Using GIS to Explore the Technical and Social Aspects of Site Selection for Radioactive Waste Disposal Facilities

This working paper reviews the current situation regarding radioactive waste disposal in the UK and questions the pursuance of a purely engineering approach to gaining public support. Past histories concerning the siting of nuclear industry facilities; power stations and latterly, waste repositories, are briefly discussed and used to demonstrate that more attention needs to be paid to the geographical and social science if current proposlas for a rock laboratory, and ultimately and operational repository, at Longlands Farm near Sellafield are to succeed. The usefulness of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and associated spatial information technologies are highlighted. Suggestions are made as to how these may be made available for public use via the Internet in adopting a more open approach to public information, consultation and participation

Wilderness attribute mapping in the United Kingdom

A wilderness continuum concept can identify the wilder areas of Britain. Geographical Information Systems are used to present information on these areas and solicit public opinion as to which factors are perceived to be important wilderness quality indicators. Consensus maps are compiled from a composite of individual responses and the results compared to Britain’s network of protected areas

GIS Application to Support Land Administration Services in Ghana: Institutional Factors and Software Developments

In June 1999, the Ghanaian Government launched a new land policy document that sought to address some fundamental problems associated with land administration and management in the country. The document identified the weak land administration system as a particular problem and recommended the introduction of computer-aided information systems in the ‘lands sector’. In 2001, the Government made further proposals to prepare and implement a Land Administration Programme (LAP) to provide a better platform for evolving an efficient land administration that would translate the ‘National Land Policy’ into action. Thus, an up-to-date land information system (LIS), supporting efficient management of land records, is to be constructed, which provides a context for the research reported in this paper. We document two aspects of our research on the adoption of GIS by the Lands Commission Secretariat (LCS) which form part of a pilot project in GIS diffusion. Part one of the paper mainly outlines the empirical results arising from fieldwork undertaken during 2001 to determine the information and GIS requirements of the LCS in relation to their routine administrative processes and to identify the critical factors that are required to ensure that any new GIS applications are successfully embraced. Part two explains the prototype software system developed using ArcView 3.2 and Access that provides the LCS with a means to automate some of the routine administrative tasks that they are required to fulfil. The software has been modified and upgraded following an initial evaluation by LCS employees also conducted as part of the fieldwork in Accra

Academic Support at Leeds Metropolitan Library

Leeds Metropolitan’s Library Academic Support Stream is made up of Academic Librarians and Information Services Librarians who provide academic support to the university’s six faculties. The team use innovative methods of working together to engage students and enhance their experience. The team only formed a year ago so this is a good time to reflect on our success so far. The library service at Leeds Met is continually developing and offers new challenges and opportunities for staff providing library academic support. Innovation has even become part of our new name – ‘Libraries and Learning Innovation’. We still offer all the traditions types of library academic support, but there is an increasing emphasis on finding innovative ways of supporting students and publicising what we can offer. This year the Library Academic Support Stream won a University Attitude Character and Talents Award for Future Focus

Global Assimilation of Loon Stratospheric Balloon Observations and Their Trajectories Relative to Tropical Waves

Project Loon has an overall goal of providing worldwide internet coverage using a network of long-duration super-pressure balloons. Beginning in 2013, Loon has launched over 1600 balloons from multiple tropical and middle latitude locations. These GPS tracked balloon trajectories provide lower stratospheric wind information over the oceans and remote land areas where traditional radiosonde soundings are sparse, thus providing unique coverage of lower stratospheric winds. To fully investigate these Loon winds we: 1) compare the Loon winds to winds produced by a global data assimilation system (DAS: NASA GEOS) and 2) assimilate the Loon winds into the same comprehensive DAS. During May through December 2016 Loon balloons were often able to remain near the equator by selectively adjusting the Loon altitude. Our results based on global wind analyses show that the expected mean poleward motion from the Brewer-Dobson circulation can be circumvented by vertically adjusting the Loon altitudes with the phasing with the meridional wind of equatorial Rossby waves, allowing the Loon balloons to remain in the tropics

How economic contexts shape calculations of "yield" in biodiversity offsetting

We examined and analyzed methods used to create numerical equivalence between sites affected by development and proposed conservation offset sites. Application of biodiversity offsetting metrics in development impact and mitigation assessments is thought to standardize biodiversity conservation outcomes, sometimes termed yield by those conducting these calculations. The youth of biodiversity offsetting in application, however, means little is known about how biodiversity valuations and offset contracts between development and offset sites are agreed on in practice or about long-term conservation outcomes. We examined how sites were made commensurable and how biodiversity gains or yields were calculated and negotiated for a specific offset contract in a government-led pilot study of biodiversity offsets in England. Over 24 months, we conducted participant observations of various stages in the negotiation of offset contracts through repeated visits to 3 (anonymized) biodiversity offset contract sites. We conducted 50 semistructured interviews of stakeholders in regional and local government, the private sector, and civil society. We used a qualitative data analysis software program (DEDOOSE) to textually analyze interview transcriptions. We also compared successive iterations of biodiversity-offsetting calculation spreadsheets and planning documents. A particular focus was the different iterations of a specific biodiversity impact assessment in which the biodiversity offsetting metric developed by the U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was used. We highlight 3 main findings. First, biodiversity offsetting metrics were amended in creative ways as users adapted inputs to metric calculations to balance and negotiate conflicting requirements. Second, the practice of making different habitats equivalent to each other through the application of biodiversity offsetting metrics resulted in commensuration outcomes that may not provide projected conservation gains. Third, the pressure of creating value for money diminished projected conservation yields

Heavy Metals and Cancer

There has been increased concern surrounding exposure to heavy metals due to the evolving understanding of their role in the development of cancer. This review highlights research related to the impact that heavy metals aluminum, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel and radium have on human health. Research was collected through PubMed, and it was compiled to assess the current knowledge of exposure sources, types of cancers induced and therapeutic measures for these metals. Furthermore, it was designed to assist in guiding future research efforts with respect to heavy metals and cancer

Linking relationship quality to perceived mutuality of relationship goals and perceived goal progress

Two goal-related variables were examined as predictors of relationship quality. One was the perception of mutuality of goals held for the relationship; the other was the perception of progress regarding those relationship goals. A mediation model was considered whereby relationship goal mutuality predicted quality via perception of goal progress. Study 1 examined cross-sectional associations among these variables in 245 dating participants. Results of a path analysis (controlling for effects of relationship conflict) were consistent with the mediation model. Study 2 replicated these findings in a sample of 78 committed romantic couples, using an electronic diary methodology to gather data from both partners about relationship quality across multiple time points. Study 2 also extended the findings by examining a dyadic mediation model with both mediated actor effects and mediated partner effects. Findings suggest a central role for shared relationship goals and for perceptions of relationship goal progress in the context of romantic relationships. The first and second authors were supported by Scientist Development Award MH64779 to J-P Laurenceau from the National Institute of Mental Health. The authors would like to thank Blaine Fowers and Adam Troy for their comments and support of this work. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Jean-Philipp

Cultural Responsiveness of the Next Generation Science Standards

Student enrollment statistics indicate an increase in linguistically and culturally diverse students in the United States. Along with the increase in the diversity of the preK–12 student population, one would also expect to see a parallel increase in equitable learning opportunities for all students. Equity and inquiry are the key principles of the Framework for K–12 Science Education (the Framework) as well as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Due to the growth of minority populations and the increase in the enrollment of minority students, there is an increasing need to address the underrepresentation of linguistically and culturally diverse students. In this article, we intend to bring to the forefront issues related to the education of a diverse student population, including students from different racial and ethnic groups as well as English language learners, in the Western cultural views in science classrooms. We also intend to shed light on the responsiveness of Western science education, the Framework, and the NGSS to linguistically and culturally diverse students. In addition, we introduce some of the challenges that face diverse students. Finally, we provide some recommendations to meet the needs of diverse students

Best Practices for managing the fuzzy front-end of software development (SD): Insights from a systematic review of new product development (NPD) literature

Although they have followed independent paths of development, the two fields of software development (SD) and new product development (NPD) face common problems (Buyukozkan and Feyzioglu, 2004; Shane and Ulrich, 2004) and share many similarities (Nambisan and Wilemon, 2000). The research findings in the NPD domain are therefore relevant to SD (Nambisan and Wilemon, 2000). In this article we conduct a systematic literature review to identify the empirically validated best practices in the fuzzy front end (FFE) phase of NPD. The findings presented in this article will be useful as any improvement in the upstream front end phase of SD can result in the most positive impact on downstream SD activities (Hannola, Oinonen and Nikula, 2011)