Evaluating the impacts of global environmental assessments

There are currently no widely accepted procedures for comparing the performance of global environmental assessments (GEAs) and this may be a barrier to improving their methodology. To encourage greater self-reflection within the GEA community, it is proposed to introduce consistent evaluation approaches. Two elements from current evaluation practice are reviewed here that could be particularly useful for evaluating GEAs. The first are logic models which provide a transparent visual mapping of how activities in a GEA are intended to have impacts on policies. The second are performance metrics. It is proposed that GEAs adopt two kinds of metrics: (i) A common generic set for use in all GEAs to provide a basis for comparing the performance of GEAs, and (ii) a specific set of measureable metrics for each particular GEA derived from/linked to the generic set. Although many issues arise in applying these and other elements from evaluation theory and practice to GEAs, the potential benefits are greater comparability of GEA performance and new knowledge about how to improve them. This Short Communication is part of a Special Issue on solution-oriented GEAs.     

辽宁省典型城市道路尘PM2.5成分谱研究

为构建辽宁省典型城市道路尘源成分谱，分别采集了鞍山市和盘锦市道路尘样品，分析了其化学组分特征，用富集因子法和比值法分析了其主要来源，用分歧系数法分析了两个城市成分谱的相似度.结果表明：盘锦市和鞍山市道路尘PM_2.5中的化学组成以有机碳组分（OC）和地壳类元素（Al、Ca、Mg、Fe和K）为主.除Cu和V元素外，其余元素均表现为鞍山市的富集因子大于盘锦市.由比值法可得，盘锦市和鞍山市OC/EC分别为（13.20±6.26）和（3.94±0.63），均存在二次污染现象；NO₃^-/SO₄^2-的均值分别为（0.52±0.55）和（0.46±0.13），说明其道路尘PM_2.5受固定源影响更大.盘锦市与鞍山市道路尘成分谱分歧系数为0.354，说明两个源成分谱可能相似.     

Retrieval of refractive index of ultrafine single particle using hygroscopic growth factor obtained by high sensitive surface plasmon resonance microscopy

When exposed to different relative humidities (RHs), the optical properties of atmospheric aerosols will change because of changes in the aerosol particle size and complex refractive index (RI), which will affect haze formation and global climate change. The potential contributions of ultrafine particles to the atmospheric optical characteristics and to haze spreading cannot be ignored because of their high particle number concentrations and strong diffusibility; measurement of the optical properties of wet ultrafine particles is thus highly important for environmental assessment. Therefore, a surface plasmon resonance microscopy with azimuthal rotation illumination (SPRM-ARI) system is designed to determine the RIs of single particle aerosols with diameters of less than 100 nm in the hygroscopic growth process. Measurements are taken using mixed single particles with different mass ratios. The RIs of mixed single aerosols at different RHs are retrieved by measuring the scattering light intensity using the SPRM-ARI system and almost all the RIs of the bicomponent particles with different mass ratios decrease with increasing water content under high RH conditions. Finally, for each of the bicomponent particles, the maximum standard deviations for the retrieved RI values are only $2.06\times {10}^{-3}$, $3.08\times {10}^{-3}$ and $3.83\times {10}^{-3}$, corresponding to the NaCl and NaNO₃ bicomponent particles with a 3:1 mass ratio at 76.0% RH, the NaCl and glucose particles with a 1:3 mass ratio at 89.0% RH, and the NaCl and OA particles with a 1:1 mass ratio at 78.0% RH, respectively; these results indicate that the high-sensitivity SPRM-ARI system can measure the RI effectively and accurately.     

25 years of higher‐order confirmatory factor analysis in the organizational sciences: A critical review and development of reporting recommendations

We discuss how confirmatory factor analysis results should be used to examine potential higher‐order constructs and advocate that researchers present five types of evidence, which are as follows: (1) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among manifest variables; (2) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among manifest variables better than more parsimonious alternative models—and no less well than less parsimonious alternative models; (3) the ability of the higher‐order model to reproduce the observed covariation among lower‐order factors; (4) the ability of the higher‐order factor to explain variation in lower‐order factors; and (5) the ability of the higher‐order factor to explain variation in manifest variables. We illustrate how this type of evidence could be presented with a worked example and contrast our recommendations with the manner in which higher‐order confirmatory factor analysis has been used in the organizational sciences over the past 25 years to support claims regarding higher‐order constructs such as core self‐evaluations and transformational leadership. Our review shows that a substantial proportion of the 44 examined articles failed to present enough evidence to allow readers to understand the size and importance of higher‐order factors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

草酸对Cr胁迫下李氏禾解毒性能的影响

结合因子分析方法分析了草酸对Cr胁迫下李氏禾解毒性能的影响。研究过氧化氢酶(CAT)、可溶性糖、生长指标的变化情况,并运用因子分析方法筛选出最能表征李氏禾生长特性的指标,进而较科学的研究外源草酸对Cr胁迫下李氏禾解毒性能的影响。Cr质量浓度为0、200、400 mg/kg的土壤中,适当浓度草酸对李氏禾CAT影响表现出极显著差异(P0.01);当土壤中Cr质量浓度200 mg/kg,草酸质量浓度为80、120 mg/kg时,可溶性糖浓度分别比本组对照降低了23.59%、32.65%;株高可作为关键因子的关键变量。外源草酸可以增强李氏禾对Cr的解毒性能且与草酸浓度有关,因子分析方法可以应用于李氏禾研究中。     

内排压脚与边坡稳定性的关系

为了研究边坡角及边坡形状与边坡稳定性的关系,采用有限元软件ANSYS模拟了不同边坡角对应的稳定系数,以及不同平盘宽度和压脚高度所形成的等储备强度边坡的稳定系数。模拟中假设材料符合相关联的理想弹塑性本构关系,强度准则符合Drucker-Prager准则,用计算收敛性作为边坡稳定性的准则,用强度折减法得出边坡的稳定系数。为了形成等储备强度边坡,由下到上分步骤进行压脚。先在平面边坡最下台阶压脚,这样提高了边坡稳定系数,在边坡进入临界状态时,最下两台阶的塑性状态相同,则压脚停止;再在最下两台阶同时压脚,在边坡进入临界状态时,最下3个台阶的塑性状态相同,则压脚停止;以此类推,在最下边n个台阶同时压脚,在边坡进入临界状态时,压到与第n+1个台阶的塑性状态相同为止。结果表明,边坡总是从坡脚开始形成塑性区,在重力加载过程中,塑性区以弧形条带向坡顶扩展,形成滑带。最有效的内排压脚是从最下台阶开始形成等储备强度边坡的压脚。     

The global partnership for sustainable development

This paper examines whether foreign aid, together with other economic, social and environmental factors, contributes to sustainable development. It starts with an illustrative theoretical growth model where foreign aid promotes sustainable development by protecting the environment. Using factor analysis and newly developed estimation methods for a dynamic panel data model with endogenous regressors, the empirical section of the paper finds evidence that foreign aid has had a significantly positive influence on sustainable development in aid recipient countries. This effect is very likely to go through channels related to growth and resources as well as a technology channel with respect to energy intensity. This research has important implications for a post‐2015 development framework on international collective action with regard to a sustainable future.     

连续型空间故障树中因素重要度分布的定义与认知

为了解工作环境条件因素对系统故障概率的影响的特征,同时丰富连续型空间故障树(CSFT)的理论框架,提出因素重要度分布的概念。因素重要度分布从经典故障树的概率重要度发展而来,目的是研究系统所处环境因素变化导致系统可靠性变化的程度。给出元件和系统的因素重要度分布概念、公式及所需基础数据,并分析因素重要度分布的正负分布特点。使用该概念研究元件X1和系统T的因素t重要度分布和因素c重要度分布。结果表明:在不同环境中,对于因素t或c变化影响元件或系统的故障概率变化程度是不同的。因素重要度分布有效地表达了t和c对元件或系统的故障概率影响特征。