scholarly journals Assessment of Climatic Conditions for Siberian Reindeer Herding on the Basis of Heat Balance Modelling

ARCTIC ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-42
Author(s):  
Konstantin B. Klokov ◽  
Vladimir V. Mikhailov

The purpose of the research is to assess suitable climatic conditions for traditional herding of reindeer by Indigenous people in different areas of Siberia. A сomputer simulation model allowed us to calculate reindeer’s heat balance according to a number of meteorological indices; it was used to assess climatic conditions in 70 localities. To show the impact of climatic conditions on reindeer’s well-being, we introduce the notion of the thermal comfort index (Kt). The best environmental conditions for reindeer are in the areas where Kt takes the highest values in winter and the lowest ones in summer. We showed the results of the reindeer heat balance computer simulation on two maps visualising the average Kt values in summer and in winter. Finally, using official statistics, we calculated the number of reindeer per 100 km2 in areas with different types of traditional reindeer herding. The territories with the largest domesticated reindeer populations per 100 km2 in the two major tundra reindeer breeding areas (Samoed and Chukchi-Koriak types of reindeer herding) are located in the regions with the relatively low value of Kt in summer and high in winter. In the taiga, Kt is relatively high in summer, and reindeer herding (Tungus and Saian types) is developed mostly in highlands, where the summer Kt is lower than in flatlands because of the vertical temperature gradient. The results obtained prove that thermal conditions are extremely important for traditional reindeer herding.

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 195-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Seymour ◽  
Michael Murray

Purpose There is increasing evidence that participation in various art forms can be beneficial for health and well-being. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of participating in a poetry reading group on a group of older residents of an assisted living facility. Design/methodology/approach Six poetry sessions, each on a different theme, were conducted with a group of volunteer participants. These sessions, those of pre- and post-study focus groups and interviews with the group facilitator and staff contact were audio-recorded. The transcripts of the recordings were then subjected to a thematic analysis. Findings Overall the participants were enthused by the opportunity to participate in the project and the benefits were confirmed by the support staff. In addition, reading poetry on particular themes promoted different types of discussion. Research limitations/implications The number of participants in this study was small and the study was conducted over a short period of time. Practical implications This paper confirms the impact of poetry reading for older people. The challenge is to explore this impact in more detail and over community as well as residential settings. Originality/value This paper is the first empirical report on the value of poetry reading for older people.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janice Haddon

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to look at the link between employee well-being in the workplace and its effect on productivity. Specifically, it looks at the different types of well-being (physical, nutritional and mental) and how organisations should be putting the welfare of staff at the heart of their workplace culture, to ensure their well-being and productivity. Design/methodology/approach Written as a viewpoint, the paper outlines the ways in which organisations traditionally offer employees incentives to look after their physical and nutritional well-being, such as gym memberships and healthy food options. It goes on to look at the impact of mental health on productivity and the symptoms employees may display if they are suffering with mental illness. Findings Mental health is one of the key contributors to productivity, and employers should do more to ensure the mental well-being of their staff. In addition, it outlines the impact a person’s mental well-being can have not only on themselves, but also on those around them, affecting, therefore, the productivity of a team/organisation as a whole, not just the individual. Originality/value The findings in the paper are based on personal experience, as well as recent statistics which are used to highlight the importance of the arguments made in the paper about the effect of mental health on and individual’s well-being and productivity. It is designed to advise HR managers and employers of the steps they can take to ensure the well-being of their employees and the benefits to themselves in doing so.


2021 ◽  
Vol 297 ◽  
pp. 01007
Author(s):  
Zaineb Ben Zaid ◽  
Amine Tilioua ◽  
Omar Ansari ◽  
Ibtissam Lamaamar ◽  
Moulay Ahmed Hamdi Alaoui

The objective of this study is to evaluate the thermal performance of clay-straw walls of buildings integrating phase change materials (PCM). The influence of integrating different types of PCM in the envelope has been studied numerically in several studies. The optimal wall thickness with PCM integrated suitable for the climatic conditions of Errachidia has been studied. The heat balance equations for the different wall configurations are formulated and solved numerically under the same climatic conditions. The results obtained show that the integration of PCM in the clay-straw wall instead of the cement wall increases the heat flux density as a function of time by up to 80 % based on the thermal properties of the PCM and the environmental conditions of the study.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1856
Author(s):  
Aroa Casado ◽  
Yasmina Avià ◽  
Miquel Llorente ◽  
David Riba ◽  
Juan Francisco Pastor ◽  
...  

The environmental conditions of captive hominoid primates can lead to modifications in several aspects of their behavior, including locomotion, which can then alter the morphological characteristics of certain anatomical regions, such as the knee or wrist. We have performed tridimensional geometric morphometrics (3D GM) analyses of the distal radial epiphysis in wild and captive gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Our objective was to study the morphology of the insertion sites of the palmar radiocarpal ligaments, since the anatomical characteristics of these insertion sites are closely related to the different types of locomotion of these hominoid primates. We have identified significant differences between the wild and captive specimens that are likely related to their different types of locomotion. Our results indicate that the habitat conditions of captive hominoid primates may cause them to modify their locomotor behavior, leading to a greater use of certain movements in captivity than in the wild and resulting in the anatomical changes we have observed. We suggest that creating more natural environments in zoological facilities could reduce the impact of these differences and also increase the well-being of primates raised in captive environments.


Author(s):  
E. D. Pyatibrat

Relevance. Participation in military conflicts, long-term vital threat, irregular working hours, frequent moving to new places of residence impose negative imprints in the form of various functional disorders and even the formation of psychogenic diseases on employees of various law enforcement agencies.Intention. To assess the impact of organized summer holidays under different climatic conditions on the functional state of the veterans of law enforcement agencies previously engaged in activities under extreme conditions.Methodology. 65 retired men soldiers of different law enforcement agencies aged 45 to 54 years were examined before and after organized summer holidays under different climatic conditions. Hemodynamic parameters, mobility of nervous processes and current mental state were assessed.Results and Discussion. After a river cruise in the North-West and mid-latitudes of Russia, decreased tension of the functional circulatory system as well as improved mobility of nervous processes and current mental state were reported. On the contrary, increased tension of the functional circulatory system, decreased mobility of nervous processes, well-being, activity, mood and increased anxiety were reported after holidays at low-latitude resorts.Conclusion. Thus, the functional state of veterans of law enforcement agencies who survived repeated mental trauma and vital threat, was effectively restored after a river cruise in the North-West and mid-latitudes of Russia.


2017 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 107-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klea Faniko ◽  
Till Burckhardt ◽  
Oriane Sarrasin ◽  
Fabio Lorenzi-Cioldi ◽  
Siri Øyslebø Sørensen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Two studies carried out among Albanian public-sector employees examined the impact of different types of affirmative action policies (AAPs) on (counter)stereotypical perceptions of women in decision-making positions. Study 1 (N = 178) revealed that participants – especially women – perceived women in decision-making positions as more masculine (i.e., agentic) than feminine (i.e., communal). Study 2 (N = 239) showed that different types of AA had different effects on the attribution of gender stereotypes to AAP beneficiaries: Women benefiting from a quota policy were perceived as being more communal than agentic, while those benefiting from weak preferential treatment were perceived as being more agentic than communal. Furthermore, we examined how the belief that AAPs threaten men’s access to decision-making positions influenced the attribution of these traits to AAP beneficiaries. The results showed that men who reported high levels of perceived threat, as compared to men who reported low levels of perceived threat, attributed more communal than agentic traits to the beneficiaries of quotas. These findings suggest that AAPs may have created a backlash against its beneficiaries by emphasizing gender-stereotypical or counterstereotypical traits. Thus, the framing of AAPs, for instance, as a matter of enhancing organizational performance, in the process of policy making and implementation, may be a crucial tool to countering potential backlash.


GeroPsych ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 171-179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence M. Solberg ◽  
Lauren B. Solberg ◽  
Emily N. Peterson

Stress in caregivers may affect the healthcare recipients receive. We examined the impact of stress experienced by 45 adult caregivers of their elderly demented parents. The participants completed a 32-item questionnaire about the impact of experienced stress. The questionnaire also asked about interventions that might help to reduce the impact of stress. After exploratory factor analysis, we reduced the 32-item questionnaire to 13 items. Results indicated that caregivers experienced stress, anxiety, and sadness. Also, emotional, but not financial or professional, well-being was significantly impacted. There was no significant difference between the impact of caregiver stress on members from the sandwich generation and those from the nonsandwich generation. Meeting with a social worker for resource availability was identified most frequently as a potentially helpful intervention for coping with the impact of stress.


Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Reisch ◽  
Petra Schlatter ◽  
Wolfgang Tschacher

This study assesses the efficacy of the treatment approach implemented in the Bern Crisis Intervention Program, where particular emphasis is placed on the remediation of suicide ideation and suicidal behavior, and depression, fear, and phobia are generally considered to be contributing factors. Four questionnaires addressing psychopathology, emotional well-being, social anxiety, and personality were administered prior to and after the treatment of 51 patients over a period of 2 to 3 weeks. The reduction of symptoms contributing to suicidal ideation and behavior was interpreted as indirect evidence of an antisuicidal effect of the program. Significant improvements were found in the psychopathology ratings, with depression and anxiety showing the largest reductions. The impact on personality and social phobia, however, was only moderate, and on average patients still exhibited symptoms after attending the program. This residual symptomatology points to the necessity of introducing a two-step therapy approach of intensive intervention targeted at the precipitating causes of the crisis, augmented by long-term therapy to treat underlying problems.


Crisis ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Friedrich Martin Wurst ◽  
Isabella Kunz ◽  
Gregory Skipper ◽  
Manfred Wolfersdorf ◽  
Karl H. Beine ◽  
...  

Background: A substantial proportion of therapists experience the loss of a patient to suicide at some point during their professional life. Aims: To assess (1) the impact of a patient’s suicide on therapists distress and well-being over time, (2) which factors contribute to the reaction, and (3) which subgroup might need special interventions in the aftermath of suicide. Methods: A 63-item questionnaire was sent to all 185 Psychiatric Clinics at General Hospitals in Germany. The emotional reaction of therapists to patient’s suicide was measured immediately, after 2 weeks, and after 6 months. Results: Three out of ten therapists suffer from severe distress after a patients’ suicide. The item “overall distress” immediately after the suicide predicts emotional reactions and changes in behavior. The emotional responses immediately after the suicide explained 43.5% of the variance of total distress in a regression analysis. Limitations: The retrospective nature of the study is its primary limitation. Conclusions: Our data suggest that identifying the severely distressed subgroup could be done using a visual analog scale for overall distress. As a consequence, more specific and intensified help could be provided to these professionals.


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