scholarly journals The effect of international environmental institutions: how we might learn more

1995 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Bernauer
Keyword(s):  
Natural Environment ◽  
Goal Attainment ◽  
Institutional Design ◽  
Institutional Effectiveness ◽  
Ceteris Paribus ◽  
Institutional Goals ◽  
Environmental Institutions ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Analysts of international politics can measure and explain the effect of international environmental institutions on the behavior of states and other actors and on the natural environment in three steps. First, we measure the outcome to be explained in terms of goal attainment, defined as the difference, over time or across cases, between actor behavior or the state of the natural environment on dimensions identified by institutional goals and certain end points determined by institutional goals. Second, we assess the effect of an institution in terms of the extent to which the existence or operation of the institution contributes, ceteris paribus, to variation in goal attainment. We transform these two variables into a score of institutional effectiveness to indicate the degree to which institutions contribute to the resolution of the environmental problems that motivate their establishment. Third, we analyze the relationship between institutional effectiveness and specific dimensions of institutional design—such as decision-making rules, membership and access conditions, and the compliance system.

scholarly journals No fingers, no SNARC? Spatial-Numerical Associations and temporal stability of finger counting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Cipora ◽  
Kinga Woloszyn ◽  
Mateusz Hohol
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Snarc Effect ◽  
Large Magnitude ◽  
Finger Counting ◽  
Weak Evidence ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

The Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect (i.e., faster left/right side responses to small/large magnitude numbers, respectively) is considered as strong evidence for the link between numbers and space. The studies have shown considerable variation in this effect. Among the factors determining individual differences in the SNARC effect is the hand an individual uses to start the finger counting sequence. Left-starters show a stronger and less variable SNARC effect than right-starters. This observation has been used as an argument for the embodied nature of the SNARC effect. For this to be the case, one must assume that the finger counting sequence (especially the starting hand) is stable over time. Subsequent studies challenged the view that the SNARC differs depending on the finger counting starting hand. At the same time, it has been pointed out that the temporal stability of finger counting starting hand should not be taken for granted. Thus, in this preregistered study, we aimed to replicate the difference in the SNARC between left- and right-starters and explore the relationship between the temporal stability of finger counting starting hand and the SNARC effect. We expected that higher stability should be associated with a stronger SNARC effect. Results of the preregistered analysis did not show the difference between left- and right-starters. However, further exploratory analysis provided weak evidence that this might be the case. Lastly, we found no evidence for the relationship between finger counting starting hand stability and the SNARC effect. Overall, these results challenge the view on the embodied nature of the SNARC effect.

scholarly journals The Association Between the Baseline and the Change in Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Short-Term Mortality in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Yadan Wang ◽  
Weijie Li ◽  
Guizuo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Model ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Multivariable Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Survival Group ◽  
Generalized Additive Mixed Model ◽  
Short Term Mortality ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Background: Two previous studies have shown that increased neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is associated with short-term prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but it is usually assessed as a single threshold value at baseline. We investigated the relationship between the baseline and the early change in NLR and 30-day mortality in patients with ARDS to evaluate the prognostic value of NLR baseline and NLR changes during the first 7 days after ICU admission.Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study, with all ARDS patients diagnosed according to the Berlin definition from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. We calculated the NLR by dividing the neutrophil count by the lymphocyte count. The multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between the baseline NLR and short-term mortality. Then the generalized additive mixed model was used to compare trends in NLR over time among survivors and non-survivors after adjusting for potential confounders.Results: A total of 1164 patients were enrolled in our study. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for confounders, elevated baseline NLR was a significant risk factor predicting 30-day mortality (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.01, 1.03, P = 0.0046) and hospital mortality (OR 1.02, 95%CI 1.01, 1.03, P = 0.0003). The result of the generalized additive mixed model showed that the NLR decreased in the survival group and increased in the non-survival group gradually within 7 days after ICU admission. The difference between the two groups showed a trend of increase gradually and the difference increased by an average of 0.67 daily after adjusting for confounders.Conclusions: We confirmed that there was a positive correlation between baseline NLR and short-term mortality, and we found significant differences in NLR changes over time between the non-survival group and the survival group. The early increase in NLR was associated with short-term mortality in ARDS patients.

Ending the Stalemate: Toward a Theory of Anthro-Shift

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana R. Fisher ◽  
Andrew K. Jorgenson
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Civil Society ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Environmental Degradation ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
The State ◽  
Degradation Studies ◽  
Changes Over Time ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

For years, sociologists who study society and the environment have focused on resolving the debate regarding the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation. Studies from a family of critical perspectives tend to find that economic development is antithetical to environmental protection, whereas a suite of more optimistic perspectives has uncovered more hopeful findings. We attempt to resolve these differences by situating this debate within the larger framework of the anthro-shift. The anthro-shift explains how the society-environment relationship changes over time. The theory assumes this relationship is the product of interrelations among the state, market, and civil society sectors. We focus on two distinctive qualities of the anthro-shift: the role risk plays as a pivot for reorienting how society interacts with the natural environment and the multidirectionality of the theory, highlighting how it combines elements of many of the dominant critical and optimistic perspectives into a broader framework.

Soil and the Environment

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. White
Keyword(s):  
Natural Environment ◽  
English Language ◽  
Direct Link ◽  
Soil Environment ◽  
Cultural Methods ◽  
The Difference ◽  
A Site ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Soil Climate

English has no exact translation for the French word terroir. But terroir is one of the few words to evoke passion in any discussion about soils. One reason may be that wine is one product of the land where the consumer can ascribe a direct link between subtle variations in the character of the product and the soil on which it was grown. Wine writers and commentators now use the term terroir routinely, as they might such words as rendezvous, liaison, and café, which are completely at home in the English language. French vignerons and scientists have been more passionate than most in pro­moting the concept of terroir (although some such as Pinchon (1996) believe that the word terroir has been abused for marketing, sentimental, and political pur­poses). Their views range from the metaphysical—that “alone, in the plant king­dom, does the vine make known to us the true taste of the earth” (quoted by Han­cock 1999, p. 43)—to the factual: “terroir viticole is a complex notion which integrates several factors . . . of the natural environment (soil, climate, topogra­phy), biological (variety, rootstock), and human (of wine, wine-making, and his­tory)” (translated from van Leeuwen 1996, p. 1). Others recognize terroir as a dy­namic concept of site characterization that comprises permanent factors (e.g., geology, soil, environment) and temporary factors (variety, cultural methods, wine­making techniques). Iacano et al. (2000) point out that if the temporary factors vary too much, the expression of the permanent factors in the wine (the essence of terroir) can be masked. The difference between wines from particular vineyards cannot be detected above the “background noise” (Martin 2000). A basic aim of good vineyard management is not to disguise, but to amplify, the natural terroir of a site. Terroir therefore denotes more than simply the relationship between soil and wine. Most scientists admit they cannot express quantitatively the relationship be­tween a particular terroir and the characteristics of wine produced from that ter­roir. Nevertheless, the concept of terroir underpins the geographical demarcation of French viticultural areas: the Appellation d’Origine Contrôllée (AOC) system, which is based on many years’ experience of the character and quality of individ­ual wines from specific areas.

scholarly journals Interplay Between Spirituality and Religiosity on the Physical and Mental Well-Being of Cancer Survivors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Cannon ◽  
Mehmet Dokucu ◽  
Fausto Loberiza
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Prospective Observational Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Purpose: This study explored the relationship of spirituality and religiosity as it affects the physical and mental quality of life (pQOL, mQOL) of cancer survivors. Methods: This is a prospective observational study that included adults ≥19 years who received treatment for various types of cancer. Patients’ QOL was obtained at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Cohorts were categorized according to spirituality/religiosity levels: low spirituality – low religiosity (LSLR), low spirituality – high religiosity (LSHR), high spirituality – low religiosity (HSLR), and high spirituality – high religiosity (HSHR). Results: Of the 551 eligible: 248 (45%) had HSHR, 196 (36%) had LSHR, 75 (14%) had LSLR, and 32 (6%) had HSLR. The pQOL of LSLR were significantly lower than those with HSHR (p = 0.02). The difference in pQOL between LS and HS were observed among those who have HR (p <0.0001). Among patients with LR, pQOL did not differ. The mQOL of patients with LSLR was significantly lower than those with HSHR (p < 0.0001). The mQOL of those with HS was significantly higher than those with LS in both cohorts having LR (p <0.0001) or HR (p <0.0001). pQOL decreased while mQOL increased over time regardless of spirituality or religiosity levels.Conclusion: Spirituality is important in the improvement of both pQOL and mQOL of cancer survivors, while religiosity may have some impact on pQOL. Clinicians’ incorporation of spirituality into cancer treatment facilitates well-rounded care, that offers measurable improvements for patients with an illness, of which the treatment is often arduous, and uncertain.

scholarly journals COVID-19-Related Worries, Social Disruptions, and Depressive Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Disabilities: What Makes the Difference?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiau-Fang Chao ◽  
Meng-Hsuan Yu
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Adults With Disabilities ◽  
Home Based ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives This study explores how home- and community-based services use, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related worries, and social disruptions are related to the depressive symptoms of community-dwelling older adults with disabilities, and whether the associations differ by month of interview. Methods Data on a sample of 593 older individuals in Taiwan were collected between April and July 2020. Multiple regression analyses were performed to test the hypothesized relationships. Results As the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Taiwan continuously declined from April 2020, participants who were interviewed in May, June, and July experienced significantly fewer COVID-19-related worries and social disruptions than those interviewed in April. The month interviewed, representing the pandemic development phase of COVID-19, moderated the relationships between home-based service (HBS) use and COVID-19 worries. The month interviewed also moderated the association between COVID-19-related social disruptions and depressive symptoms. Discussion Differences in the level of COVID-19-related worries between HBS users and nonusers were greatest in April, followed by May, and least in June and July, suggesting that the disparities between HBS users and nonusers attenuated over time. Perceived high COVID-19-related social disruptions were weakly and negatively correlated with depressive symptoms in April, but the relationship became moderately positive in May and strongly positive in June and July. These results supported the claim that the associations between COVID-19-related social disruptions and depressive symptoms can vary over time. Professionals who serve disabled older individuals in communities should be aware of their unstated needs and adopt strategies that are appropriate for the current stage of the COVID-19 pandemic to respond better to their needs and emotional state.

Comparison of In-the-Ear and Over-the-Ear Hearing Aid Fittings

1986 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 362-369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna M. Risberg ◽  
Robyn M. Cox
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Comparative Evaluation ◽  
Speech Intelligibility ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
Hearing Aid Fitting ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Functional Gain ◽  
The Relationship

A custom in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid fitting was compared to two over-the-ear (OTE) hearing aid fittings for each of 9 subjects with mild to moderately severe hearing losses. Speech intelligibility via the three instruments was compared using the Speech Intelligibility Rating (SIR) test. The relationship between functional gain and coupler gain was compared for the ITE and the higher rated OTE instruments. The difference in input received at the microphone locations of the two types of hearing aids was measured for 10 different subjects and compared to the functional gain data. It was concluded that (a) for persons with mild to moderately severe hearing losses, appropriately adjusted custom ITE fittings typically yield speech intelligibility that is equal to the better OTE fitting identified in a comparative evaluation; and (b) gain prescriptions for ITE hearing aids should be adjusted to account for the high-frequency emphasis associated with in-the-concha microphone placement.

Relationship between total plasma homocysteine and the risk of aneurysms – a meta-analysis

VASA ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Hanji Zhang ◽  
Dexin Yin ◽  
Yue Zhao ◽  
Yezhou Li ◽  
Dejiang Yao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Single Species ◽  
Total Plasma ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Randomized Controlled Studies ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Healthy Participants

Summary: Our meta-analysis focused on the relationship between homocysteine (Hcy) level and the incidence of aneurysms and looked at the relationship between smoking, hypertension and aneurysms. A systematic literature search of Pubmed, Web of Science, and Embase databases (up to March 31, 2020) resulted in the identification of 19 studies, including 2,629 aneurysm patients and 6,497 healthy participants. Combined analysis of the included studies showed that number of smoking, hypertension and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in aneurysm patients was higher than that in the control groups, and the total plasma Hcy level in aneurysm patients was also higher. These findings suggest that smoking, hypertension and HHcy may be risk factors for the development and progression of aneurysms. Although the heterogeneity of meta-analysis was significant, it was found that the heterogeneity might come from the difference between race and disease species through subgroup analysis. Large-scale randomized controlled studies of single species and single disease species are needed in the future to supplement the accuracy of the results.

Investment Traits and Intelligence in Adulthood

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie von Stumm
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Openness To Experience ◽  
Intelligence Tests ◽  
Crystallized Intelligence ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Intelligence-as-knowledge in adulthood is influenced by individual differences in intelligence-as-process (i.e., fluid intelligence) and in personality traits that determine when, where, and how people invest their intelligence over time. Here, the relationship between two investment traits (i.e., Openness to Experience and Need for Cognition), intelligence-as-process and intelligence-as-knowledge, as assessed by a battery of crystallized intelligence tests and a new knowledge measure, was examined. The results showed that (1) both investment traits were positively associated with intelligence-as-knowledge; (2) this effect was stronger for Openness to Experience than for Need for Cognition; and (3) associations between investment and intelligence-as-knowledge reduced when adjusting for intelligence-as-process but remained mostly significant.

Power Values and Power Distance Moderate the Relationship Between Workplace Supervisory Power and Job Satisfaction

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 135-141
Author(s):  
Kenneth D. Locke
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Power Distance ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
Social Survey ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Workplace Power ◽  
Over Time

Abstract. Person–job (or needs–supplies) discrepancy/fit theories posit that job satisfaction depends on work supplying what employees want and thus expect associations between having supervisory power and job satisfaction to be more positive in individuals who value power and in societies that endorse power values and power distance (e.g., respecting/obeying superiors). Using multilevel modeling on 30,683 European Social Survey respondents from 31 countries revealed that overseeing supervisees was positively associated with job satisfaction, and as hypothesized, this association was stronger among individuals with stronger power values and in nations with greater levels of power values or power distance. The results suggest that workplace power can have a meaningful impact on job satisfaction, especially over time in individuals or societies that esteem power.

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