Sources and contributions of wood smoke during winter in London: assessing local and regional influences

Determining the contribution of wood smoke to air pollution in large cities such as London is becoming increasingly important due to the changing nature of domestic heating in urban areas. During winter, biomass burning emissions have been identified as a major cause of exceedances of European air quality limits. The aim of this work was to quantify the contribution of biomass burning in London to concentrations of PM2:5 and determine whether local emissions or regional contributions were the main source of biomass smoke. To achieve this, a number of biomass burning chemical tracers were analysed at a site within central London and two sites in surrounding rural areas. Concentrations of levoglucosan, elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and K+ were generally well correlated across the three sites. At all the sites, biomass burning was found to be a source of OC and EC, with the largest contribution of EC from traffic emissions, while for OC the dominant fraction included contributions from secondary organic aerosols, primary biogenic and cooking sources. Source apportionment of the EC and OC was found to give reasonable estimation of the total carbon from non-fossil and fossil fuel sources based upon comparison with estimates derived from 14C analysis. Aethalometer-derived black carbon data were also apportioned into the contributions frombiomass burning and traffic and showed trends similar to those observed for EC. Mean wood smoke mass at the sites was estimated to range from 0.78 to 1.0 μgm-3 during the campaign in January–February 2012. Measurements on a 160m tower in London suggested a similar ratio of brown to black carbon (reflecting wood burning and traffic respectively) in regional and London air. Peaks in the levoglucosan and K+ concentrations were observed to coincide with low ambient temperature, consistent with domestic heating as a major contributing local source in London. Overall, the source of biomass smoke in London was concluded to be a background regional source overlaid by contributions from local domestic burning emissions. This could have implications when considering future emission control strategies during winter and may be the focus of future work in order to better determine the contributing local sources.

Local and regional planning notes.

Description based on: no. 18 (Nov. 1968)

Stable oxygen isotopes in irish oaks: potential for reconstructing local and regional climate

The long Irish oak tree-ring chronology, developed for archaeological dating and radiocarbon calibration, is the longest of any in northwest maritime Europe, spanning most of the Holocene (7,272 years). Unfortunately, the rings widths do not carry a strong climate signal and the record hasnever been satisfactorily applied for dendroclimatic reconstruction. This pilot study explores the potential for extracting a climate signal from Irish oaks by comparing the stable oxygen isotopes ratios from 10 oak tree cores (Quercus robur and Quercus petraea L.) collected across the Armagh region of NE Ireland with local and regional climatic and stable isotopic data. Statistically significant correlations between isotope ratios and the amount of summer precipitation (r = -0.44) point to the isotopic composition of summer rainfall as the dominant signal. Including the Armagh data into an extended regional oxygen isotope series did not reduce the correlation coefficient with regional precipitation (r = -0.68, p < 0.01). Correlations of this magnitude in dendro-hydroclimatology are typically restricted to trees growing at their ecological limits. This research suggests that there is considerable potential for including living trees and ancient timbers from Ireland into a regional composite to reconstruct the summer hydroclimate of Britain and Ireland.

Corporate Social and Regional Responsibility - The View of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises

The objective of this research was to understand and describe what corpo-rate social and regional responsibility is in SMEs and define the meaning of these concepts to the community and region. Corporate social respon-sibility (CSR) creates a basis for regional responsibility. Regional respon-sibility is a new concept and this research examines it from SMEs’ view-point. This is a theoretical research and the aim is to create a theoretical framework of SMEs’ corporate social and regional responsibility. This framework supports the future research on the subject. The research results show that CSR of SMEs is practical, informal and dependent on the scarce resources of SMEs. CSR is a complex and deep concept and SMEs have their own way of interpreting it. It can be stated that CSR-practises in SMEs are closely connected to employment, envi-ronment, community and supply chain. The challenge is to find motivation to socially and regionally responsible behaviour in SMEs. Benefiting from responsible behaviour and the attitude of SME’s owner-manager are the key reasons for SMEs to involve in CSR and regional responsibility. The benefits of this involvement are for example improved image, reputation and market position. CSR can also be used in SMEs as risk management tool and in cost reduction. This study indicates also that creation of strate-gic partnerships, local government participation, a proper legal system and financial support are the basic issues which support CSR of SMEs. This research showed that regional responsibility of SMEs includes active participation in regional strategy processes, L&RED initiatives and regional philanthropy. For SMEs regional responsibility means good relationships with the community and other related stakeholders, involvement in L&RED initiatives and acting responsibly towards the operating environment. In SMEs’ case this means that they need to understand the benefits of this kind of involvement in order to take action and participate. As regional responsibility includes the relationships between firm and the community, it can be stated that regional responsibility extends CSR’s view of stakeholders and emphasises both, the regional stakeholders and public-private partnerships. Community engagement and responsible be-haviour towards community can be seen as a part of SMEs’ social and regional responsibility. This study indicates that social and regional re-sponsibility of SMEs have a significant influence on the community and region where they are located. Better local and regional relationships with regional and community actors are the positive impacts of social and re-gional responsibility of SMEs. Socially and regionally responsible behav-iour creates a more positive environment and deepens the involvement of SMEs to community and L&RED initiatives.

A interface entre uma Unidade de internação infantil em Pronto Socorro de Hospital Universitário, com o Sistema de Saúde local e regional

Pós-graduação em Pediatria - FMB

MIDIA IMPRESSA NA TRÍPLICE FRONTEIRA : estudo do jornal local A Gazeta do Iguaçu

Este estudo analisa a mídia impressa local produzida no lado brasileiro da Tríplice Fronteira, região limítrofe entre Brasil, Paraguai e Argentina e toma como exemplar o jornal brasileiro A Gazeta do Iguaçu, editado na cidade de Foz do Iguaçu, PR, que compõe a área trinacional. Os principais objetivos são analisar as características desta mídia local, a incidência de notícias sobre a fronteira, o relacionamento daquele veículo com as comunidades e com os grupos humanos que vivem na região, bem como o grau de influência e o nível de comprometimento do jornal com a política de Foz do Iguaçu. A base teóricometodológica constituiu-se de bibliografia sobre a questão global- local, dos estudos sobre multiculturalismo e diversidade cultural (estudos culturais), e dos questionamentos acerca de comunicação local e regional. As técnicas utilizadas foram, além da revisão bibliográfica, a análise de conteúdo do jornal A Gazeta do Iguaçu e entrevistas semi-estruturadas. Dentre as conclusões encontradas, verificou-se que a cobertura da fronteira é uma pauta prioritária, mas que ao mesmo tempo, perde espaço para o jornalismo de opinião, através das diversas colunas de opinião e sociais, que ocupam a maior parte do noticiário cotidiano local.(AU)

Os processos comunicacionais nas rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí

O trabalho reflete sobre os processos comunicacionais das 30 primeiras rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí. Procura traçar o panorama dessas emissoras, identificar as rádios que têm mais vínculos e atuação comunitária e também analisar seus papéis sociais e diferenças. Objetiva-se ainda seus processos comunicativos, além de mapear e fornecer visão do funcionamento de cada emissora, entender como ocorre a participação das comunidades, a visão do fazer radialismo e o significado das emissoras consideradas emblemáticas no fazer comunitário. Metodologicamente adota-se o método qualitativo, o qual foi desenvolvido com base em pesquisa bibliográfica, estudo documental e pesquisa de campo, cujas técnicas usadas foram: estudos de produção bibliográfica e de documentos virtuais e hemerográficos e realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas presenciais com membros das emissoras. As rádios comunitárias pesquisadas têm ampla importância nos espaços em que estão instaladas porque contribuem difundindo informação local e favorecendo o debate sobre novas demandas de cidadania e novos rumos para a região sertaneja piauiense.(AU)

Os processos comunicacionais nas rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí

O trabalho reflete sobre os processos comunicacionais das 30 primeiras rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí. Procura traçar o panorama dessas emissoras, identificar as rádios que têm mais vínculos e atuação comunitária e também analisar seus papéis sociais e diferenças. Objetiva-se ainda seus processos comunicativos, além de mapear e fornecer visão do funcionamento de cada emissora, entender como ocorre a participação das comunidades, a visão do fazer radialismo e o significado das emissoras consideradas emblemáticas no fazer comunitário. Metodologicamente adota-se o método qualitativo, o qual foi desenvolvido com base em pesquisa bibliográfica, estudo documental e pesquisa de campo, cujas técnicas usadas foram: estudos de produção bibliográfica e de documentos virtuais e hemerográficos e realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas presenciais com membros das emissoras. As rádios comunitárias pesquisadas têm ampla importância nos espaços em que estão instaladas porque contribuem difundindo informação local e favorecendo o debate sobre novas demandas de cidadania e novos rumos para a região sertaneja piauiense.(AU)

Os processos comunicacionais nas rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí

O trabalho reflete sobre os processos comunicacionais das 30 primeiras rádios comunitárias legalizadas do sertão do Piauí. Procura traçar o panorama dessas emissoras, identificar as rádios que têm mais vínculos e atuação comunitária e também analisar seus papéis sociais e diferenças. Objetiva-se ainda seus processos comunicativos, além de mapear e fornecer visão do funcionamento de cada emissora, entender como ocorre a participação das comunidades, a visão do fazer radialismo e o significado das emissoras consideradas emblemáticas no fazer comunitário. Metodologicamente adota-se o método qualitativo, o qual foi desenvolvido com base em pesquisa bibliográfica, estudo documental e pesquisa de campo, cujas técnicas usadas foram: estudos de produção bibliográfica e de documentos virtuais e hemerográficos e realização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas presenciais com membros das emissoras. As rádios comunitárias pesquisadas têm ampla importância nos espaços em que estão instaladas porque contribuem difundindo informação local e favorecendo o debate sobre novas demandas de cidadania e novos rumos para a região sertaneja piauiense.(AU)

Integration of local-scale hydrological and regional-scale geophysical based on a nonlinear Bayesian sequential simulation approach

Significant progress has been made with regard to the quantitative integration of geophysical and hydrological data at the local scale. However, extending the corresponding approaches to the regional scale represents a major, and as-of-yet largely unresolved, challenge. To address this problem, we have developed a downscaling procedure based on a non-linear Bayesian sequential simulation approach. The basic objective of this algorithm is to estimate the value of the sparsely sampled hydraulic conductivity at non-sampled locations based on its relation to the electrical conductivity, which is available throughout the model space. The in situ relationship between the hydraulic and electrical conductivities is described through a non-parametric multivariate kernel density function. This method is then applied to the stochastic integration of low-resolution, re- gional-scale electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data in combination with high-resolution, local-scale downhole measurements of the hydraulic and electrical conductivities. Finally, the overall viability of this downscaling approach is tested and verified by performing and comparing flow and transport simulation through the original and the downscaled hydraulic conductivity fields. Our results indicate that the proposed procedure does indeed allow for obtaining remarkably faithful estimates of the regional-scale hydraulic conductivity structure and correspondingly reliable predictions of the transport characteristics over relatively long distances.