating cross-regional consumers and producers in national agreements to encourage efficiency improvement in the supply chain and optimizing consumption structure internationally. The consumption-based air pollutants emission inventory developed in this work can be further used to attribute pollution to different economic activities and final demand types with the aid of air quality models.
E layer dominated ionosphere observed by EISCAT/ESR radars during solar minimum
Authors: Cai Hongtao , Li Fei , Shen Ge , Zhan Weijia , Zhou Kangjun , McCrea Ian Willian , Ma Shuying
Published: October 2014

Abstract. According to the study by Mayer and Jakowski (2009), periods of E layer dominated ionosphere (ELDI) are defined as being characterized by vertical electron density profiles having a maximum density at E layer altitudes. In this paper, characteristics of ELDI intervals have been investigated, focusing on their temporal variations, using field-aligned measurements from the EISCAT and ESR radars during the interval 2009–2011. ELDI events were identified using simple but reasonable criteria, in which a minimal duration was required to exclude possible "fake" events induced by random errors in measurements. It was found that ELDIs were observed more often in winter and earlier spring than other seasons, especially in the auroral zone. The occurrence of ELDI intervals peaks around geomagnetic midnight at auroral latitudes, while it reaches a maximum around geomagnetic local noon at the latitude of the ESR. Our results imply that ELDI intervals appear to be a sporadic rather than a regular phenomenon, in disagreement with previous results inferred from radio occultation measurements. The discrepancy between the typical durations of ELDI events observed by the two radars is remarkable, being 30 min on average at Tromsø but about a half of this at Svalbard. During intervals of ELDI, the mean thicknesses of the E layer are quite close at the two sites, as are the values of HmE and the ratio of NmE / NmF2. Case studies confirm that either extra E layer ionization or F layer density depletion alone could lead to the presence of ELDIs. Based on a careful check on ELDI intervals of various types, however, we suggest that both of them play a critical role in ELDI formation.
Decomposing uncertainties in the future terrestrial carbon budget associated with emission scenario, climate projection, and ecosystem simulation using the ISI-MIP result
Authors: Nishina K. , Ito A. , Falloon P. , Friend A. D. , Beerling D. J. , Ciais P. , Clark D. B. , Kahana R. , Kato E. , Lucht W. , Lomas M. , Pavlick R. , Schaphoff S. , Warszawaski L. , Yokohata T.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Changes to global net primary production (NPP), vegetation biomass carbon (VegC), and soil organic carbon (SOC) estimated by six global vegetation models (GVM) obtained from an Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project study were examined. Simulation results were obtained using five global climate models (GCM) forced with four representative concentration pathway (RCP) scenarios. To clarify which component (emission scenarios, climate projections, or global vegetation models) contributes the most to uncertainties in projected global terrestrial C cycling by 2100, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and wavelet clustering were applied to 70 projected simulation sets. In the end of simulation period, the changes from the year of 2000 in all three variables considerably varied from net negative to positive values. ANOVA revealed that the main sources of uncertainty are different among variables and depend on the projection period. We determined that in the global VegC, and SOC projections, GVMs dominate uncertainties (60 and 90%, respectively) rather than climate driving scenarios, i.e., RCPs and GCMs. These results suggested that we don't have still enough resolution among each RCP scenario to evaluate climate change impacts on ecosystem conditions in global terrestrial C cycling. In addition, we found that the contributions of each uncertainty source were spatio-temporally heterogeneous and differed among the GVM variables. The dominant uncertainty source for changes in NPP and VegC varies along the climatic gradient. The contribution of GVM to the uncertainty decreases as the climate division gets cooler (from ca. 80% in the equatorial division to 40% in the snow climatic division). To evaluate the effects of climate change on ecosystems with practical resolution in RCP scenarios, GVMs require further improvement to reduce the uncertainties in global C cycling as much as, if not more than, GCMs. Our study suggests that the improvement of GVMs is a priority for the reduction of total uncertainties in projected C cycling for climate impact assessments.
An autonomous adaptive low-power instrument platform (AAL-PIP) for remote high-latitude geospace data collection
Authors: Clauer C. R. , Kim H. , Deshpande K. , Xu Z. , Weimer D. , Musko S. , Crowley G. , Fish C. , Nealy R. , Humphreys T. E. , Bhatti J. A. , Ridley A. J.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. We present the development considerations and design for ground-based instrumentation that is being deployed on the East Antarctic Plateau along a 40° magnetic meridian chain to investigate interhemispheric magnetically conjugate geomagnetic coupling and other space-weather-related phenomena. The stations are magnetically conjugate to geomagnetic stations along the west coast of Greenland. The autonomous adaptive low-power instrument platforms being deployed in the Antarctic are designed to operate unattended in remote locations for at least 5 years. They utilize solar power and AGM storage batteries for power, two-way Iridium satellite communication for data acquisition and program/operation modification, support fluxgate and induction magnetometers as well as a dual-frequency GPS receiver and a high-frequency (HF) radio experiment. Size and weight considerations are considered to enable deployment by a small team using small aircraft. Considerable experience has been gained in the development and deployment of remote polar instrumentation that is reflected in the present generation of instrumentation discussed here. We conclude with the lessons learned from our experience in the design, deployment and operation of remote polar instrumentation.
NEMOTAM: tangent and adjoint models for the ocean modelling platform NEMO
Authors: Vidard A. , Bouttier P.-A. , Vigilant F.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. The tangent linear and adjoint model (TAM) are efficient tools to analyse and to control dynamical systems such as NEMO. They can be involved in a large range of applications such as sensitivity analysis, parameter estimation or the computation of characteristics vectors. TAM is also required by the 4-D-VAR algorithm which is one of the major method in Data Assimilation. This paper describes the development and the validation of the Tangent linear and Adjoint Model for the NEMO ocean modelling platform (NEMOTAM). The diagnostic tools that are available alongside NEMOTAM are detailed and discussed and several applications are also presented.
Local nutrient regimes determine site-specific environmental triggers of cyanobacterial and microcystin variability in urban lakes
Authors: Sinang S. C. , Reichwaldt E. S. , Ghadouani A.
Published: October 2014

Abstract. Toxic cyanobacterial blooms in urban lakes present serious health hazards to humans and animals and require effective management strategies. In the management of toxic cyanobacteria blooms, understanding the roles of environmental factors is crucial. To date, a range of environmental factors have been proposed as potential triggers for the spatiotemporal variability of cyanobacterial biomass and microcystins in freshwater systems. However, the environmental triggers of cyanobacteria and microcystin variability remain a subject of debate due to contrasting findings. This issue has raised the question if the environmental triggers are site-specific and unique between water bodies. In this study, we investigated the site-specificity of environmental triggers for cyanobacterial bloom and cyanotoxins dynamics. Our study suggests that cyanobacterial dominance and cyanobacterial microcystin content variability were significantly correlated to phosphorus and iron concentrations. However, the correlations between phosphorus and iron with cyanobacterial biomass and microcystin variability were not consistent between lakes, thus suggesting a site specificity of these environmental factors. The discrepancies in the correlations could be explained by differences in local nutrient concentration and the cyanobacterial community in the systems. The findings of this study suggest that identification of site-specific environmental factors under unique local conditions is an important strategy to enhance positive outcomes in cyanobacterial bloom control measures.
Green Criminology: Reflections, Connections, Horizons
Authors: South Nigel
Published: October 2014

This paper traces aspects of the development of a ‘green’ criminology. It starts with personal reflections and then describes the emergence of explicit statements of a green criminological perspective. Initially these statements were independently voiced, in different parts of the world but they reflected shared concerns. These works have found unification as a ‘green’, ‘eco-global’ or ‘conservation’ criminology. The paper reviews the classifications available when talking about not only legally-defined crimes but also legally perpetrated harms, as well as typologies of such harms and crimes. It then looks at the integration of ‘green’ and ‘traditional’ criminological thinking before briefly exploring four dimensions of concern for today and the future.DOI: 10.5204/ijcjsd.v3i2.172
Special Edition: Green Criminology Matters, Guest Editors’ Introduction
Authors: Wyatt Tanya , Beirne Piers , South Nigel
Published: October 2014

In 1998 the journal Theoretical Criminology published an innovative special issue on green criminology, which was compiled by two of the editors of the present collection. The focus of that special issue was a plea for the theoretical development of green criminological approaches to our relationships with ‘nature’, including how we adversely affect the state of the environment and the lives of nonhuman animals (henceforth, ‘animals’). Work in this new field has since continued apace. The study of harms against humanity, the environment and other species – inflicted systematically by powerful profit-seeking entities and on an everyday basis by ordinary people – is increasingly seen as a social concern of extraordinary importance. Green criminology matters! ...
Corruption Here, Corruption There, Corruption Everywhere: A Framework for Understanding and Addressing Public Sector Corruption in Developing African Democracies
Authors: Yeboah-Assiamah Emmanuel , Asamoah Kwame , Osei-kojo Alex
Published: October 2014

Corruption exists in all political jurisdictions globally, but it is believed to be more pronounced in transitional democracies especially African countries. Due to the extent of corruption in African countries, scholars and practitioners in the fields of public policy and development studies suggest that corruption has significantly undermined, and continues to undermine development on the continent. Using Africa as a case study and selected theoretical models, this paper views corruption as a transaction process and provides a model to explain how the transaction occurs between the actors involved. It also explores how corruption diminishes efforts towards the development of Africa, and proposes a comprehensive framework that can be adopted to curb the canker of corruption in Africa. The study adopted the content analysis technique within qualitative study. It thus, draws extensively on existing literature available in peer reviewed articles, conference and government reports, books and magazines. Among the key findings of the study are that; corruption is a two-way affair, which manifests in some sort of demand and supply. It was also found out that the prevalence of weak bureaucratic institutions and systems (context) and the manner of how transactions are conducted (process) all contribute to promotion of corruption in developing African countries. In order to address the problem of corruption, the study recommends the adoption of a holistic approach, which involves a strong political will to enforce law and order, strengthening state institutions to detect, expose and prosecute culprits irrespective of their status and political affiliation. The paper also suggests that bureaucratic and political elites should take the lead in fighting corruption by conducting themselves in a manner that will inspire trust and confidence in the entire political system.
Evaluation of environmental impacts of harvest residue-based bioenergy using radiative forcing analysis
Authors: Pierobon Francesca , Ganguly Indroneil , Anfodillo Tommaso , Eastin Ivan L.
Published: October 2014

The “carbon neutrality” assumption plays an important role in the evaluation of the global warming potential (GWP) of bioenergy relative to fossil fuels. In the case of woody bioenergy, this assumption implies that the carbon dioxide emitted during the combustion of the biomass is equal to the carbon dioxide sequestered from the atmosphere within that biomass. However, the collection and conversion of woody biomass requires energy inputs in various forms that produce emissions to the air or water. To be able to estimate the overall environmental burdens associated with converting woody biomass to bioenergy, and the net reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the atmosphere by avoiding the use of fossil fuel, a life cycle assessment (LCA) is the internationally recognized method of choice. However, the carbon neutrality of woody biomass and the environmental impacts associated with wood-based bioenergy are hotly debated in national and international arenas. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the environmental impacts of woody biomass-based bioenergy and proposes a GWP impact assessment methodology using radiative forcing for incorporating the dynamics of carbon sequestration, decomposition of residues and biomass processing in the life cycle assessment of bioenergy.
Green gold of Africa – Can growing native bamboo in Ethiopia become a commercially viable business?
Authors: Böck Felix
Published: October 2014

With concerns about climate change and the search for sustainable construction materials, significant attention is now being paid to Africa's natural resources. Ethiopia, known as Africa's political capital, has a rapidly expanding economy with increasing demand for new construction materials. Through public private partnerships projects the country is developing a sustainable business model to promote bamboo as a raw material. The subtropical zone of Ethiopia is home to approximately 65% of Africa's bamboo resources, an area of over 1 million hectares. Bamboo is potentially an ideal source of local, sustainable purpose-engineered building materials for growing cities not only in Ethiopia but across Africa. Production of conventional construction materials such as steel and concrete is expensive, highly energy intensive and unsustainable, requiring large quantities of water and is strongly dependent on imported raw materials. Bamboo is a renewable building material widely cultivated in Ethiopia but not yet utilized in modern construction. Structural Bamboo Products (SBP), similar to engineered wood products, have excellent potential to partially replace the use of more energy-intensive materials. Projects such as African Bamboo are taking steps in managing, cultivating and using Ethiopian bamboo species to help mitigate rapid deforestation in East Africa by creating alternative “wood” sources and sustainable business opportunities.
Proposed research on social perception of marker-assisted selection and its role in the forests of British Columbia
Authors: Nilausen Chelsea , Gélinas Nancy , Bull Gary
Published: October 2014

The forest industry is a major player in the provincial economy, provides a significant contribution to government revenue, and accounts for 3% of British Columbia's GDP. However, with the reduction of housing starts in the US in 2006, the economic crisis of 2008, a steady decline in newsprint demand, and the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, the provincial and federal governments have searched for ways to help transform the forest industry through innovation, improved environmental performance, and new markets. One such investment has been in marker-assisted selection (MAS), which is a genomic-based biotechnological tool that allows desired traits to be flagged on the genome. Since MAS is a new genomic tool to the forest industry, it is necessary to survey silviculture stakeholders in BC on their perception of this resource to tree breeders, its perceived use, and the context for which it should be implemented. If it is a tool whose implementation is perceived positively, it would significantly reduce the cycle of the tree breeding process, as it allows for the early selection of genotypic traits. Moreover, it would allow tree breeders to more efficiently and accurately select for improved wood qualities, growth rates, and resistance to pests, diseases, and climate change.
The effectiveness of road closures and deactivations at reducing traffic: A case of resource roads used for recreational activities in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Hunt Len M. , Hupf Matthew
Published: October 2014

We investigated the effectiveness of different approaches at limiting motorized vehicle traffic on unpaved roads designed to support forestry operations (i.e., resource roads). The approaches (i.e., year-round closure, seasonal closure, deactivation, and deactivation and closure) were employed to provide non-road-based opportunities for people to pursue outdoor recreation and nature-based tourism activities by deterring hunters and others from using motorized vehicles to access areas beyond a road closure/deactivation. Using the case of weekend traffic on single-lane resource roads in northern Ontario, Canada during the gun portion of the moose (Alces alces) hunting season, we developed and investigated three general hypotheses. The first hypothesis that closure and/or deactivation approaches significantly reduce traffic on these resource roads was supported. In fact, we estimated that on average these approaches should reduce about 78% of traffic. No support existed for the second hypothesis that the effectiveness of these approaches depends on road quality. The third hypothesis was supported that differences exist in the effectiveness of the four road closure and/or deactivation approaches to reduce traffic on resource roads. A year-round closure was amongst the least while a seasonal road closure was amongst the most effective approach to reduce traffic on these roads.
Real-time Walking Pattern Generation for a Biped Robot with Hybrid CPG-ZMP Algorithm
Authors: He Bin , Wang Zhipeng , Shen Runjie , Hu Sanqing
Published: October 2014

Biped robots have better mobility than conventional wheeled robots. The bio-inspired method based on a central pattern generator (CPG) can be used to control biped robot walking in a manner like human beings. However, to achieve stable locomotion, it is difficult to modulate the parameters for the neural networks to coordinate every degree of freedom of the walking robot. The zero moment point (ZMP) method is very popular for the stability control of biped robot walking. However, the reference trajectories have low energy efficiency, lack naturalness and need significant offline calculation. This paper presents a new method for biped real-time walking generation using a hybrid CPG-ZMP control algorithm. The method can realize a stable walking pattern by combining the ZMP criterion with rhythmic motion control. The CPG component is designed to generate the desired motion for each robot joint, which is modulated by phase resetting according to foot contact information. By introducing the ZMP location, the activity of the CPG output signal is adjusted to coordinate the limbs’ motion and allow the robot to maintain balance during the process of locomotion. The numerical simulation results show that, compared with the CPG method, the new hybrid CPG-ZMP algorithm can enhance the robustness of the CPG parameters and improve the stability of the robot. In addition, the proposed algorithm is more energy efficient than the ZMP method. The results also demonstrate that the control system can generate an adaptive walking pattern through interactions between the robot, the CPG and the environment.
Multi-agent Orbit Design for Visual Perception Enhancement Purpose
Authors: Nourzadeh Hamidreza , McInroy John
Published: October 2014

This paper develops a robust optimization-based method to design orbits on which the sensory perception of the desired physical quantities are maximized. It also demonstrates how to incorporate various constraints imposed by many spacecraft missions, such as collision avoidance, co-orbital configuration, altitude and frozen orbit constraints along with Sun-synchronous orbit constraints. The paper specifically investigates designing orbits for constrained visual sensor planning applications as its case study. For this purpose, the key elements to form an image in such vision systems are considered and effective factors are taken into account to define a metric for perception quality. The method employs a max-min model to ensure robustness against possible perturbations and model uncertainties. While fulfilling the mission requirements, the algorithm devises orbits on which a higher level collective observation quality for the desired sides of the targets is available. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method for several scenarios involving low and medium Earth orbits as well as a challenging space-based space surveillance program application.
A Modified Prandtl-Ishlinskii Model for Rate-dependent Hysteresis Nonlinearity Using mth-power Velocity Damping Mechanism
Authors: Yang Mei-Ju , Li Chun-Xia , Gu Guo-Ying , Zhu Li-Min
Published: October 2014

Hysteresis of piezoelectric actuators is rate-dependent at high frequencies, but most of the hysteresis models are rate-independent and cannot describe the rate-dependent hysteresis nonlinearity independently. In this paper, a modified Prandtl-Ishlinskii (P-I) model is proposed to characterize the rate-dependent hysteresis of piezoelectric actuators under sinusoidal excitation. This model is formulated by a mth-power velocity damping model in conjunction with the rate-independent P-I model. The parameter identification of this model is divided into two steps using different experimental data and algorithms. The particle swarm optimization is introduced first to identify the rate-independent parameters, and the nonlinear least square method is adopted afterwards to identify the rate-dependent parameters which are functions of the excitation frequency. Moreover, the proposed P-I model is developed to describe hysteresis nonlinearity under triangular excitation by introducing weighted functions, i.e., Λ i. Finally, the model results attained under the sinusoidal and triangular inputs at different frequencies are compared with the corresponding experimental data. The comparisons demonstrate that the proposed P-I model can well describe hysteresis nonlinearity under sinusoidal excitation up to 1,500 Hz and triangular excitation up to 250 Hz, respectively.
A CADEIA PRODUTIVA DA AMÊNDOA DO BARU (Dipteryx alata Vog.) NO CERRADO: UMA ANÁLISE DA SUSTENTABILIDADE DA SUA EXPLORAÇÃO
Authors: Magalhães Rogério Marcos
Published: October 2014

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509815723Este artigo visa discutir os resultados obtidos com a pesquisa que buscou identificar, por meio de indicadores e de informações socioeconômicas, se a atividade de exploração da amêndoa do baru (Dipteryx alata Vogel) – uma espécie do Cerrado brasileiro – realizada por organizações privadas (empresas, cooperativas e associações representativas de agricultores familiares), estabelecidas em municípios goianos e no Distrito Federal, pode ser caracterizada como uma alternativa sustentável de geração de renda. Nesta pesquisa mensuraram-se cinco dimensões da sustentabilidade: ambiental, social, econômica, política e da saúde, por meio de indicadores, além de terem sido identificados os obstáculos enfrentados pelas organizações no âmbito da cadeia de produção do baru e proposto um modelo de produção para esta amêndoa do Cerrado. Os resultados demonstraram que, nas condições encontradas, a exploração do baru pelas organizações amostradas não se configura como uma atividade sustentável de geração de renda, uma vez que atende parcialmente ao pressuposto, segundo o qual a atividade para ser considerada sustentável deve possuir um equilíbrio entre as várias dimensões da sustentabilidade. Os obstáculos que as organizações da cadeia produtiva do baru enfrentam podem constituir em poderoso entrave à sua adequada gestão, contribuindo também para o comprometimento da sustentabilidade da atividade.
PAINEL AGLOMERADO HÍBRIDO DE CASCA DE AMENDOIM REFORÇADO COM PARTÍCULAS DE MADEIRA ITAÚBA
Authors: Barbirato Guilherme , Fiorelli Juliano , Garzón Barrero Núbia Mireya , Pallone Eliria Maria de Jesus Agnolon , Lahr Francisco Antonio Rocco , Cristoforo André Luis , Savastano Junior Holmer
Published: October 2014

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/1980509815726No presente trabalho, considerou-se o estudo do potencial de utilização de casca de amendoim e partículas de madeira da espécie itaúba (Mezilaurus itauba) com o intuito de agregar valor a estes materiais, por meio da fabricação de painéis de partículas híbridos, a fim de comparar os desempenhos físicos, mecânicos e durabilidade. Para esses procedimentos foram utilizadas a resina poliuretana bicomponente à base de óleo de mamona e a ureia-formaldeído. A qualidade dos produtos foi avaliada com base nas prescrições do documento normativo NBR 14.810:2006 e APA PRP 108, por meio de ensaios físico-mecânicos, microestruturais e de durabilidade. Com os resultados obtidos foi possível verificar que a incorporação de partículas de madeira proporcionou aumento nas propriedades físico-mecânicas do painel de partículas com casca de amendoim, a resina poliuretana à base de óleo de mamona mostrou-se eficiente como adesivo aglomerante das partículas e o ensaio de durabilidade indicou que o material deve ser utilizado em condições de exposição de baixo contato com umidade.