The role of weekly high‐activated positive mood,context, and personality in innovative work behavior: A multilevel and interactional model

This article proposed and tested a multilevel and interactional model of individual innovation in which weekly moods represent a core construct between context, personality, and innovative work behavior. Adopting the circumplex model of affect, innovative work behavior is proposed as resulting from weekly positive and high‐activated mood. Furthermore, drawing on the Big Five model of personality and cognitive appraisal theory, openness to experience and support for innovation are proposed as individual and contextual variables, respectively, which interplay in this process. Openness to experience interacts with support for innovation leading to high‐activated positive mood. Furthermore, openness interacts with these feelings leading to greater levels of innovative work behavior. Overall, the model entails a moderated mediation process where weekly high‐activated positive mood represents a crucial variable for transforming contextual and individual resources into innovative outcomes. These propositions were tested and supported using a diary methodology and multilevel structural equation modeling, on the basis of 893 observations of innovative work behavior and moods nested in 10 weekly waves of data. This information was collected from 92 individuals of diverse occupations employed in 73 distinct companies. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

PREDICTION OF MASTER RECESSION CURVES AND BASEFLOW RECESSIONS IN THE LUQUILLO MOUNTAINS OF PUERTO RICO1

ABSTRACT: An analysis of hydrograph recessions and rainfall data was performed to estimate the recession constants for two watersheds in the Luquillo mountains of Puerto Rico. To account for seasonal rainfall patterns, the data were grouped into dry and wet seasons. Sets of three Master Recession Curves (MRC) per season for each watershed were developed: one using the Matching Strip Method (MS) and two using variations of the Correlation Method (CM). These variations were the envelope line (CME) and the least squares regression (CMR). Other regression based analytical expressions that consider the streamflow recession as an autore‐gressive or an integrated moving average process were also applied. The regression based methods performed consistently better than the graphical ones and they proved to be faster, easier, and less subjective. The recession constants from these methods were then used to estimate the time it would take the streamflow to reach the critical Q₉₉ flow duration. Based on this study, once the streamflow reaches Q₉₀, water managers have 6 to 12 days warning before streamflow reaches critical levels.     

Dynamics of phosphorus and phytate-utilizing bacteria during aerobic degradation of dairy cattle dung

During organic wastes degradation, P is transformed which may affect its availability. In this study, the dynamics of P and the occurrence of phytate-utilizing bacteria (PUB) were evaluated during aerobic degradation of dairy cattle dung in laboratory-scale reactors for 105 d. The results showed an increase of water-soluble inorganic P (Pi) (from 570 to 1890 mg kg(-1)) and biomass P (from 390 to 870 mg kg(-1)) during the initial 40 d. After this period, water-soluble Pi remained constant (around 1500 mg kg(-1)) and biomass P decreased (around 220 mg kg(-1)) probably due to the decrease of easily available C in dung. Under the acidic conditions in the first 20 d there was an increase in concentration of Al (25 mg kg(-1)) and Fe (27 mg kg(-1)) ions. These ions were no longer detectable in the alkaline conditions occurring after 40 d. In the same period, the Ca concentration increased (from 1170 to 2370 mg kg(-1)) and chemical speciation revealed permanent association of Ca ions with Pi. Sequential P fractionation showed a decrease of organic P in NaHCO(3), NaOH and HCl fractions and an increase of residual P (25-52% with respect to total P). Analysis by (31)P NMR also showed a decrease (from 14% to 1.6%) of phytic acid content during final experimental period (60 and 105 d). The bacteriological analysis revealed various PUB involved in degradation of the dung. Two morphotypes, genetically characterized as Enterobacter and Rahnella, which were dominant under higher content of residual P, showed strong utilization of phytate in vitro.     

Applying Fuzzy Logic to Assess Human Perception in Relation to Conservation Plan Efficiency Measures Within a Biosphere Reserve

The objective of this study is to present an efficiency-perception impact assessment based upon the integration of fuzzy logic (FL) of the "Productive Reconversion" conservation program (PRP) instituted by the Mexican government, in the upper Gulf of California and the Colorado Delta Biosphere Reserve. This approach enables environmental analysts to deal with the intrinsic imprecision and ambiguity associated with people's judgments and conclusions. The application of FL to the assessment of program efficiency is illustrated in this work, demonstrating how subjective perceptions can be converted into quantitative values easy to evaluate during the decision-making process.     

Temporal mangrove dynamics in relation to coastal development in Pacific Panama

This study assessed the changes in extent of fringing mangrove located in Punta Mala Bay, Panama in relation to coastal development over a period of two decades. Punta Mala Bay was chosen for this study, due to its social importance and its biological significance, as it is one of the few mangrove areas left around Panama City. Fieldwork confirmed the importance of Laguncularia racemosa in the bay, which formed nearly monospecific stands with a large number of seedlings indicating that the forest was rejuvenating. The mangrove was mapped from 1980 to 2002 using digitised aerial photographs and a GIS was used to determine the location and rates of mangrove growth and loss before and after the construction of a road and water treatment works in 1998. The land use maps were produced with an overall accuracy of 83.8%. The user's accuracy of the maps for L. racemosa dominated stands was 89.7%, although the producer's accuracy was lower due to the omission of seedlings on intertidal areas. It was found that the mangrove was spatially dynamic and had grown substantially in the bay at a rate ranging from 6 to 215% per year until the construction commenced. Between 1997 and 2002 there were 100% loss of mangrove in some areas due to the coastal development. The resilience of the dominant species L. racemosa at this locality was shown by the continued growth of two mangrove zones during the construction period 1997-2002, with one zone increasing in area by 61%. The pioneering ability of L. racemosa after disturbance was demonstrated by the development of two new mangrove zones of 498 and 1254 m2 on bare intertidal areas after construction finished. Future mapping and fieldwork could provide information on the development of mangrove communities and their response to reoccurring human impacts.     

Using system dynamics to model water-reallocation

Improving the efficiency of water allocation has long been recognised as a key problem for the water resources management decision-makers. However, assessing the efficacy of management decision is difficult due to the complexity and interconnectivity of water resource systems. For this reason, it is vital that robust modelling approaches are employed to deal with the feedback loops inherent in the water resource systems. Whilst many studies have applied modelling to various aspects of water resource management, little attention has been given to innovations in modelling approaches to deal with the modelling challenges associated with improving decision-making. The aim of this study is to apply a System Dynamics modelling approach to improve the efficiency of water allocation incorporating a myriad of irrigation system constraints. The system dynamic approach allows the different system components to be organised as a collection of discrete objects that incorporate data, structure and function to generate complex system behaviour. Through the application of a system dynamic approach, a robust model (named the Economical Reallocating Water Model (ERWM)) was developed which was used to examine the options of re-allocating water resources that minimize the water cost all over an irrigated agricultural area. The EWRM incorporated a wide range of complexities likely to be encountered in water resource management: surface and ground water sources, water trading between sources, system constraint such as maximum ground water pumping, rates, maximum possible trading volumes and differential water resource prices. Two hypothetical systems have been presented here as an example. The results show that the System Dynamics approach has a significant advantages in estimating and assessing the outcomes of alternative water management strategies through time and space.     

A paradigm for ecological risk assessment

The 1983 National Academy of Sciences paradigm for conducting human health risk assessment is considered with respect to ecological risk assessment. This four-step paradigm fails to capture key intrinsic differences between the two types of analysis, specifically: identity of risk targets and receptors; identity of the appropriate level of ecological organization at which the risk is expressed; variability of endpoint with respect to risk receptor; and the existence ofrisk cascades through ecological feedback loops. We propose an alternative paradigm that includes a preliminary step,receptor identification, in which chemical partitioning is combined with a conceptual model of the ecosystem to identify appropriate risk targets. In addition, we propose formal inclusion ofendpoint identification and explicit consideration of risk cascades in arelationship assessment in which interactive feedback loops are considered in an iterative process. The proposed paradigm preserves the steps of hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response assessment (renamedresponse assessment) and risk characterization, although specific modifications are recommended.     

Prenatal diagnosis of a craniopharyngioma using ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging

We report an infant with a craniopharyngioma which was detected in utero. Maternal uterine ultrasonography, done at 27 weeks because of polyhydramnios, revealed a 4 cm midline mass near the base of the fetal skull. At 31 weeks, magnetic resonance imaging of the maternal abdomen confirmed the presence of a mass in the region of the third ventricle and revealed hydrocephalus. Two days post-partum a computed tomography (CT)-guided needle biopsy of the mass was performed and recovered tissue which was histologically consistent with a craniopharyngioma. The infant' s postnatal period was complicated by seizures, which were treated with phenobarbital, and by progressive hydrocephalus, necessitating placement of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. He also received therapy for central hypothyroidism and diabetes insipidus. The infant' s parents refused permission for attempted resection of the tumour and he died at 8 weeks of age. This represents the second reported case of an antenatally detected craniopharyngioma. Four other cases of different intracranial tumours have been detected in utero using ultrasound, with no reported survivors past 3 days of age. There is a uniformly poor prognosis of such infants, but earlier diagnosis and intervention may change this result.