537 research outputs found
Exploring the conditions for a shift to Continuous Cover Forestry in Sweden
This thesis investigates the adoption of Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) in response to mounting environmental concerns stemming from conventional forestry in Sweden. Utilising a social practice-based approach with qualitative interviews and observations of forest managers who engage in CCF “on the ground”, the study uncovers a complex of practices connected to CCF, encompassing policy and regulation, research, advice, services, and forest ownership. By investigating the elements and interlinkages of these practices, the study finds key enabling factors and challenges within the intricate web of CCF practices. Emphasised challenges are; lack of competencies in CCF, predominant advice advocating conventional forestry, scarcity of CCF service providers, entangled timber contracts, insufficient research and concerns of forest expropriation due to high nature values attributed to CCF-managed forests. Enabling factors include knowledge-sharing interactions in networks and collaborations with diverse stakeholders, including independent CCF companies, forest owners, foresters, entrepreneurs, service workers, researchers and non-governmental organisations. Additionally, recreational activities, environmental stewardship, and improved workplace conditions motivate forest managers to embrace CCF practices. The research highlights the need to re-evaluate the division between conservation and production forests, urging the extension of CCF promotion into productive forests. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of diverse perspectives in advisory practices and advocates for increased, nuanced, and collaborative research on CCF's viability within Sweden's evolving forestry landscape
Actions speak louder than words: outsiders' perceptions of diversity mixed messages
To attract a gender diverse workforce, many employers use diversity statements to publicly signal that they value gender diversity. However, this often represents a misalignment between words and actions (i.e., a diversity mixed message) because most organizations are male dominated, especially in board positions. We conducted 3 studies to investigate the potentially indirect effect of such diversity mixed messages through perceived behavioral integrity on employer attractiveness. In Study 1, following a 2 x 2 design, participants (N = 225) were either shown a pro gender diversity statement or a neutral statement, in combination with a gender diverse board (4 men and 4 women) or a uniform all-male board (8 men). Participants' perceived behavioral integrity of the organization was assessed. In Study 2, participants (N = 251) either read positive or negative reviews of the organization's behavioral integrity. Employer attractiveness was then assessed. Study 3 (N = 427) investigated the impact of board gender composition on perceived behavioral integrity and employer attractiveness using a bootstrapping procedure. Both the causal-chain design of Study 1 and 2, as well as the significance test of the proposed indirect relationship in Study 3, revealed that a diversity mixed message negatively affected an organization's perceived behavioral integrity, and low behavioral integrity in turn negatively impacted employer attractiveness. In Study 3, there was also evidence for a tipping point (more than 1 woman on the board was needed) with regard to participants' perceptions of the organization's behavioral integrity
Effects of Fractionated Irradiation on the Esophageal Mucosa: A Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopic Study
The mucosa of rabbit esophagus was irradiated with daily fractions of 2 Gy to an accumulated dose of 20 Gy. Specimens were taken for scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and light microscopy investigations. Examination was made 1-10 days after each fractionation schedule. Light microscopy showed dose-dependent edema of the irradiated mucosa which also could be seen and scored from SEM pictures. SEM investigations showed that this was accompanied by loosening of microridges and a slightly increased cell loss. By SEM, a varying amount of bacteria could be seen which did not make intimate contact with the surface cells.
During the first five days there was a steady decrease of the number of bacteria in relation to the absorbed dose. In the later period of examination, the amount of bacteria increased up to a given dose of 10 Gy. Thereafter, the number faded off to about zero when 20 Gy had been administered
Die Motivation von Arbeitnehmervertreterinnen und -vertretern zur Ăśbernahme eines Aufsichtsratsmandats: ein qualitativer Ansatz
Der Beitrag untersucht auf Basis der Selbstbestimmungstheorie, wie Einflussgrößen des sozialen Kontexts Arbeitnehmervertreter und Arbeitnehmervertreterinnen zur Übernahme eines Aufsichtsratsmandats motivieren. Die Analyse von 29 teilstrukturierten Interviews zeigt ein breites Motivationsspektrum bei Arbeitnehmervertreterinnen und -vertretern in deutschen Aufsichtsräten börsennotierter Unternehmen. Wir zeigen, dass sich je nach Ausprägung einzelner Motivationsfaktoren drei unterschiedliche Motivationsprofile ergeben, die wir in ein "identifiziert/intrinsisches", ein "ausgeglichenes" und ein "introjiziert/externes" Profil unterteilen. Mittels unserer qualitativen Analyse kristallisieren sich die Unterstützung durch persönliche Netzwerke und die Heranführung an ein Mandat als zwei wichtige Einflussgrößen des sozialen Kontexts heraus, wie Arbeitnehmervertreterinnen und -vertreter zur Übernahme eines Aufsichtsratsmandats motiviert werden können.Building on self-determination theory, we examine how factors of one’s social context shape the motivational subtypes of employee-elected directors to join supervisory boards. Our findings are based on 29 semi-structured interviews with employee-elected directors from German publicly-listed firms and indicate that motivation involves a wide range of subtypes. Furthermore, we find that motivational subtypes vary in their individual relevance and form three distinct motivation profiles that we cluster in an "identified/intrinsic", a "balanced" and an "introjected/external" profile. Our qualitative analysis shows that the support of personal networks and the way of being introduced to the supervisory board represent two important factors of one’s social context that influence the motivation to join supervisory boards
Orthopoxvirus DNA in Eurasian Lynx, Sweden
Cowpox virus, which has been used to protect humans against smallpox but may cause severe disease in immunocompromised persons, has reemerged in humans, domestic cats, and other animal species in Europe. Orthopoxvirus (OPV) DNA was detected in tissues (lung, kidney, spleen) in 24 (9%) of 263 free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) from Sweden. Thymidine kinase gene amplicon sequences (339 bp) from 21 lynx were all identical to those from cowpox virus isolated from a person in Norway and phylogenetically closer to monkeypox virus than to vaccinia virus and isolates from 2 persons with cowpox virus in Sweden. Prevalence was higher among animals from regions with dense, rather than rural, human populations. Lynx are probably exposed to OPV through predation on small mammal reservoir species. We conclude that OPV is widely distributed in Sweden and may represent a threat to humans. Further studies are needed to verify whether this lynx OPV is cowpox virus
Molecular and morphometric variation in European populations of the articulate brachiopod <i>Terebeatulina retusa</i>
Molecular and morphometric variation within and between population samples of the articulate brachiopod <i>Terebratulina</i> spp., collected in 1985-1987 from a Norwegian fjord, sea lochs and costal sites in western Scotland, the southern English Channel (Brittany) and the western Mediterranean, were measured by the analysis of variation in the lengths of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments produced by digestion with nine restriction endonucleases and by multivariate statistical analysis of six selected morphometric parameters. Nucleotide difference within each population sample was high. Nucleotide difference between population samples from the Scottish sites, both those that are tidally contiguous and those that appear to be geographically isolated, were not significantly different from zero. Nucleotide differences between the populations samples from Norway, Brittany, Scotland and the western Mediterranean were also very low. Morphometric analysis confirmed the absence of substantial differentiation
Soil genesis and development, lesson 3: Soil forming factors
This lesson explores the five major factors of
soil formation—(1) climate, (2) organisms, (3) time, (4)
topography, and (5) parent material—and their influence
in forming soil. The distinction between active and passive
factors, moisture and temperature regimes, organism and
topographic influences, and parent material sources are
described.
At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to do
the following:
1. Identify the five factors of soil formation.
2. Explain the effects of each of the factors on soil
formation.
3. Explain how types of parent material differ in terms
of mode of deposition and degree of sorting.
The lesson is written to target educational needs of lower-level
undergraduate students and is available for use by the
public and educational institutions
Soil genesis and development, lesson 2: Weathering processes of rocks and minerals
Weathering of rocks and minerals, which include
physical, chemical, and biological processes, contributes to
the development of soil. The degree of weathering depends
not only on the rock and mineral composition but also
on climate and biological activities. Experiential learning
activities for different global regions support the learning
objectives.
At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to do
the following:
1. Describe how climatic factors influence the weathering
of rocks and minerals.
2. Define and distinguish physical, chemical, and biological
weathering processes.
The lesson is written to target educational needs of lower-level
undergraduate students in earth and environmental
sciences and is available for use by the public and educational
institutions
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