Quantifying resource footprints of products and services as the exergy extracted from nature by different countries

Although our whole society depends on the use of natural resources, they are not always used in a sustainable way. To achieve a more sustainable development, resource consumption needs to be measured. Therefore, resource footprint frameworks are being developed. These frameworks integrate inventory methodologies, which quantify the specific resources consumed by a system, with resource accounting impact methodologies, addressing the environmental impact of resource consumption, e.g. the Ecological Footprint. To calculate the inventory of systems at micro-level (processes, products), process-models are generally used, as applied in process-based Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). For systems at meso- and macro-level (sectors, countries), economic input-output/IO-models are mostly used instead of process-models, as applied in IO-analysis and IO-based LCA. The objective of this paper is the development of a new resource footprint framework called IO-CEENE, in which a world IO-model (Exiobase), providing a global perspective, is integrated with the CEENE methodology (Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment), providing a more complete resource range. CEENE is an exergy-based method, thus it considers not only the resource quantity but also the extent to which consumption removes resource quality. Among the exergy-based methods, CEENE covers the largest number of resource groups: fossil fuels, nuclear resources, metals, minerals, land resources, water resources, abiotic renewable resources and atmospheric resources. This new framework allows one to calculate resource footprints of products or services consumed in different countries as the exergy extracted from nature. The way the framework is constructed makes it possible to show which resources and countries contribute to the total footprint. This is illustrated by a case study on wheat production

Currency Market Reactions to Good and Bad News During the Asian Crisis

There is considerable disagreement among analysts about the extent to which the spread of the Asian crisis was based on reasonable changes in expectations about fundamentals versus pure contagion effects resulting from imperfections in the behavior of currency and financial markets. In this paper we focus specifically on the behavior of the foreign exchange market for the five Asian countries. We find little support for the hypothesis that the Asian currency crisis was dominated by panic in the markets such that investors and speculators reacted much more strongly to bad than to good news. While the strongest reactions were to home news, there were also a number of significant cross effects. Almost all of these were of the same sign, suggesting that investors typically assumed that what was good for one country was good for all. Again, there was no systematic evidence of stronger reactions to bad than to good news. The markets may have overreacted in general, pushing currencies below the levels justified by the fundamentals, but, if so, this did not undercut the markets ability to respond to good as well as bad news, nor do these responses appear to have been systematically smaller to good than to bad news. The symptoms of the blind panic that has so often been alleged do not appear in the data.

Seeing, Wind and Outer Scale Effects on Image Quality at the Magellan Telescopes

We present an analysis of the science image quality obtained on the twin 6.5 metre Magellan telescopes over a 1.5 year period, using images of ~10^5 stars. We find that the telescopes generally obtain significantly better image quality than the DIMM-measured seeing. This is qualitatively consistent with expectations for large telescopes, where the wavefront outer scale of the turbulence spectrum plays a significant role. However, the dominant effect is found to be wind speed with Magellan outperforming the DIMMs most markedly when the wind is strongest. Excluding data taken during strong wind conditions (>10 m/s), we find that the Magellan telescopes still significantly outperform the DIMM seeing, and we estimate the site to have L_0 ~ 25 m on average. We also report on the first detection of a negative bias in DIMM data. This is found to occur, as predicted, when the DIMM is affected by certain optical aberrations and the turbulence profile is dominated by the upper layers of the atmosphere.Comment: Accepted for publication in PASP. 10 pages, 12 figures

Conceptualizing Power

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50944/1/169.pd

Preliminary data on movements and health condition of the first radio-collared huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) population study in Argentina

Aun cuando solo quedan menos de 500 ejemplares de huemul patagonico (Hippocamelus bisulcus) en Argentina, existe escasa información sobre su ecología y dinámicas poblacionales. Por primera vez en la historia de Argentina, se instalaron equipos de radio telemetría en un grupo de huemules para entender de mejor forma los factores que no han permito la recuperación de las poblaciones. Durante el invierno del 2017, se procedió a la captura de seis ejemplares en seis días (tres de cada género), al interior del parque protegido Shoonem, provincia de Chubut. Se presenta en este artículo una descripción de las condiciones particulares del clima y las características del paisaje que serán útiles considerar para mejorar el éxito de capturas de huemules, particularmente en Argentina. Aun cuando los animales capturados presentaban un aspecto sano a primera vista, durante la última evaluación (25 enero 2018), identificamos signos clínicos de enfermedad en 5 de 6 animales capturados durante el procedimiento; incluyendo renguera, pezuñas deterioradas, perdida de 2-7 incisivos y atrofia muscular. Los desplazamientos registrados desde el sitio de captura en régimen de invernada a zonas de uso estival fueron 187% mayores en las hembras comparativamente a los machos.Even though less than 500 Patagonian huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) remain in Argentina, information on their population ecology and dynamics is severely lacking. For the first time in Argentine history, radio-telemetry collars were placed on a group of huemul to better understand the factors behind the population?s failure to recover. Six adult huemul (3 of each gender) were captured in six days, the winter of 2017, inside Shoonem Protected Park, Chubut province. In this article, we present a description of the unique climatic conditions and characteristics of the environment that would be useful to consider in order improving the success of huemul captures, particularly in Argentina. Despite the outwardly healthy appearance of each radio-collared huemul on the last observation date (January 25, 2018), we identified clinical symptoms of disease in 5 of these 6 animals during their capture; these included lameness, affected hoof, exfoliation of 2-7 incisors, and muscular atrophy. Movement distances from the winter capture site to maximum summer distance recorded were 187% greater for females than males (n=6, p =0.05, Mann Whitney).Fil: Smith Flueck, Jo Anne. Universidad Nacional del Comahue; ArgentinaFil: Fluck, Werner Thomas. Universidad de Basilea; Suiza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Escobar Ruiz, Miguel. Fundación Shoonem; Argentin

Developing modern multifunctional agroforestry systems for sustainable intensification

Agroforestry is a land-use system that integrates trees and shrubs with crops and/or livestock production. It has been identified by the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD, 2008) as a ‘win-win’ approach that balances the production of commodities (food, feed, fuel, fibre, etc.) with non-commodity outputs such as environmental protection and cultural and landscape amenities. This paper will review the potential of agroforestry as part of a multifunctional working landscape in temperate regions, and will consider management and policy implications of widespread adoption of this form of land-use

Factors that influence the sustainability of structured allied health journal clubs: a qualitative study

Background: Structured journal clubs are a widely used tool to promote evidence-based practice in health professionals, however some journal clubs (JC) are more effectively sustained than others. To date, little research has provided insights into factors which may influence sustainability of JCs within health care settings. As part of a larger randomised controlled study, this research aimed to gain understanding of clinicians' experiences of sustaining a structured JC format (TREAT- Tailoring Research Evidence and Theory) within their clinical context. The study also aimed to identify which strategies may assist longer term sustainability and future implementation of the TREAT format. Methods: We employed a qualitative methodology, informed by behaviour change theory. Clinicians (n=19) from five different JCs participated in focus groups to explore their experience in sustaining the JC format six months after the formal trial period had completed. Clinicians were asked to describe factors which they perceived helped or hindered sustaining components of the JC format within their local context. Following a descriptive summary of the data, barriers and enablers were thematically analysed according to behaviour change theory domains: capability, motivation and opportunity and further mapped to targeted implementation strategies. Results: Participants reported perceived benefits of maintaining the TREAT format and described several components that promoted its sustainability. Sustaining factors linked to individuals' capability included building research knowledge and skills and having access to research experts. Sustaining factors that enhanced opportunities for behaviour change included management expectation to attend and a team culture which values evidence based practice, while factors found to enhance individuals' motivation included the JC having close application to practice and clinicians sensing ownership of the JC. Several implementation strategies to enhance these factors are described including graduated support to clinicians in facilitation of JCs and greater engagement with managers. Conclusions: Long-term sustainability of a structured JC is dependent on both individual and service level factors and a balance of implementation strategies that enhance capability, opportunity and motivation. Consideration of how clinicians can be engaged to take ownership and build their own capability from the commencement of the JC is important. Trial registration: ACTRN12616000811404

Food insecurity in veteran households: findings from nationally representative data

OBJECTIVE: The present study is the first to use nationally representative data to compare rates of food insecurity among households with veterans of the US Armed Forces and non-veteran households. DESIGN: We used data from the 2005-2013 waves of the Current Population Survey - Food Security Supplement to identify rates of food insecurity and very low food security in veteran and non-veteran households. We estimated the odds and probability of food insecurity in veteran and non-veteran households in uncontrolled and controlled models. We replicated these results after separating veteran households by their most recent period of service. We weighted models to create nationally representative estimates. SETTING: Nationally representative data from the 2005-2013 waves of the Current Population Survey - Food Security Supplement. SUBJECTS: US households (n 388 680). RESULTS: Uncontrolled models found much lower rates of food insecurity (8·4 %) and very low food security (3·3 %) among veteran households than in non-veteran households (14·4 % and 5·4 %, respectively), with particularly low rates among households with older veterans. After adjustment, average rates of food insecurity and very low food security were not significantly different for veteran households. However, the probability of food insecurity was significantly higher among some recent veterans and significantly lower for those who served during the Vietnam War. CONCLUSIONS: Although adjusting eliminated many differences between veteran and non-veteran households, veterans who served from 1975 and onwards may be at higher risk for food insecurity and should be the recipients of targeted outreach to improve nutritional outcomes

Film and the Culture of Memory in Argentina

This project examines the culture of memory in modern-day Argentina in the context of the last civic-military dictatorship that took place between 1976 and 1983. Argentina is a country with a long history of filmmaking, a tradition that was suddenly interrupted during the long and dark seven years of military rule. Since the arrival of democracy in 1983, however, filmmakers have explored the trauma created by this period and have created a significant record of films that deal with loss, memory, and trauma. This thesis analyzes several films produced between the return of democratic rule and present-day Argentina in order to demonstrate how each film’s content, structure, and technique contributes to the discussion of how a society remembers, engages, and “works through” a traumatic event. While each film speaks to this period of Argentine history in a unique manner, as a whole they provide insight into how Argentina as a nation has responded to this terrible period of Argentine history