The psychological benefits of indoor plants: A critical review of the experimental literature

People have been bringing plants into residential and other indoor settings for centuries, but little is known about their psychological effects. In the present article, we critically review the experimental literature on the psychological benefits of indoor plants. We focus on benefits gained through passive interactions with indoor plants rather than on the effects of guided interactions with plants in horticultural therapy or the indirect effect of indoor plants as air purifiers or humidifiers. The reviewed experiments addressed a variety of outcomes, including emotional states, pain perception, creativity, task-performance, and indices of autonomic arousal. Some findings recur, such as enhanced pain management with plants present, but in general the results appear to be quite mixed. Sources of this heterogeneity include diversity in experimental manipulations, settings, samples, exposure durations, and measures. After addressing some overarching theoretical issues, we close with recommendations for further research with regard to experimental design, measurement, analysis, and reporting.     

Testing the capacity of clothing to act as a vector for non-native seed in protected areas

Although humans are a major mechanism for short and long distance seed dispersal, there is limited research testing clothing as a vector. The effect of different types of material (sports vs hiking socks), or different items of clothing (boots, socks, laces vs legs) or the same item (socks) worn in different places on seed composition were assessed in Kosciuszko National Park, Australia. Data was analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA, independent and paired t-tests, Multi-dimensional Scaling Ordinations and Analysis of Similarity. A total of 24,776 seeds from 70 taxa were collected from the 207 pieces of clothing sampled, with seed identified from 31 native and 19 non-native species. Socks worn off-track collected more native seeds while those worn on roadsides collected more non-native seeds. Sports socks collected a greater diversity of seeds and more native seeds than hiking socks. Boots, uncovered socks and laces collect more seeds than covered socks and laces, resulting in 17% fewer seeds collected when wearing trousers. With seeds from over 179 species (134 recognized weeds) collected on clothing in this, and nine other studies, it is clear that clothing contributes to unintended human mediated seed dispersal, including for many invasive species.     

The impact of a refurbishment of two communal spaces in a care home on residents’ subjective well-being

This study investigates the impact of a refurbishment of two communal spaces —lobby and recreation room— of a care home in the Netherlands on residents’ subjective well-being. The refurbishments aimed to improve the aesthetic appearance of both spaces and to offer residents more possibilities for controlled interaction. Data were collected by means of pre- and post-intervention interviews among all residents that were able to respond (N = 39), and by means of observations. Results showed that most respondents evaluated the refurbishment of both spaces positively on residential quality, aesthetic quality, and possibility for controlled interaction. In addition, residents’ subjective well-being increased significantly. Subjective well-being appeared to be quite strongly related to the 3 evaluative aspects. Results suggest that the physical changes in care homes can help improve residents’ subjective well-being.     

Considerations for preserve design based on the distribution of rare plants in Great Smoky Mountains National Park,USA

Park design principles are proposed on the basis of consideration and analysis of rare plant species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA. Rare species richness can be used as a simple measure of preservation success. A semilogartihmic species-area model for the Smokies was used in this analysis. Species richness would increase logarathmically with expansion of the national park area. An analysis of the relationship between species richness and the distribution of geologic and topographic features in the national park was also reported. An asymptotic relation was documented for the accumulation of newly recorded rare and endangered vascular plant species in the Smokies region up to 1978. Several multiple regression linear models predicted rare vascular plant species richness in Great Smoky Mountains National Park from area and topographic variates.Preserve design criteria can be based upon species-area, environmental gradient, and natural features distribution patterns for the specific taxa and biogeographic region under consideration. In addition, natural history characteristics for particular vulnerable species must be assessed. Rather than concentrating on the preservation of undocumented immigration and extinction processes, preserve design should be directed towards protecting geographic components and gradient patterns characteristic of a region.     

高职院校国际服务外包课程设计的探索——以中国环境管理干部学院为例

以中国环境管理干部学院为例,国际服务外包课程是在国际服务贸易和服务外包产业迅速发展的背景下设置的。通过对我国服务外包行业发展现状和人才需求特点的分析,对国际服务外包课程设置提出系统性、开放性、职业性、实践性的构想,以及调整专业结构、建立灵活人才培养模式、加强学生实习实训、利用现有资源和政策支持以及做好服务外包人才就业工作的相关措施,以确保高职院校国际服务外包课程设计的科学性与可行性。     

Fundamental Moral Attitudes to Animals and Their Role in Judgment: An Empirical Model to Describe Fundamental Moral Attitudes to Animals and Their Role in Judgment on the Culling of Healthy Animals During an Animal Disease Epidemic

In this paper, we present and defend the theoretical framework of an empirical model to describe people’s fundamental moral attitudes (FMAs) to animals, the stratification of FMAs in society and the role of FMAs in judgment on the culling of healthy animals in an animal disease epidemic. We used philosophical animal ethics theories to understand the moral basis of FMA convictions. Moreover, these theories provide us with a moral language for communication between animal ethics, FMAs, and public debates. We defend that FMA is a two-layered concept. The first layer consists of deeply felt convictions about animals. The second layer consists of convictions derived from the first layer to serve as arguments in a debate on animal issues. In a debate, the latter convictions are variable, depending on the animal issue in a specific context, time, and place. This variability facilitates finding common ground in an animal issue between actors with opposing convictions.     

Quality and sustainability in the production process: A study of bakeries using an integrated multi-criteria method based on fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS

The objective of the present study is to evaluate, determine, and apply alternatives for improving the quality of the process and the product, with an emphasis on sustainable practices, using an integrated multi-criteria method. For this purpose, an analysis was conducted at a chain of bakeries, aiming to highlight bottlenecks in the production process and in the product. With the support of a literature review, four criteria and seven alternatives were defined to overcome these bottlenecks and, at the same time, contribute to the sustainability of the organization. For data analysis, six decision makers were interviewed and, following their evaluations, an integrated method based on fuzzy AHP and fuzzy TOPSIS was created. The fuzzy AHP was adopted to establish the importance of the criteria, while the fuzzy TOPSIS was used to evaluate and classify the alternatives developed to bypass the bottlenecks. The results revealed that of the criteria, Criterion “Cr1 – Quality” was prioritized. On the other hand, the alternative with the best performance was “A3 – Physical Layout Reorganization”. Applying this alternative, the study demonstrates the results achieved such as reduction of errors and accident risks, as well as greater fluidity in the productive space. the present study also makes theoretical and managerial contributions to the field, bringing the theory closer to the reality of companies that operate in the food sector.     

边疆民族地区小城镇发展对策研究——以云南省怒江州边境3县为例

云南省怒江傈僳族自治州的贡山、福贡、泸水3县,是一个集边疆地区、民族地区、贫困地区、生态脆弱区和生态敏感地区为一体的特殊地理区域。以怒江州边境3县为例,对边疆民族地区小城镇发展对策进行了实证研究。在分析本区特殊的地域背景、小城镇发展意义、小城镇发展现状、小城镇发展障碍,以及小城镇发展潜力的基础之上,探讨了怒江州边境3县小城镇的发展对策,目的在于为本区以及其它边疆民族地区制定小城镇发展对策时提供参考。