Learning from the social construction of environmental indicators: From the retrospective to the pro-active use of SCOT in technology development

This article explores the challenges, advantages and limitations of the pro-active use of the social construction of technology (SCOT) to improve the methods applied in the development of technology for use by a broad range of actors. Our example is the development of environmental indicators for buildings (EIFOBs). We compare the pro-active use of SCOT with both the ‘traditional’ use of SCOT and with the ‘traditional’ way of developing EIFOBs. pro-actively applying SCOT in developing EIFOBs has the potential of bridging some of the communication gaps at the boundaries between the various professional groups in a multi-actor decision-making process. Using SCOT in a pro-active way means the research becomes action research and the researcher goes beyond the role of a mere observer and becomes an actor too. This means the researcher has to consider the criteria for valid action research when designing and carrying out the research.     

Fabrication of Fischer–Tropsch Catalysts by Deposition of Iron Nanocrystals on Carbon Nanotubes

The fabrication of supported catalysts consisting of colloidal iron oxide nanocrystals with tunable size, geometry, and loading—homogeneously dispersed on carbon nanotube (CNT) supports—is described herein. The catalyst synthesis is performed in a two‐step approach. First, colloidal iron and iron oxide nanocrystals with a narrow size distribution are produced. Second, the nanocrystals are attached to CNT grains serving as support structure. Important features, like iron loading and nanocrystal density on the CNT support, are controlled by changing the nanocrystal concentration and ligand concentration, respectively. The Fischer–Tropsch performance reveals these new materials to be active, selective toward lower olefins (60% C of hydrocarbons produced in the absence of promoters), and remarkably stable against particle growth.     

Studies in the thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)

Thermal degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) was studied in nitrogen atmosphere in the presence of rubber seed oil and epoxidized rubber seed oil, barium and lead soaps of rubber seed oil, and epoxidized seed oil at various temperatures. The rate of dehydrochlorination at 1% degradation and the time required to attain 1% degradation were used to assess the effect of the thermal susceptibility of PVC to dehydrochlorination. It was found that epoxidized rubber seed oil, the metal soaps of rubber seed oil, and epoxidized rubber seed oil markedly enhance the thermal stability of PVC. The order of increasing stabilizing influence was metal soaps of epoxidized rubber seed oil > metal soaps of rubber seed oil > epoxidized rubber seed oil > rubber seed oil. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Implementation specification for software process improvement supportive knowledge management tool

Software process improvement (SPI) is a long-term journey, which is made comfortable by many means. The most dominant and preferred plan is a knowledge driven methodology with which software development organisations are experimenting. To have a look and feel of knowledge and its management, it has become essential to have a standardised knowledge management tool (KMT) that comprises specifications like-acquisition, representation, sharing and deploying. Although several tools and techniques are available for managing knowledge to solve domain problems, it is felt in the knowledge society that no standard KM tools exist that would facilitate SPI. In this piece of implementation work, the authors outline the features that are deemed significant to implement a KMT that drives the journey of SPI. Four process areas are chosen and four subsystems are identified in covering these process areas. A series of studies conducted among organisations requiring the support of a KMT in making a decisive SPI initiative are also discussed with elaborate and significant results. Implications of this work demands the cooperation of software development companies with the research community in finding a better approach to their improvement program.     

The Role of Intravitreal Corticosteroids in the Treatment of DME: Predictive OCT Biomarkers

This work aims to summarize predictive biomarkers to guide treatment choice in DME. Intravitreal anti-VEGF is considered the gold standard treatment for centers involving DME, while intravitreal steroid treatment has been established as a second-line treatment in DME. However, more than 1/3 of the patients do not adequately respond to anti-VEGF treatment despite up to 4-weekly injections. Not surprisingly, insufficient response to anti-VEGF therapy has been linked to low-normal VEGF levels in the serum and aqueous humor. These patients may well benefit from an early switch to intravitreal steroid treatment. In these patients, morphological biomarkers visible in OCT may predict treatment response and guide treatment decisions. Namely, the presence of a large amount of retinal and choroidal hyperreflective foci, disruption of the outer retinal layers and other signs of chronicity such as intraretinal cysts extending into the outer retina and a lower choroidal vascular index are all signs suggestive of a favorable treatment response of steroids compared to anti-VEGF. This paper summarizes predictive biomarkers in DME in order to assist individual treatment decisions in DME. These markers will help to identify DME patients who may benefit from primary dexamethasone treatment or an early switch.     

INVERTEBRATE AND FISH ASSEMBLAGE RELATIONS TO DISSOLVED OXYGEN MINIMA IN LOWLAND STREAMS OF SOUTHWESTERN LOUISIANA

Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations in lowland streams are naturally lower than those in upland streams; however, in some regions where monitoring data are lacking, DO criteria originally established for upland streams have been applied to lowland streams. This study investigated the DO concentrations at which fish and invertebrate assemblages at 35 sites located on lowland streams in southwestern Louisiana began to demonstrate biological thresholds. Average threshold values for taxa richness, diversity and abundance metrics were 2.6 and 2.3 mg/L for the invertebrate and fish assemblages, respectively. These thresholds are approximately twice the DO concentration that some native fish species are capable of tolerating and are comparable with DO criteria that have been recently applied to some coastal streams in Louisiana and Texas. DO minima >2.5 mg/L were favoured for all but extremely tolerant taxa. Extremely tolerant taxa had respiratory adaptations that gave them a competitive advantage, and their success when DO minima were <2 mg/L could be related more to reductions in competition or predation than to DO concentration directly. DO generally had an inverse relation to the amount of agriculture in the buffer area; however, DO concentrations at sites with both low and high amounts of agriculture (including three least‐disturbed sites) declined to <2.5 mg/L. Thus, although DO fell below a concentration that was identified as an approximate biological threshold, sources of this condition were sometimes natural (allochthonous material) and had little relation to anthropogenic activity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.