14,171 research outputs found
Green jobs from a small scale perspective : case studies from Malta
Sustainable energy policy and its potential to create
green jobs in Malta, as seen from the point of
view of Maltese civil society, provides the basis for
a critical analysis of the development of environmental
policies in Malta. The discussion is based
on data emanating from a qualitative type of survey
conducted among the key persons involved in the
main organisations representing the Maltese civil
society. What emerged from this data is that there
is a high level of awareness among members of
Maltese civil society about the need to create more
green jobs and the formulation of an effective
policy of sustainable development. Respondents
stressed the challenges inherent in a small
island sovereign state suffering from peripherality
and insularity. However while acknowledging
these constraints, respondents expressed a high
degree of optimism about the implementation of
an effective green policy. They maintain that part
of the solution lies in devising innovative practices
by means of which Maltese policy makers would
exploit Malta’s geographical position and harness
all possible material and human resources.
However to achieve such a goal the process has be
consultative and participative.European Parliamentpeer-reviewe
A catalog of known Galactic K-M stars of class I, candidate RSGs, in Gaia DR2
We investigate individual distances and luminosities of a sample of 889
nearby candidate red supergiants with reliable parallaxes (plx/plxerr > 4 and
RUWE < 2.7) from Gaia DR2. The sample was extracted from the historical
compilation of spectroscopically derived spectral types by Skiff (2014), and
consists of K-M stars that are listed with class I at least once. The sample
includes well-known red supergiants from Humphreys (1978), Elias et al. (1985),
Jura and Kleinmann (1990), and Levesque et al. (2005). Infrared and optical
measurements from the 2MASS, CIO, MSX, WISE, MIPSGAL, GLIMPSE, and NOMAD
catalogs allow us to estimate the stellar bolometric magnitudes. We analyze the
stars in the luminosity versus effective temperature plane and confirm that 43
sources are highly-probably red supergiants with Mbol<-7.1 mag. 43% of the
sample is made of stars with masses > 7 Msun. Another 30% of the sample
consists of giant stars.Comment: 14 pages, 7 Figures, accepted by ApJ. See
https://somethingaboutrsgstars.wordpress.com/ or
http://staff.ustc.edu.cn/~messine
Parental engagement during the ‘Caqlaq!’ 2 campaign : a summative analytic report of a non-formal adult educational initiative
This paper synthesises parents’ and guardians’ engagement with a non-formal educational initiative sponsored by Fundación Mapfre that took place between October 2014 and February 2015. Parents, guardians and carers of students’ recruited from a sample of state and Catholic Church primary schools in Malta engaged with graphical representations related to select health and fitness issues prioritised at the time by the World Health Organisation (WHO) (2014) to trigger collaborative and interactive activities and discussions. These activities fed into a critical engagement with the codifications, i.e. decodification (Kirkwood and Kirkwood, 2011; Freire, 2005). Participants presented main themes / issues emerging from the workshop activities. In this manner, workshops yielded to participants’ grassroots, in-depth, critical and inquisitive ownership of and engagement with health and fitness concerns. The main findings of the study show that, during the workshop, participants manifested a successful thematic, self-critical and reflective engagement with the select health and fitness concerns; they also linked the workshop discussion to their family and community contexts, as well as to broader socio-economic, cultural and global dynamics – with special reference to water supply; availability of public and recreational spaces; work-life balance; globalisation and technology. Thus, the workshop pedagogy provided democratic, dialogical and reflexive engagement; enhanced social capital and a grassroots’ approach to knowledge and education. Recommendations stemming from these research findings include the possibility of parent and child workshops; holding a series of workshops and forming a core-group of family members who have a more active role in future ‘Ċaqlaq!’ and other health and fitness campaigns.peer-reviewe
Lobbying in Malta : environmental NGOs and social capital
This paper explores the usage of social capital by Maltese Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations in their lobbying strategies and access to resources, particularly within the context of Malta as a new EU member state. The findings of the empirical research carried out in this regard show that as regards lobbying, Maltese ENGOs tend to prefer forming homogenous alliances with similar organisations. Besides, there is no direct link between access to resources and usage of social capital.peer-reviewe
Banking Sector Reform and Interest Rates in Transition Economies: Bank-Level Evidence from Kyrgyzstan
We examine the impact of banking sector reforms on interest rates using bank-level data from Kyrgyzstan for 1998-2005. We find that increased confidence in the banking sector has contributed significantly to lowering interest rate levels, while the impact of lower intermediation costs, credit risk, and capital costs are negligible. Our results further suggest that the liberalization of the Kyrgyz financial sector has reduced both deposit and lending rates. Finally, we find that despite considerable restructuring, the Kyrgyz banking sector has not become more competitive. As a consequence, banks' interest rates have not fully responded to lower market rates following macroeconomic stabilization.Transition, Financial Sector Development, Interest Rates
A Survey of Occupational Therapy Services Provided for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Background: We examined the services provided to adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by occupational therapists across the United States.
Method: This cross-sectional study used an online survey, with a combination of structured and open-ended questions, to collect data from a nonprobability sample. Descriptive, inferential, and nonparametric statistics were used to analyze data.
Results: In our sample (N= 57), the majority of the participants spent less than half of their workweek intervening with the adult ASD population. Caregivers were instrumental in both referral and discharge, and Medicaid was the most common payer source. The Adult Sensory Profile was used by more than half of the participants and sensory integration was the most influential model underlying practice (77%). The participants advised new occupational therapists to pursue high quality continuing education courses and formal mentorship from senior colleagues.
Conclusion: This study suggests that working with adults with ASD remains a niche area of practice. Further research is needed to examine the pathways to receiving occupational therapy for the adult ASD population
Early life characteristics, psychiatric history, and cognition trajectories in later life
Purpose of the Study: Although considerable attention has been paid to the relationship between later-life depression and cognitive function, the relationship between a history of psychiatric problems and cognitive function is not very well documented. Few studies of relationships between childhood health, childhood disadvantage, and cognitive function in later life consider both childhood health and disadvantage, include measures for psychiatric history, or use nationally representative longitudinal data. Design and Methods: This study uses growth curve models to analyze the relationships between childhood health and disadvantage, psychiatric history, and cognitive function using 6 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, controlling for demographics, health behavior, and health status. Results: A history of psychiatric problems is associated with lower cognitive function and steeper declines in cognitive function with age. The influence of childhood health is mediated by later-life health status and behaviors. A combined history of childhood disadvantage and psychiatric problems more strongly affects cognitive function, but cognitive declines remain consistent with those associated with psychiatric history. These effects are partially mediated by later-life demographic, socioeconomic, or health characteristics. Implications: These findings demonstrate that cumulative disadvantage and a history of psychiatric problems shape later-life cognition and cognitive decline. This evidence can enhance public understanding of the trajectories of cognitive decline experienced by groups living with disadvantage and can enable policy makers and human services providers to better design and implement preventative interventions and support services for affected populations
Hydrogeologic Analyses for an Earthen Dam Proposal at the University Field Station
In response to a request for a new dam at the University of Mississippi Field Station (UMFS), BTJM Engineering prepared an initial feasibility assessment and continued investigations until a full construction plan was completed. This report details the hydrogeologic analyses involed in this process. Initial site investigations included mapping surficial geology, creating a generalized stratigraphic column, mapping the potentiometric surface, and developing a conceptual and quantitative understanding of the local hydrolgic budget. This data informed decisions regarding the location of a new dam, which was finally designed with full considerations of the local hydrogeology. After the dam was designed, analysis of the seepage, water level response to storm events, water supply, and inundation potential were performed
- …