Economic resilience and crowdsourcing platforms

The increased interdependence and complexity of modern societies have increased the need to involve all members of a community into solving problems. In times of great uncertainty, when communities face threats of different kinds and magnitudes, the traditional top-down approach where government provides solely for community wellbeing is no longer plausible. Crowdsourcing has emerged as an effective means of empowering communities with the potential to engage individuals in innovation, self-organization activities, informal learning, mutual support, and political action that can all lead to resilience. However, there remains limited resource on the topic. In this paper, we outline the various forms of crowdsourcing, economic and community resilience, crowdsourcing and economic resilience, and a case study of the Nepal earthquake. his article presents an exploratory perspective on the link can be found between crowdsourcing and economic resilience. It introduces and describes a framework that can be used to study the impact of crowdsourcing initiatives for economic resilience by future research. An initial a set of indicators to be used to measure the change in the level of resilience is presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hydrography, nutrients, and carbon pools in the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean: Implications for carbon flux

PDF Tools Share Abstract We investigated the hydrography, nutrients, and dissolved and particulate carbon pools in the western Pacific sector of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) during austral summer 1996 to assess the region\u27s role in the carbon cycle. Low f CO2 values along two transects indicated that much of the study area was a sink for atmospheric CO2. The f CO2 values were lowest near the Polar Front (PF) and the Subtropical Front (STF), concomitant with maxima of chlorophyll a and particulate and dissolved organic carbon. The largest biomass accumulations did not occur at fronts, which had high surface geostrophic velocities (20–51 cm s−1), but in relatively low velocity regions near fronts or in an eddy. Thus vertical motion and horizontal advection associated with fronts may have replenished nutrients in surface waters but also dispersed phytoplankton. Although surface waters north of the PF have been characterized as a “high nutrient‐low chlorophyll” region, low silicic acid (Si) concentrations (2–4 μM ) may limit production of large diatoms and therefore the potential carbon flux. Low concentrations (4–10 μM Si) at depths of winter mixing constrain the level of Si replenishment to surface waters. It has been suggested that an increase in aeolian iron north of the PF may increase primary productivity and carbon export. Our results, however, indicate that while diatom growth and carbon export may be enhanced, the extent ultimately would be limited by the vertical supply of Si. South of the PF, the primary mechanism by which carbon is exported to deep water appears to be through diatom flux. We suggest that north of the PF, particulate and dissolved carbon may be exported primarily to intermediate depths through subduction and diapycnal mixing associated with Subantarctic Mode Water and Antarctic Intermediate Water formation. These physical‐biological interactions and Si dynamics should be included in future biogeochemical models to provide a more accurate prediction of carbon flux

Individual Differences in Dopamine Are Associated with Reward Discounting in Clinical Groups But Not in Healthy Adults.

Some people are more willing to make immediate, risky, or costly reward-focused choices than others, which has been hypothesized to be associated with individual differences in dopamine (DA) function. In two studies using PET imaging, one empirical (Study 1: N = 144 males and females across 3 samples) and one meta-analytic (Study 2: N = 307 across 12 samples), we sought to characterize associations between individual differences in DA and time, probability, and physical effort discounting in human adults. Study 1 demonstrated that individual differences in DA D2-like receptors were not associated with time or probability discounting of monetary rewards in healthy humans, and associations with physical effort discounting were inconsistent across adults of different ages. Meta-analytic results for temporal discounting corroborated our empirical finding for minimal effect of DA measures on discounting in healthy individuals but suggested that associations between individual differences in DA and reward discounting depend on clinical features. Addictions were characterized by negative correlations between DA and discounting, but other clinical conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, obesity, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, were characterized by positive correlations between DA and discounting. Together, the results suggest that trait differences in discounting in healthy adults do not appear to be strongly associated with individual differences in D2-like receptors. The difference in meta-analytic correlation effects between healthy controls and individuals with psychopathology suggests that individual difference findings related to DA and reward discounting in clinical samples may not be reliably generalized to healthy controls, and vice versa.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Decisions to forgo large rewards for smaller ones due to increasing time delays, uncertainty, or physical effort have been linked to differences in dopamine (DA) function, which is disrupted in some forms of psychopathology. It remains unclear whether alterations in DA function associated with psychopathology also extend to explaining associations between DA function and decision making in healthy individuals. We show that individual differences in DA D2 receptor availability are not consistently related to monetary discounting of time, probability, or physical effort in healthy individuals across a broad age range. By contrast, we suggest that psychopathology accounts for observed inconsistencies in the relationship between measures of DA function and reward discounting behavior

Prevalent Approaches to Professional Development in State 4-H Programs

High-quality 4-H programming requires effective professional development of educators. Through a mixed-methods study, we explored professional development offered through state 4-H programs. Survey results revealed that both in-person and online delivery modes were used commonly for 4-H staff and adult volunteers; for teen volunteers, in-person delivery was most common. Additionally, most professional development efforts were characterized as episodic, expert-led, and group-based (traditional approaches); the least common approaches were described as ongoing, learner-centered, and group-based (reform-based approaches). Interview data supported survey findings. Traditional approaches to professional development are considered ineffective; thus, the implementation of more reform-based professional development opportunities is recommended

Correlates of Social Isolation Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The past year has severely curtailed social interactions among older adults given their high rates of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. This study examined social, behavioral, and medical correlates of social isolation among community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and stratified findings to explore unique differences in two typically neglected populations, African American and Hispanic older adults

The Grizzly, January 29, 1988

Social Changes at Ursinus Become Evident • New Student Center Instituted • Restructuring Plagues Pledging System • Commencement Tradition to Change • Letters: Speak for Outside Graduation; Response to Tuition Increase • Swanson: No Chicken Fillet • Lewis to Present Black Perspective • Notes: Wismer Chimneys Smoked Out; Noon Aerobics Active Again; Chic Sharp Shooters Sought; Air Band Contest Announced • Men\u27s B-ball Win Brings Hopes for National Ranking • Match-Tough Matters Ready for Tourney • Gymnasts Take Bear Classic • Swimmers Stroke Victory in Season Opener • Bears Looking Hot in Winter Track • Chemistry Key for 1st Place Bears • Koffel\u27s Silver Anniversary Made Golden • Shikoda Not Far from Home • Europe Encounter Enraptures Jones • Rock \u27N Roll Forum • Robertson\u27s Release Rocks with Rhythmhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1202/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 19, 1988

Presidents View Pledging • Rutgers Tragedy Twofold • Village Recognized • Patterns Campaign Nears Completion • Christians Observe Lenten Season • Letters: Alumna Voices Dismay with Greeks; Where Were the Concerned Faculty? • Hats Off to the Men • Kane Announces Regulations • Air Band Explodes! • Priceless Art Displayed • Coach Angelos: We are Hungry!! • Women Vie for MAC Berth • Wrestlers Seesaw in Matches • Track all Set for the MAC\u27s • Women Runners Get Psyched for the MAC Championships • Aquabears Discover Their Match in Last Week\u27s Meet • Myrin Works to Modernize • Ward to Perform • Theater Group Presents the Zanyhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1205/thumbnail.jp

Non-Redfield carbon and nitrogen cycling in the Arctic: Effects of ecosystem structure and dynamics

The C:N ratio is a critical parameter used in both global ocean carbon models and field studies to understand carbon and nutrient cycling as well as to estimate exported carbon from the euphotic zone. The so-called Redfield ratio (C:N = 6.6 by atoms) [Redfield et al., 1963] is widely used for such calculations. Here we present data from the NE Greenland continental shelf that show that most of the C:N ratios for particulate (autotrophic and heterotrophic) and dissolved pools and rates of transformation among them exceed Redfield proportions from June to August, owing to species composition, size, and biological interactions. The ecosystem components that likely comprised sinking particles and had relatively high C:N ratios (geometric means) included (1) the particulate organic matter (C:N = 8.9) dominated by nutrient-deficient diatoms, resulting from low initial nitrate concentrations (approximately 4 μM) in Arctic surface waters; (2) the dominant zooplankton, herbivorous copepods (C:N = 9.6), having lipid storage typical of Arctic copepods; and (3) copepod fecal pellets (C:N = 33.2). Relatively high dissolved organic carbon concentrations (median 105 μM) were approximately 25 to 45 μM higher than reported for other systems and may be broadly characteristic of Arctic waters. A carbon-rich dissolved organic carbon pool also was generated during summer. Since the magnitude of carbon and nitrogen uncoupling in the surface mixed layer appeared to be greater than in other regions and occurred throughout the productive season, the C:N ratio of particulate organic matter may be a better conversion factor than the Redfield ratio to estimate carbon export for broad application in northern high-latitude systems

Association studies of up to 1.2 million individuals yield new insights into the genetic etiology of tobacco and alcohol use.

Tobacco and alcohol use are leading causes of mortality that influence risk for many complex diseases and disorders1. They are heritable2,3 and etiologically related4,5 behaviors that have been resistant to gene discovery efforts6-11. In sample sizes up to 1.2 million individuals, we discovered 566 genetic variants in 406 loci associated with multiple stages of tobacco use (initiation, cessation, and heaviness) as well as alcohol use, with 150 loci evidencing pleiotropic association. Smoking phenotypes were positively genetically correlated with many health conditions, whereas alcohol use was negatively correlated with these conditions, such that increased genetic risk for alcohol use is associated with lower disease risk. We report evidence for the involvement of many systems in tobacco and alcohol use, including genes involved in nicotinic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic neurotransmission. The results provide a solid starting point to evaluate the effects of these loci in model organisms and more precise substance use measures

Geo-temporal patterns to design cost-effective interventions for zoonotic diseases -the case of brucellosis in the country of Georgia

IntroductionControl of zoonosis can benefit from geo-referenced procedures. Focusing on brucellosis, here the ability of two methods to distinguish disease dissemination patterns and promote cost-effective interventions was compared.MethodGeographical data on bovine, ovine and human brucellosis reported in the country of Georgia between 2014 and 2019 were investigated with (i) the Hot Spot (HS) analysis and (ii) a bio-geographical (BG) alternative.ResultsMore than one fourth of all sites reported cases affecting two or more species. While ruminant cases displayed different patterns over time, most human cases described similar geo-temporal features, which were associated with the route used by migrant shepherds. Other human cases showed heterogeneous patterns. The BG approach identified small areas with a case density twice as high as the HS method. The BG method also identified, in 2018, a 2.6–2.99 higher case density in zoonotic (human and non-human) sites than in non-zoonotic sites (which only reported cases affecting a single species) –a finding that, if corroborated, could support cost-effective policy-making.DiscussionThree dissemination hypotheses were supported by the data: (i) human cases induced by sheep-related contacts; (ii) human cases probably mediated by contaminated milk or meat; and (iii) cattle and sheep that infected one another. This proof-of-concept provided a preliminary validation for a method that may support cost-effective interventions oriented to control zoonoses. To expand these findings, additional studies on zoonosis-related decision-making are recommended