Quaternary climatic changes in the Caribbean and N. South-America

Es wurden in dieser kurzen Arbeit Literaturangaben über die quartären Klimaänderungen gesammelt, die aus dem karibischen Gebiet und den benachbarten Teilen Südamerikas bekannt sind. Man kann feststellen, daß in Kolumbien, Nordwest-Venezuela, Aruba, Curasao, Bonaire und Barbados pluviale Perioden etwa synchron waren mit den Glazialen in Gebieten höherer Breite. Die Daten aus Guyana und Suriname lassen zwar noch keine endgültigen Schlüsse zu, doch deutet vieles darauf hin, daß dort während der Glazialzeiten trockenere klimatische Bedingungen herrschten als heute. Das würde einer Verschiebung der „ariden" Zone um etwa 10° entsprechen.researc

Introspective interest and insight in the context of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction:A randomized trial

Objective Introspective interest and insight have long been argued to be important factors in psychotherapy. However, empirical studies are scarce and their results equivocal. Therefore, in the present study, the potential moderating and mediating roles of introspective interest and insight were examined in the context of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). Methods In a randomized controlled trial, 72 MBSR participants were compared with 71 waitlist control participants. Their mean age was 46.1 years (SD = 10.3), 31.5% were male and all were white. Pre-to-post changes in mood, perceived stress, quality of life, mindfulness skills, and introspective interest and insight were compared between the groups and the moderating and mediating effects of introspective interest and insight were examined, adjusting for effects of mindfulness skills. Results Introspective interest nor insight moderated the effects of MBSR. However, increase in insight, but not interest, significantly mediated favorable effects of MBSR on all outcome variables, over and above changes in mindfulness skills: perceived stress (B = − 1.43, 95% CI − 2.63 to − 0.54), negative affect (B = − 0.11, 95% CI − 0.23 to − 0.00), positive affect (B = 0.12, 95% CI 0.03–0.23) and psychological quality of life (B = 0.16, 95% CI 0.02–0.34). Conclusions Increase in introspective insight may form a potentially important mechanism of the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, and possibly also other psychological interventions

Patron-Driven Acquisition: What Do We Know about Our Patrons?

This paper describes how Utrecht University Library is trying to reach a sustainable and efficient PDA model, offering more e-books to our users. PDA e-books were made available in the catalog. We developed an efficient back office process for updates, deletions and financial administration. We did pilot programs to test PDA as an acquisition model. During the pilot anonymized user data was collected of patrons and their use of PDA e-books. Due to heavy usage and too fast depletion of budget we had to adjust our PDA model. The collected data helped to understand the development of costs and to decide about the changes in the PDA model. After a year PDA pilot, we developed a predictable PDA model. However, for a sustainable model there are still challenges, not only due to dilemmas on restricting the PDA profile, but also due to publishers raising STL prices

Титульні сторінки та зміст

This exploratory qualitative study provides insight into the role that exergames can play for seniors. Fifteen participants (aged 53–78) engaged in playing Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2 on the Xbox 360 Kinect. We conducted semi-structured interviews with each participant and we found that in all cases, their innate psychological needs of autonomy and competence (Self Determination Theory) were met. Playing the exergame not only served as a serious therapeutic instrument with positive effects on the subjective physical and social wellbeing, but it also brought entertainment, providing excitement and fun

Selection of provenances to adapt tropical pine forestry to climate change on the basis of climate analogs

Pinus patula and Pinus tecunumanii play an important role in the forestry sector in the tropics and subtropics and, in recent decades, members of the International Tree Breeding and Conservation Program (Camcore) at North Carolina State University have established large, multi-site provenance trials for these pine species. The data collected in these trials provide valuable information about species and provenance choice for plantation establishment in many regions with different climates. Since climate is changing rapidly, it may become increasingly difficult to choose the right species and provenance to plant. In this study, growth performance of plantings in Colombia, Brazil and South Africa was correlated to the degree of climatic dissimilarity between planting sites. Results are used to assess the suitability of seed material under a changing climate for four P. patula provenances and six P. tecunumanii provenances. For each provenance, climate dissimilarities based on standardized Euclidean distances were calculated and statistically related to growth performances. We evaluated the two methods of quantifying climate dissimilarity with extensive field data based on the goodness of fit and statistical significance of the climate distance relation to differences in height growth. The best method was then used as a predictor of a provenance change in height growth. The provenance-specific models were used to predict provenance performance under different climate change scenarios. The developed provenance-specific models were able to significantly relate climate similarity to different growth performances for five out of six P. tecunumanii provenances. For P. patula provenances, we did not find any correlation. Results point towards the importance of the identification of sites with stable climates where high yields are achievable. In such sites, fast-growing P. tecunumanii provenances with a high but narrow growth optimum can be planted. At sites with climate change of uncertain direction and magnitude, the choice of P. patula provenances, with greater tolerance towards different temperature and precipitation regimes, is recommended. Our results indicate that the analysis of provenance trial data with climate similarity models helps us to (1) maintain plantation productivity in a rapidly changing environment; and (2) improve our understanding of tree species’ adaptation to a changing climate