Rising Canadian and falling Swedish radon gas exposure as a consequence of 20th to 21st century residential build practices

AbstractRadioactive radon gas inhalation is a major cause of lung cancer worldwide and is a consequence of the built environment. The average radon level of properties built in a given period (their ‘innate radon risk’) varies over time and by region, although the underlying reasons for these differences are unclear. To investigate this, we analyzed long term radon tests and buildings from 25,489 Canadian to 38,596 Swedish residential properties constructed after 1945. While Canadian and Swedish properties built from 1970 to 1980s are comparable (96–103 Bq/m3), innate radon risks subsequently diverge, rising in Canada and falling in Sweden such that Canadian houses built in the 2010–2020s have 467% greater radon (131 Bq/m3) versus Swedish equivalents (28 Bq/m3). These trends are consistent across distinct building types, and regional subdivisions. The introduction of energy efficiency measures (such as heat recovery ventilation) within each nation’s build codes are independent of radon fluctuations over time. Deep learning-based models forecast that (without intervention) the average Canadian residential radon level will increase to 176 Bq/m3 by 2050. Provisions in the 2010 Canada Build Code have not significantly reduced innate radon risks, highlighting the urgency of novel code interventions to achieve systemic radon reduction and cancer prevention in Canada.

Download Full-text

Enhancing community welfare through improved water quality: a case for applying staggered pollution charges in the river Musi sub-basin of Andhra Pradesh, India

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2005.0028 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 7 (5) ◽

pp. 469-483

Author(s):

Tishya Chatterjee

Keyword(s):

Andhra Pradesh ◽

Relevant Literature ◽

Pollution Prevention ◽

Economic Benefits ◽

Environmental Damage ◽

Marginal Costs ◽

Community Acceptance ◽

Level Data ◽

Over Time

In conditions of severe water-pollution and dormant community acceptance of accumulating environmental damage, the regulator's role goes beyond pollution prevention and more towards remediation and solutions based on the community's long-term expectations of economic benefits from clean water. This paper suggests a method to enable these benefits to become perceptible progressively, through participatory clean-up operations, supported by staggered pollution charges. It analyses the relevant literature on pollution prevention and applies a cost-based “willingness to pay” model, using primary basin-level data of total marginal costs. It develops a replicable demand-side approach imposing charge-standard targets over time in urban-industrial basins of developing countries.

Download Full-text

The Short-Term and Long-Term Impacts of Sarbanes-Oxley Act on Composition and Characteristics of Corporate Board of Directors

International Journal of Financial Management ◽

10.21863/ijfm/2015.5.4.019 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 5 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Halil Kaya ◽

Gaurango Banerjee

Keyword(s):

Board Composition ◽

Corporate Boards ◽

Corporate Accountability ◽

Corporate Board ◽

Short Term ◽

Dual Roles ◽

Board Characteristics ◽

Sarbanes Oxley ◽

Over Time

The paper examines the Sarbanes-Oxley (2002) Acts immediate impact on board composition and characteristics as well as possible reversals in its impact over time. Effects on directors age and tenure are analyzed over the 2001-06 sample period. Female participation in corporate boards is also studied in the pre-SOX and post-SOX periods. The dual roles of directors in being a member of the board as well as serving as either CEO, CFO, Chairman, Co-Chair, Founder, or Lead Director of their respective companies is also examined. We observe a short-term impact of SOX on board compositions due to changes seen in board characteristics between 2001 (pre-SOX), and 2003-05 short-term period (post-SOX). Also, we observe a reversal of board characteristics in 2006 to pre-SOX levels implying that the effects of SOX on board composition were short-lived, and needs to be monitored over time to ensure adherence to corporate accountability guidelines over the long-term.

Download Full-text

A Downward Spiral? A Panel Study of Misinformation and Media Trust in Chile

The International Journal of Press/Politics ◽

10.1177/19401612211025238 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 194016122110252

Author(s):

Sebastián Valenzuela ◽

Daniel Halpern ◽

Felipe Araneda

Keyword(s):

News Media ◽

Panel Study ◽

Future Research ◽

Panel Survey ◽

Downward Spiral ◽

The Media ◽

Media Trust ◽

People’S Attitudes ◽

Over Time

Despite widespread concern, research on the consequences of misinformation on people's attitudes is surprisingly scant. To fill in this gap, the current study examines the long-term relationship between misinformation and trust in the news media. Based on the reinforcing spirals model, we analyzed data from a three-wave panel survey collected in Chile between 2017 and 2019. We found a weak, over-time relationship between misinformation and media skepticism. Specifically, initial beliefs on factually dubious information were negatively correlated with subsequent levels of trust in the news media. Lower trust in the media, in turn, was related over time to higher levels of misinformation. However, we found no evidence of a reverse, parallel process where media trust shielded users against misinformation, further reinforcing trust in the news media. The lack of evidence of a downward spiral suggests that the corrosive effects of misinformation on attitudes toward the news media are less serious than originally suggested. We close with a discussion of directions for future research.

Download Full-text

Personality dynamics at work: The effects of form, time, and context of variability

European Journal of Personality ◽

10.1177/08902070211017341 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089020702110173

Author(s):

Nadin Beckmann ◽

Damian P Birney ◽

Amirali Minbashian ◽

Jens F Beckmann

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Ability ◽

Temporal Stability ◽

Limited Evidence ◽

Short Term ◽

State Data ◽

The Status ◽

Over Time ◽

Trait Variability

The study aimed to investigate the status of within-person state variability in neuroticism and conscientiousness as individual differences constructs by exploring their (a) temporal stability, (b) cross-context consistency, (c) empirical links to selected antecedents, and (d) empirical links to longer term trait variability. Employing a sample of professionals ( N = 346) from Australian organisations, personality state data together with situation appraisals were collected using experience sampling methodology in field and repeatedly in lab-like settings. Data on personality traits, cognitive ability, and motivational mindsets were collected at baseline and after two years. Contingent (situation contingencies) and non-contingent (relative SD) state variability indices were relatively stable over time and across contexts. Only a small number of predictive effects of state variability were observed, and these differed across contexts. Cognitive ability appeared to be associated with state variability under lab-like conditions. There was limited evidence of links between short-term state and long-term trait variability, except for a small effect for neuroticism. Some evidence of positive manifold was found for non-contingent variability. Systematic efforts are required to further elucidate the complex pattern of results regarding the antecedents, correlates and outcomes of individual differences in state variability.

Download Full-text

Agritourism—A Business Reality of the Moment for Romanian Rural Area’s Sustainability

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13116313 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 6313

Author(s):

Ramona Ciolac ◽

Tiberiu Iancu ◽

Ioan Brad ◽

Tabita Adamov ◽

Nicoleta Mateoc-Sîrb

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Distribution Channels ◽

Scientific Paper ◽

Business Owners ◽

The Future ◽

Tourism Potential ◽

The Moment ◽

Managerial Experience ◽

Over Time

The agritourism activity can be a characteristic reality of the present, considering rural area’s sustainability, being at the same time a business reality for rural entrepreneurs and a “must have” for rural communities that have tourism potential. It is a form of tourism, through which the tourist can receive a qualitative product at a reasonable price, but also a field that can ensure sustainable development over time, being at the same time environmentally friendly. The purpose of this scientific paper is to identify the aspects that make agritourism “a possible business reality of the moment”, for Romanian rural area’s sustainability. We take into account the following areas: Bran-Moieciu area—considered “the oldest” in terms of agritourism experience, and Apuseni Mountains area, with a great inclination and potential for this activity. The study conducted for these two areas is focused on several aspects: the degree of involvement in agritourism activities, considering the number of years and managerial experience, the analysis of the types of activities/experiences offered by agritourism structures, the identification of the main reasons/motivations for the orientation towards agritourism and the manner in which this field is perceived. Aspects related to the marketing-finance part of the agritourism business are also taken into account: customers, distribution channels, financial sources, shortcomings observed by agritourism business owners and possible action directions so as to improve the activity/agritourism product. Agritourism may be “a possible business reality of the moment” for the studied areas and not only, but in the future, the entrepreneur/farmer must be constantly updated because of the changing situations that appear on the market, be able to make sustainable decisions for his/her own business, which in the future will ensure its viability and obviously its long-term profitability and development, and in the same time rural area’s sustainability.

Download Full-text

INTRODUCTION TO THE SPECIAL SECTION: BORDERS, FRONTIERS, AND BOUNDARIES IN THE MAYA WORLD: CONCEPTS AND THEORY

Ancient Mesoamerica ◽

10.1017/s0956536120000061 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 453-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christina Halperin ◽

Carolyn Freiwald ◽

Gyles Iannone

Keyword(s):

Special Section ◽

Economic Networks ◽

Maya Area ◽

Cultural Connections ◽

Over Time

AbstractThe Maya area has long been characterized as a mosaic of polities large and small, with cultural connections, linguistic dialects, ethnicities, and economic networks that shifted, expanded, and contracted over time. In this paper, we examine different ways of constructing boundaries. From physical demarcations in the landscape to habitual practices of interaction and affiliation, the lines that tied and divided were both unstable and multiple. We draw on definitions and theories from anthropology, history, and geography to review the concepts of borders, frontiers, and boundaries and their implications for the Maya area over the long term.

Download Full-text

A Holistic Framework for Evaluating Adaptation Approaches to Coastal Hazards and Sea Level Rise: A Case Study from Imperial Beach, California

Water ◽

10.3390/w13091324 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 1324

Author(s):

David Revell ◽

Phil King ◽

Jeff Giliam ◽

Juliano Calil ◽

Sarah Jenkins ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sea Level Rise ◽

Sea Level ◽

Public Trust ◽

Adaptation Strategy ◽

Public Benefits ◽

Study Results ◽

Local Risk ◽

Over Time

Sea level rise increases community risks from erosion, wave flooding, and tides. Current management typically protects existing development and infrastructure with coastal armoring. These practices ignore long-term impacts to public trust coastal recreation and natural ecosystems. This adaptation framework models physical responses to the public beach and private upland for each adaptation strategy over time, linking physical changes in widths to damages, economic costs, and benefits from beach recreation and nature using low-lying Imperial Beach, California, as a case study. Available coastal hazard models identified community vulnerabilities, and local risk communication engagement prioritized five adaptation approaches—armoring, nourishment, living shorelines, groins, and managed retreat. This framework innovates using replacement cost as a proxy for ecosystem services normally not valued and examines a managed retreat policy approach using a public buyout and rent-back option. Specific methods and economic values used in the analysis need more research and innovation, but the framework provides a scalable methodology to guide coastal adaptation planning everywhere. Case study results suggest that coastal armoring provides the least public benefits over time. Living shoreline approaches show greater public benefits, while managed retreat, implemented sooner, provides the best long-term adaptation strategy to protect community identity and public trust resources.

Download Full-text

Acute symptoms of mild to moderate COVID-19 are highly heterogeneous across individuals and over time

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofab090 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thomas L Rodebaugh ◽

Madelyn R Frumkin ◽

Angela M Reiersen ◽

Eric J Lenze ◽

Michael S Avidan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Temporal Dynamics ◽

Survey Methods ◽

Clinical Care ◽

Clinical Deterioration ◽

Symptom Profiles ◽

Fluctuating Course ◽

The Common ◽

Symptom Changes ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background The symptoms of COVID-19 appear to be heterogenous, and the typical course of these symptoms is unknown. Our objectives were to characterize the common trajectories of COVID-19 symptoms and assess how symptom course predicts other symptom changes as well as clinical deterioration. Methods 162 participants with acute COVID-19 responded to surveys up to 31 times for up to 17 days. Several statistical methods were used to characterize the temporal dynamics of these symptoms. Because nine participants showed clinical deterioration, we explored whether these participants showed any differences in symptom profiles. Results Trajectories varied greatly between individuals, with many having persistently severe symptoms or developing new symptoms several days after being diagnosed. A typical trajectory was for a symptom to improve at a decremental rate, with most symptoms still persisting to some degree at the end of the reporting period. The pattern of symptoms over time suggested a fluctuating course for many patients. Participants who showed clinical deterioration were more likely to present with higher reports of severity of cough and diarrhea. Conclusion The course of symptoms during the initial weeks of COVID-19 is highly heterogeneous and is neither predictable nor easily characterized using typical survey methods. This has implications for clinical care and early-treatment clinical trials. Additional research is needed to determine whether the decelerating improvement pattern seen in our data is related to the phenomenon of patients reporting long-term symptoms, and whether higher symptoms of diarrhea in early illness presages deterioration.

Download Full-text

Design of a Database of Case Studies and Technologies to Increase the Diffusion of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Recovery in the Industrial Sector

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13095223 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 5223

Author(s):

Miriam Benedetti ◽

Daniele Dadi ◽

Lorena Giordano ◽

Vito Introna ◽

Pasquale Eduardo Lapenna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

Case Studies ◽

Heat Recovery ◽

Waste Heat Recovery ◽

Waste Heat ◽

Industrial Sector ◽

Implementation Rate ◽

Depth Analysis ◽

Technology Market

The recovery of waste heat is a fundamental means of achieving the ambitious medium- and long-term targets set by European and international directives. Despite the large availability of waste heat, especially at low temperatures (<250 °C), the implementation rate of heat recovery interventions is still low, mainly due to non-technical barriers. To overcome this limitation, this work aims to develop two distinct databases containing waste heat recovery case studies and technologies as a novel tool to enhance knowledge transfer in the industrial sector. Through an in-depth analysis of the scientific literature, the two databases’ structures were developed, defining fields and information to collect, and then a preliminary population was performed. Both databases were validated by interacting with companies which operate in the heat recovery technology market and which are possible users of the tools. Those proposed are the first example in the literature of databases completely focused on low-temperature waste heat recovery in the industrial sector and able to provide detailed information on heat exchange and the technologies used. The tools proposed are two key elements in supporting companies in all the phases of a heat recovery intervention: from identifying waste heat to choosing the best technology to be adopted.

Download Full-text

Effect of Photoinitiator on Precursory Stability and Curing Depth of Thiol-Ene Clickable Gelatin

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13111877 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (11) ◽

pp. 1877

Author(s):

Kai-Hung Yang ◽

Gabriella Lindberg ◽

Bram Soliman ◽

Khoon Lim ◽

Tim Woodfield ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Visible Light ◽

Rheological Properties ◽

Swelling Ratio ◽

Sodium Persulfate ◽

Photo Polymerization ◽

Gelation Kinetics ◽

The Stability ◽

Over Time

Recent advances highlight the potential of photopolymerizable allylated gelatin (GelAGE) as a versatile hydrogel with highly tailorable properties. It is, however, unknown how different photoinitiating system affects the stability, gelation kinetics and curing depth of GelAGE. In this study, sol fraction, mass swelling ratio, mechanical properties, rheological properties, and curing depth were evaluated as a function of time with three photo-initiating systems: Irgacure 2959 (Ig2959; 320–500 nm), lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP; 320–500 nm), and ruthenium/sodium persulfate (Ru/SPS; 400–500 nm). Results demonstrated that GelAGE precursory solutions mixed with either Ig2959 or LAP remained stable over time while the Ru/SPS system enabled the onset of controllable redox polymerization without irradiation during pre-incubation. Photo-polymerization using the Ru/SPS system was significantly faster (<5 s) compared to both Ig2959 (70 s) and LAP (50 s). Plus, The Ru/SPS system was capable of polymerizing a thick construct (8.88 ± 0.94 mm), while Ig2959 (1.62 ± 0.49 mm) initiated hydrogels displayed poor penetration depth with LAP (7.38 ± 2.13 mm) in between. These results thus support the use of the visible light based Ru/SPS photo-initiator for constructs requiring rapid gelation and a good curing depth while Ig2959 or LAP can be applied for photo-polymerization of GelAGE materials requiring long-term incubation prior to application if UV is not a concern.

Download Full-text