The impact of value diversity on information system development projects

Diversity of personal values among participants in an information system project is typically considered to create harmful team conflict, as do other forms of personal diversity. However, recent research establishes that information and knowledge diversity among project team members contribute to project success, leading one to question accepted thought regarding diversity of values. We model the impact of value diversity on project performance through theoretical layers of diversity, conflict, and teamwork quality. An empirical test supports hypotheses that value diversity adds to both beneficial and detrimental conflict. Project managers should compose teams with diverse project values but must control for potential detrimental effects.     

Mercury in sport fish from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region, California, USA

Total mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in fillet tissue of sport fish captured in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and surrounding tributaries, a region particularly impacted by historic gold and mercury mining activity. In 1999 and 2000, mercury concentrations were measured in 767 samples from ten fish species. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), the primary target species, exhibited a median Hg concentration of 0.53 mug g(-1) (N=406). Only 23 largemouth bass (6%) were below a 0.12 mug g(-1) threshold corresponding to a 4 meals per month safe consumption limit. Most of the largemouth bass (222 fish, or 55% of the sample) were above a 0.47 mug g(-1) threshold corresponding to a 1 meal per month consumption limit. Striped bass (Morone saxatilis), channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), white catfish (Ameirus catus), and Sacramento pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus grandis) also had relatively high concentrations, with 31% or more of samples above 0.47 mug g(-1). Concentrations were lowest in redear (Lepomis microlophus) and bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) sunfish, with most samples below 0.12 mug g(-1), suggesting that targeting these species for sport and subsistence fishing may reduce human dietary exposure to Hg in the region. An improved method of analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate spatial variation in Hg in largemouth bass captured in 2000, while accounting for variability in fish length. Using this approach, Hg concentrations were significantly elevated in the Feather River, northern Delta, lower Cosumnes River, and San Joaquin River regions. In spite of elevated Hg concentrations on all of its tributaries, the central Delta had concentrations that were low both in comparison to safe consumption guidelines and to other locations.     

A simplified procedure for determining indoor daylight illuminance using daylight coefficient concept

The first step in evaluating the visual performance and energy efficiency provided by daylight requires an accurate estimation of the amount of daylight entering a building. The actual daylight illuminance of a room is mainly influenced by the luminance levels and patterns of the sky in the direction of view of the window at that time. The daylight coefficient concept, which considers the changes in the luminance of the sky elements, offers a more effective way of computing indoor daylight illuminances. Recently, Kittler et al. have proposed a new range of 15 standard sky luminance distributions including the CIE (International Commission on Illumination) standard clear sky. Lately, these 15 sky luminance models have been adopted as the CIE Standard General Skies. This paper presents a graphical method to calculate interior illuminance for the CIE standard clear sky using the daylight coefficient approach. The simplified techniques in the form of a nomograph and Waldram diagram were established and described. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated against the results obtained by an independent calculation approach and a computer simulation program. It was shown that the daylight illuminances estimated by our graphical tool were in reasonably good agreement with those produced from the other two methods. The findings provide building professionals and students a reliable and simple alternative that incorporates the daylight coefficient concept to estimate the interior daylight illuminance and assess daylighting performance.     

Displacement of five metals sorbed on kaolinite during treatment with modified Fenton's reagent

The displacement of sorbed metals during the treatment of soils and groundwater with modified Fenton's reagent was investigated using five common metal contaminants (cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc) and kaolinite as a model sorbent. Modified Fenton's conditions included three H(2)O(2) concentrations (0.9, 1.8, 2.7 M) and two catalysts: soluble iron (III) at pH 3 and iron (III)-NTA chelate at pH 6. Iron (III)-catalyzed Fenton's reactions released significant amounts of zinc, cadmium, and copper. Modified Fenton's reactions catalyzed by iron (III)-NTA released zinc, cadmium, copper, and lead, and resulted in greater amounts of metals release than the iron (III)-catalyzed reactions. Metals release may have been mediated by transient oxygen species, such as superoxide, generated by propagation reactions, which become dominant at the relatively high hydrogen peroxide concentrations used. Metals release from kaolinite was undetectable when sufficiently low hydrogen peroxide concentrations were maintained to minimize propagation reactions. These results indicate that using dilute concentrations of hydrogen peroxide for Fenton's ISCO may minimize potential metals mobility when treating contaminated soils and groundwater containing a mixture of organic and metal contaminants.     

Measuring the concentrations of drinking water disinfection by-products using capillary membrane sampling-flow injection analysis

A capillary membrane sampling-flow injection analysis method is presented for selectively measuring the concentrations of total trihalomethanes (THMs) and total haloacetic acids (HAAs) in drinking water. The method is based on the reaction between nicotinamide and THM or HAA species to yield a fluorescent product. Two configurations are presented, one selective for total THMs and another selective for total HAAs. The construction of a capillary membrane sampler is described, and the results of method detection limit, accuracy and precision studies are reported for each method. Interference, selectivity and linearity studies are reported as well as the effect of temperature and ionic strength changes. Drinking water samples were analyzed by each proposed method and the results were compared to USEPA methods 502.2 and 552.3.     

Modeling of hurricane damage for Hawaii residential construction

Past information on Hurricane Iniki damage to Hawaii buildings of residential, commercial, and resort occupancies has been gathered and geo-referenced on GIS. Comprehensive reconstruction cost documentation has been combined with post-hurricane aerial photography and linked to a robust property tax database of construction type attributes and property valuation. Using the data available in the property tax records to define construction attributes, residential building fragilities and loss functions have been developed along with risk relativity factors. The resultant Damage Curves estimate hurricane damage to a wide variety of Hawaii building types as a function of peak gust windspeed.     

Towns Against a Background of Cities: Recent Evolution of Town Urbanization Policy in the People's Republic of China

Continuing a long tradition of promoting town development, the government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) intends to grow towns further to achieve the twin goals of sustaining economic growth and narrowing the rural–urban income gap. Under the Asian Development Bank-financed ‘Town-Based Urbanization Strategy Study,’ Planning and Development Collaborative International, Inc. and the China Center for Town Reform and Development explored, on behalf of the PRC, different ways to promote the growth of towns. Case studies in Liaoning and Shanxi provinces showed that towns grow best when they are physically and economically linked to nearby cities; when they benefit from strong local leadership that articulates a clear vision for future development; and when they have been priority targets of government-channelled private sector investment. To enable the development of towns, it was proposed that PRC should: (1) grow towns by facilitating the development of larger urban agglomerations made up of different types of urban settlements; (2) focus efforts on towns with high potential for employment generation and economic growth; and (3) grant greater authority to towns for development planning, budgeting, revenue generation, and infrastructure investment.     

Compositional changes in the hydrophobic acids fraction of drainage water from different land management practices

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) can play a key role in many environmental processes, including carbon cycling, nutrient transport and the fates of contaminants and of agrochemicals. Hydrophobic acids (Ho), the major components of the DOM, were recovered from the drainage waters from well-drained (WDS) and poorly-drained (PDS) Irish grassland soils in lysimeters, amended with N fertiliser (F) and with bovine urine (U) and were studied using 1D and 2D solution-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The Diffusion Edited (DE) ¹H NMR spectra indicated that the Ho consisted largely of larger molecules, or of molecules that formed rigid aggregates, and the 1D and the 2D (Heteronuclear Multiple Quantum Coherence - HMQC, the Total Correlation Spectroscopy - TOCSY, and the Nuclear Overhauser Effect - NOESY) spectra indicated that the samples were composed of lignin residues, carbohydrates, protein/peptides, and aliphatic components derived from plant waxes/cuticular materials and from microbial lipids. The F amendments increased the concentrations of Ho in the waters by 1.5 and 2.5 times those in the controls in the cases of WDS and PDS, respectively. The lignin-derived components were increased by 50% and 300% in the cases of the Ho from the WDS and PDS, respectively. Applications of F + U decreased the losses of Ho, (compared to the F amendments alone) and very significantly decreased those of the lignin-derived materials, indicating that enhanced microbial activity from U gave rise to enhanced metabolism of the Ho components, and especially of lignin. In contrast the less biodegradable aliphatic components containing cuticular materials increased as the result of applications of F + U. This study helps our understanding of how management practices influence the movement of C between terrestrial and aquatic environments.     

Application of confocal scanning laser microscopy in experimental pathology

Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) represents an exciting new tool for scientific disciplines which focus on mechanistic studies such as experimental pathology. Enhanced resolution in the specimen plane and rejection of out-of-focus fluorescence flare allow analysis of specific nucleic acid sequences, enzymes, structural macromolecules, and cellular homeostasis utilizing fluorescent probes. Four different experimental applications are discussed which utilize CSLM to evaluate pathological processes at the subcellular, cellular, and tissue levels. Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, is a natural process of significance both during development and as a response to toxic stimuli. CSLM-imaging of nuclei of human B lymphoblastoid cells following exposure to a monofunctional alkylating agent suggests that the degradation of chromatin characteristic of apoptosis may occur in asymmetric patterns. Surfactant apoprotein-A is the major non-serum protein component of pulmonary surfactant and is essential for the extracellular function of surfactant. CSLM of alveolar type II cells suggests that apoprotein-A is present in both the cytoplasm, predominantly in lamellar bodies, and in the nucleus. The tumor promoter, phorbol myristate acetate, rapidly stimulated the formation of vacuoles in human neutrophils. CSLM using Lucifer Yellow as a probe suggests that cylindrical vacuoles are formed by fluid-phase pinocytosis. The blood-nerve barrier (BNB) in peripheral nerves may be an important target during toxin-induced neuropathies. Ricin-induced permeability of the BNB in the rat was rapidly visualized by CSLM as leakage of fluorescein isothiocynate (FITC)-dextran into the endoneurial compartment.     

Sensors and Machine Learning Models to Prevent Cooktop Ignition and Ignore Normal Cooking

Fire Technology - Cooking equipment is involved in nearly half of home fires in the United States, with cooktop fires the leading cause of deaths and injuries in cooking-related fires. In this...