Quantifying Loss of Acoustic Communication Space for Right Whales in and around a U.S. National Marine Sanctuary

The effects of chronic exposure to increasing levels of human‐induced underwater noise on marine animal populations reliant on sound for communication are poorly understood. We sought to further develop methods of quantifying the effects of communication masking associated with human‐induced sound on contact‐calling North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in an ecologically relevant area (～10,000 km²) and time period (peak feeding time). We used an array of temporary, bottom‐mounted, autonomous acoustic recorders in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary to monitor ambient noise levels, measure levels of sound associated with vessels, and detect and locate calling whales. We related wind speed, as recorded by regional oceanographic buoys, to ambient noise levels. We used vessel‐tracking data from the Automatic Identification System to quantify acoustic signatures of large commercial vessels. On the basis of these integrated sound fields, median signal excess (the difference between the signal‐to‐noise ratio and the assumed recognition differential) for contact‐calling right whales was negative (?1 dB) under current ambient noise levels and was further reduced (?2 dB) by the addition of noise from ships. Compared with potential communication space available under historically lower noise conditions, calling right whales may have lost, on average, 63–67% of their communication space. One or more of the 89 calling whales in the study area was exposed to noise levels ≥120 dB re 1 μPa by ships for 20% of the month, and a maximum of 11 whales were exposed to noise at or above this level during a single 10‐min period. These results highlight the limitations of exposure‐threshold (i.e., dose‐response) metrics for assessing chronic anthropogenic noise effects on communication opportunities. Our methods can be used to integrate chronic and wide‐ranging noise effects in emerging ocean‐planning forums that seek to improve management of cumulative effects of noise on marine species and their habitats. Cuantificación de la Pérdida de Espacio de Comunicación Acústica para Ballenas Francas Dentro y Alrededor de un Santuario Marino Nacional en E. U. A.     

Effect of carbonation on the leaching of organic carbon and of copper from MSWI bottom ash

In Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, about 31% of the produced amount of MSWI bottom ash is recycled as secondary raw material. In view of recycling a higher percentage of bottom ash, a particular bottom ash fraction (Ø 0.1–2 mm) was studied. As the leaching of this bottom ash fraction exceeds some of the Flemish limit values for heavy metals (with Cu being the most critical), treatment is required.Natural weathering and accelerated carbonation resulted in a significant decrease of the Cu leaching. Natural weathering during 3 months caused a decrease of Cu leaching to <50% of its original value, whereas accelerated carbonation resulted in an even larger decrease (to ca. 13% of its initial value) after 2 weeks, with the main decrease taking place within the first 48 h.Total organic carbon decreased to ca. 70% and 55% of the initial concentration in the solid phase, and to 40% and 25% in the leachate after natural weathering and after accelerated carbonation, respectively. In the solid material the decrease of the Hy fraction was the largest, the FA concentration remained essentially constant. The decrease of FA in the leachate can be attributed partly to an enhanced adsorption of FA to Fe/Al (hydr)oxides, due to the combined effect of a pH decrease and the neoformation of Al (hydr)oxides (both due to carbonation). A detailed study of adsorption of FA to Fe/Al (hydr)oxides showed that significant adsorption of FA occurs, that it increases with decreasing pH and started above pH 12 for Fe (hydr)oxides and around 10 for Al (hydr)oxides. Depending whether FA or Hy are considered the controlling factor in enhanced Cu leaching, the decreasing FA or Hy in the leachate explains the decrease in the Cu leaching during carbonation.     

The construct validity of two burnout measures

The present study was carried out among a sample of 667 Dutch nurses and assesses three aspects of the construct validity of the two most widely used self-report burnout questionnaires: The Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Burnout Measure (BM). Although the factorial validity of the three-dimensional structure of the MBI was convincingly demonstrated by confirmatory factor analysis with LISREL, four weak and ambiguous items were identified. Regarding the BM, some doubts have arisen about its one-dimensionality. The congruent validity of the questionnaires was well established: They both refer to the core element of the burnout syndrome (i.e. exhaustion). Moreover, linear structural analyses suggested that burnout is a two multi-dimensional construct consisting of an affective component (i.e. exhaustion) and an attitudinal component (i.e. a negative attitude towards recipients and towards one's job performance). However, the discriminant validity of the first component is rather poor since it considerably overlaps with self-reported somatic complaints and psychological strain. It is concluded that the MBI can be employed as a reliable and valid multi-dimensional indicator of burnout in professionals who work with people. The BM assesses the non-specific affective component of burnout (i.e. exhaustion) and should therefore be supplemented by a scale that measures the attitudinal component of the syndrome.     

Evaluation of Two Kurdish Refugee Camps in Iran, May 1991: The Value of Cluster Sampling in Producing Priorities and Policy

Following the end of the Gulf war in March 1991, Kurdish refugees from Iraq crossed the border into Western Iran. To plan public health interventions and to assist in priority setting for scarce resources, a rapid epidemiological assessment of two camps, Hafez and Kaliche, was conducted in May 1991. A 30 cluster sampling method was used to determine the demographics of the camp population, the morbidity and mortality from certain diseases, and the nutritional status of the children <5 years of age. The estimated population of the camps at the time of the survey was 28,500 and 22,500 for Hafez and Kaliche respectively; children < 5 years of age accounted for approximately 25 per cent of both camp populations. The mortality rate was highest in Hafez and estimated to be 2.5/10,000 per day (95%CI:0.3–5) for adults (> 14 years of age) and 4.9/10,000 per day (95%CI:2.4–7.4) for children. Diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases accounted for major morbidity in both camps with diarrhoea the commonest stated cause of death. Little malnutrition was found but it was greater in Hafez where 6 per cent (19/327) of the children between 1 and 5 years of age had a mid upper arm circumference (MUAC) <12 cm and eleven (5.2 per cent) of the 211 children measured for height and weight were below 80 per cent of the median (95%CI:2.6%;7.8%). The survey identified that morbidity and mortality were less severe than in the Kurdish camps on the Turkish border and provided information for camp authorities to plan appropriate relief interventions.     

Approaches and initial findings of a state-sponsored research programme on population exposure to toxic substances

Summary Population exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment has become one of the most important, if not the most important, environmental issue of the 1980's. In response to finding high cancer mortality rates, the State of New Jersey organized an extensive program of research to determine public exposure to toxic substances in the environment. Three parts of that research are described. One focusing on toxic substances in the water has detected very low concentrations of many substances. These substances tend to be found in three distinct chemical groups: pesticides, light chlorinated hydrocarbons, and heavy metals. Gross pesticide contamination tends to occur in agricultural and forest areas; gross light chlorinated hydrocarbon pollution is in urban areas. The second component of the research is toxic substances in the air. Like the water studies, low levels of contamination have been found. Limited sampling to date has found groupings of ubiquitous organic chemicals in urban areas, two groups of specialized organic chemicals near industrial sites, and high lead levels near major highways. The third project is developing a computerized information bank about the use and disposal of 155 chemicals and will look for associations between industrial disposal practices and contamination of the environment.