Best‐practice recommendations for estimating interaction effects using meta‐analysis

One of the key advantages of meta‐analysis (i.e., a quantitative literature review) over a narrative literature review is that it allows for formal tests of interaction effects—namely, whether the relationship between two variables is contingent upon the value of another (moderator) variable. Interaction effects play a central role in organizational science research because they highlight boundary conditions of a theory: Conditions under which relationships change in strength and/or direction. This article describes procedures for estimating interaction effects using meta‐analysis, distills the technical literature for a general readership of organizational science researchers, and includes specific best‐practice recommendations regarding actions researchers can take before and after data collection to improve the accuracy of substantive conclusions regarding interaction effects investigated meta‐analytically. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Worst case scenario study to assess the environmental impact of amine emissions from a CO2 capture plant

Use of amines is one of the leading technologies for post-combustion carbon dioxide capture from gas and coal-fired power plants. This study assesses the potential environmental impact of emissions to air that result from use of monoethanol amine (MEA) as an absorption solvent for the capture of carbon dioxide (CO₂). Depending on operation conditions and installed reduction technology, emissions of MEA to the air due to solvent volatility losses are expected to be in the range of 0.01–0.8 kg/tonne CO₂ captured. Literature data for human and environmental toxicity, together with atmospheric dispersion model calculations, were used to derive maximum tolerable emissions of amines from CO₂ capture. To reflect operating conditions with typical and with elevated emissions, we defined a scenario MEA-LOW, with emissions of 40 t/year MEA and 5 t/year diethyl amine (DEYA), and a scenario MEA-HIGH, with emissions of 80 t/year MEA and 15 t/year DEYA. Maximum MEA deposition fluxes would exceed toxicity limits for aquatic organisms by about a factor of 3–7 depending on the scenario. Due to the formation of nitrosamines and nitramines, the estimated emissions of DEYA are close to or exceed safety limits for drinking water and aquatic ecosystems. The “worst case” scenario approach to determine maximum tolerable emissions of MEA and other amines is in particular useful when both expected environmental loads and the toxic effects are associated with high uncertainties.     

Home energy efficiency grants and advice: findings from the English Midlands

Research was conducted in Nottinghamshire, England to investigate public attitudes regarding home energy efficiency issues. Quantitative data were collected in the form of a postal survey, achieving over three hundred responses. Additionally, predominantly qualitative data were collected in semi-structured interviews in 15 homes. The issues investigated included the grant-funded energy efficiency measures installed by the public, the organisations providing grants, the means by which the recipients were referred to the organisations, and the public's preferences regarding energy efficiency advice. Findings were made about the local authority's success in encouraging the take-up of energy efficiency grants, about the public's preferences for the means by which advice should be provided, about trust relating to energy efficiency grants provided by gas and electricity suppliers, and about people's knowledge of the most effective energy efficiency measures. Additional findings were drawn about specific energy efficiency issues, including old heating systems and compact fluorescent light bulbs.     

Toward an integrated analysis of mitigation and adaptation: some preliminary findings

Between 1999 and 2003, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) made a preliminary effort to integrate an analysis of mitigation and adaptation to climate change impact vulnerabilities in two ways: top-down and bottom-up. This paper briefly describes these early experiments and summarizes their findings, both about climate change vulnerability reduction and about the challenges of integrated analysis, expanding upon results previously reported [Wilbanks et al. (Environment 45/5:28–38, 2003); ORNL (Integrated analysis of mitigation and adaptation as responses to concerns about impacts of global climate change, ORNL Working paper 2003); ORNL and CUSAT 2003; Wilbanks 2005]. The U.S Government’s right to retain a non-exclusive, royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged     

A spatiotemporal analysis of cattle herd movement in relation to drinking-water sources: implications for Cryptosporidium control in rural Kenya

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Given the increasing evidence that domestic contact with livestock is a risk factor for child diarrhoea in low- and middle-income countries, there...