MODIS vegetation metrics as indicators of hydrological response in watersheds of California Mediterranean-type climate zones

Vegetation characteristics of a watershed can be important in estimating hydrological response variables (HRVs) such as streamflow (Q), evapotranspiration (ET), and river yield (Q/P). Quantifying the relationship between satellite-derived vegetation metrics and hydrological response to precipitation (P) has the potential to facilitate prediction of HRVs for ungauged watersheds, and/or aid in the assessment of watershed similarity as an initial phase of hydrological regionalization. The utility of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data to estimate HRVs of watersheds at the regional scale (southern and central California) is tested in this study. An exhaustive statistical regression analysis was conducted to quantify the relationships between MODIS vegetation metrics and HRVs using both ordinary least squares and spatially varying parameter models. Additionally a confirmatory analysis was conducted to test the effect precipitation and potential evaporation have on the exploratory regression results. Results from both the exploratory and confirmatory analyses suggest that (1) while there are limitations in the water balance approach to estimating ET (errors associated with changes in storage and meteorological data are unknown), moderate statistical relationships exist between MODIS vegetation metrics and HRVs; (2) these relationships are heavily influenced by vegetation-precipitation relationships and general precipitation magnitudes; (3) relationships between MODIS metrics and precipitation/HRVs are strongest when drought conditions prevail; and (4) LAI has the strongest relationship with precipitation and HRVs compared to other MODIS vegetation metrics.     

Using information communication technologies (ICTs) for motivating female adolescents to exercise/run in their leisure time

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of a 12-week intervention program on motivational climate in physical education (PE) lessons, on female adolescents' self-efficacy for independent training in leisure time, and on physical fitness measures. Participants were 154 female high school students divided into three groups: (1) received a program to enhance motivation for physical activity (PA) during PE lessons and in leisure time, using the internet; (2) followed the regular curriculum in addition to self-report at the end of each lesson, using smartphone application; (3) engaged in standard PE lesson activities. A self-efficacy for training questionnaire, a motivational climate questionnaire, and tests of physical fitness were administered. Findings indicated improvement pre-post in motivational climate and in the physical fitness measures, and a decline in the intensity of negative affect towards running, in all three groups. Incorporating innovative ways, and promoting self-accountability using self-documentation encourage students to exercise during their leisure time.     

Integrated modelling of urban spatial development under uncertain climate futures: A case study in Hungary

To provide fundamental decision support information for climate risk assessment in Hungary, an urban spatial development model of land cover change and population age structure dynamics was developed and applied to local integrated scenarios of climate change and stakeholder-derived socio-economic change. The four integrated scenarios for Hungary produced contrasting projections for urban patterns to 2100, but peri-urbanisation around Budapest was estimated to occur under all scenarios, together with a decline in working age population in the centres of the capital and major towns. This suggests that future urban planning needs to take into consideration the potential for underutilised urban infrastructure in the centre of the capital and pressures for social service provisioning in its outskirt. The integrated scenarios and model developed can be used in future studies to test the effectiveness of inter-sectoral policy responses in adapting urban planning to multiple climate and socio-economic challenges.     

Perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction: The mediating role of deviant peer affiliation and the moderating role of effortful control

Although recent studies have documented that perceived negative school climate is associated with adolescent Internet addiction, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. The present study examined whether deviant peer affiliation mediated the relationship between perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction, and whether this mediating process was moderated by adolescent effortful control. Our theoretical model was tested using data collected from 2758 Chinese adolescents (mean age = 13.53 years, SD = 1.06). After controlling for demographic variables, perceived school climate was positively associated with adolescent Internet addiction. Mediation analyses revealed that deviant peer affiliation partially mediated the association between perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction. Tests of moderated mediation further indicated that the mediated path was weaker for adolescents with higher effortful control. Results highlight the significance of identifying the mechanisms that moderate the mediated paths between perceived school climate and adolescent Internet addiction.     

Multicriteria analysis of safety climate measurements at workplaces in production industries in Serbia

This paper presents the results of measuring certain safety climate indicators in Serbian production companies. As a result of these investigations, which have already been conducted by this group of authors, a 21-item questionnaire was developed in 2010. In this research, we developed a methodological framework to measure the safety climate in Serbian companies. The investigation was carried out in companies that were engaged in different industrial sectors. The aim was to determine the initial degree of developing the safety climate in every industrial sector, i.e. to compare and rank them. The following demographic factors were used for this purpose: types of industry, the number of employees in the company, the position in the organizational structure of the firm, age groups, employees with a different length of work experience, employees' gender, those who have or have not been involved in an occupational accident and the level of employees' education. Our analysis defined the significance of every demographic subgroup based on the results obtained by measuring the safety climate in all organizations. However, taking into consideration a large number of subgroups, the starting hypotheses were proposed only for the two most important ones: the type of organization does have an influence on safety climate indicators – hypothesis H₁ and the position of the employee in the firm does have important influence on safety climate indicators – hypothesis H₂. Both hypotheses were confirmed on the base of the results of further analyses.     

Safety climate and health complaints in the Norwegian aquaculture industry

Few studies have explored the potential connection between safety climate and health issues. However, some recent research findings indicate that a poor safety climate can be considered a stressor that may be associated with physical symptoms and musculoskeletal complaints. This link is further explored in the present study on the basis of a questionnaire study of 446 sharp-end workers in the Norwegian aquaculture industry. The analysis revealed that self-reported health complaints (musculoskeletal pain, headaches and fatigue) are negatively related to safety climate, i.e. the more positive the safety climate, the fewer the health complaints. The study finds that the following two safety climate factors are particularly important: work pressure and safety involvement. This means that self-reported health complaints are higher among workers who experience (a) a prioritisation of production and efficiency at the expense of safety, and (b) a lack of involvement in safety decisions. Regarding relevance to the industry, these relationships indicate the existence of a supplementary managerial pathway for the prevention of occupational health issues.     

Artificial neural networks and naturally ventilated buildings

The author found that the results obtained were reliable and indicates that neural networks can be used as a predictor for investigating window opening configurations to study the effects on interior air motion. Further study is needed in the development of the database to cover wider architectural parameters and the implementation of new types of network is also needed, as well as the need to consider variation spatial coefficients more fully.     

Challenges to Manage the Risk of Water Scarcity and Climate Change in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean region is undergoing rapid local and global social and environmental changes. All indicators point to an increase in environmental and water scarcity problems with negative implications towards current and future sustainability. Water management in Mediterranean countries is challenged these pressures and needs to evolve to reach the target of increasing population with reliable access to freshwater established by the Millennium Development Goals. This paper first reviews and evaluates current and future social and environmental pressures on water resources, including climate change. The results show that pressures are not homogeneous across the region and sectors of water use. Second the paper evaluates the adaptation strategies to cope with water scarcity, including technology, use of strategic groundwater, and management. Finally, the paper proposes a framework for managing the risk of water scarcity based on preparedness rather than a crisis approach. The importance of local management at the basin level is emphasized, but the potential benefits depend on the appropriate multi-institutional and multi-stakeholder coordination.     

Manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and service climate: Test of a model.

This article conceptually and empirically explores the relationships among manager personality, manager service quality orientation, and climate for customer service. Data were collected from 1,486 employees and 145 managers in grocery store departments (N = 145) to test the authors' theoretical model. Largely consistent with hypotheses, results revealed that core self-evaluations were positively related to managers' service quality orientation, even after dimensions of the Big Five model of personality were controlled, and that service quality orientation fully mediated the relationship between personality and global service climate. Implications for personality and organizational climate research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

金属硫化(类)矿床氧化带地球化学演化模式

原生硫化物矿体的表生演化在时间上表现为由硫化物经过硫酸盐阶段，铁的氢氧化物阶段和次生还原富集阶段、铁的氧化物阶段及蒸发成因的碳酸盐阶段等过程；同时在空间上相应地形成明显的垂直分带规律．在时间上从早至晚的地球化学产物并非完全与在空间上从下至上的分带完全对应；不同时间阶段的地球化学反应及其产物在空间上的分布分配受到地球重力场及太阳泵作用力的控制．原生硫化物表生地球化学演化在时空中的有机组合构成了该类矿床氧化带统一的地球化学演化模式．