A history of the presidency of National Taiwan University: The relationship between the university and an evolving democratic nation

Higher education always plays an important role in the development of a nation. Taiwan is no exception. Graduates of the National Taiwan University have occupied most of the important positions in this country and today many devote themselves to the development of Taiwan since the central government of the Republic of China (ROC) withdrew from Mainland China and re-located to Taiwan in the winter of 1949. The higher education system in Taiwan, including university and junior colleges, received special attention from the government except from 1945 to 1949 during the transitional period; the time of the early restoration year and the central government's retreating period from Mainland China.^ The five presidents of National Taiwan University who served from 1949 to 1993, Fu Szu-nien, Chien Seu-liang, Yen Chen-Hsing, Yu Chao-chung, and Sun Chen, are the subject of this research. All of the presidents were appointed by the government which established a direct connection between the government and the university leadership. The purpose of this study is to understand how each president balanced politically assigned roles and expectations with personal visionary academic responsiveness to the principles which define the university.^ Each president and his tenure were analyzed using historical research, a developed leadership model, an integration of role theory, Locke's leadership model, Wiles and Bondi curriculum leader tasks, and Burn's leadership style. Results of analyses of documents showed that all presidents of the National Taiwan University were highly respected due to their academic background, personal characteristics, and contribution to the university as a leader. Meanwhile, implementation and achievement of the presidents led to the conclusion that appointed university presidents had significant relationships with government policy. Their leadership style was affected strongly by their personal traits and knowledge and the social and political climate of the time. ^

Phosphorus enrichment effects on interactions among the ecosystem components in a long-hydroperiod oligotrophic marsh in Everglades National Park

Hydrology and a history of oligotrophy unite the massive landscape comprising freshwater marsh in Everglades National Park. With restoration of water flow to the Everglades, phosphorus (P) enrichment, both from agricultural and domestic sources, may increase nutrient load to the marsh ecosystem. Previous research of P enrichment of Everglades soil, periphyton, and macrophytes revealed each of these ecosystem components responds to increased P loads with increased production and nutrient content. Interactions among these ecosystem components and how P affects the magnitude and direction of interaction are poorly understood and are the focus of my research. Here I present results of a two-year, two-factor experiment of P enrichment and manipulation in Everglades National Park. I quantified biomass, nutrient content, and production for periphyton and macrophyes and found macrophyte removal drives change in nutrient content, biomass, and production of periphyton. Periphyton removal did not appear to control macrophyte dynamics. Soil chemical and physical characteristics were explained primarily by site differences but there was an enrichment effect of soil porewater nitrite + nitrate, nitrite, and soluble reactive phosphorus. Flocculent materials production and depth were significantly affected by macrophyte removal where depth and production were significantly greater with the no macrophyte treatment. The dominant macrophyte of the marsh, Eleocharis cellulosa, increased more in the unenriched marsh than in the enriched marsh. The combination of these findings suggests that dynamics in floc and periphyton are controlled primarily by the presence of periphyton and that this relationship is significantly affected by low-level P enrichment. These results may be valuable in their application to both managers and policy makers who are involved in the Everglades restoration process. ^

The successional dynamics of lightning-initiated canopy gaps in the mangrove forests of Shark River, Everglades National Park, USA

Gap succession is a significant determinant of structure and development in most forest communities. Lightning strikes are an important source of canopy gaps in the mangrove forest of Everglades National Park. I investigated the successional dynamics of lightning-initiated canopy gaps to determine their influence on forest stand structure of the mixed mangrove forests ( Rhizophora mangle, Laguncularia racemosa, and Avicennia germinans ) of the Shark River. I measured gap size, gap shape, light environment, soil characteristics, woody debris, and fiddler crab abundance. I additionally measured the vegetative composition in a chronosequences of gap successional stages (new, recruiting, and growing gaps). I recorded survivorship, recruitment, growth and soil elevation dynamics within a subset of new and growing gaps. I determined the relationship between intact forest soil elevation and site hydrology in order to interpret the effects of lightning disturbance on soil elevation dynamics. ^ Gap size averaged 289 ± 20 m2 (± 1SE) and light transmittance decreased exponentially as gaps filled with saplings. Fine woody debris was highest in recruiting gaps. Soil strength was lower in the gaps than in the forest. The abundance of large and medium fiddler crab burrows increased linearly with total seedling abundance. Soil surface elevation declined in newly formed lightning gaps; this loss was due to a combination of superficial erosion (8.5 mm) and subsidence (60.9 mm). A distinct two-cohort recruitment pattern was evident in the seedling/sapling surveys, suggesting a partitioning of the succession between individuals present before and after lightning strike. In new gaps, the seedling recruitment rate was twice as high as in forest and the sapling population increased. At the growing gap stage, R. mangle seedling mortality was 10 times greater and sapling mortality was 13 times greater than recruitment. Growing gaps had reduced seedling stem elongation, sapling growth and adult growth. However, a few individuals (R. mangle saplings) were able to recruit into the adult life stage. In conclusion, the high density of R. mangle seedlings and saplings imply that lightning strike disturbances in these mangrove forests favor their recruitment over that of A. germinans and L. racemosa. ^

The impact of institutional complexity and top management characteristics on executive compensation and firm performance

While most studies take a dyadic view when examining the environmental difference between the home country of a multinational enterprise (MNE) and a particular foreign country, they ignore that an MNE is managing a network of subsidiaries embedded in diverse environments. Additionally, neither the impacts of global environments on top executives nor the effects of top executives’ capabilities to handle institutional complexity are fully explored. Thus, using a three-essay format, this dissertation tried to fill these gaps by addressing the effects of institutional complexity and top management characteristics on top executive compensation and firm performance. ^ Essay 1 investigated the impact of an MNE’s institutional complexity, or the diversity of national institutions facing an MNE’s network of subsidiaries, on the top management team (TMT) compensation. This essay proposed that greater political and cultural complexity leads to not only greater TMT total compensation but also to a greater portion of TMT compensation linked with long-term performance. The arguments are supported in this essay by using an unbalanced panel dataset including 296 U.S. firms with 1,340 observations. ^ Essay 2 explored TMT social capital and its moderating role on value creation and appropriation by the chief executive officer (CEO). Using a sample with 548 U.S. firms and 2,010 observations, it found that greater TMT social capital does facilitate the effects of CEO intellectual capital and social capital on firm growth. Finally, essay 3 examined the performance implications for the fit between managerial information-processing capabilities and institutional complexity. It proposed that institutional complexity is associated with the needs of information-processing. On the other hand, smaller TMT turnover and larger TMT size reflect larger managerial information-processing capabilities. Consequently, superior performance is achieved by the match among institutional complexity, TMT turnover, and TMT size. All hypotheses in essay 3 are supported in a sample of 301 U.S. firms and 1,404 observations. ^ To conclude, this dissertation advances and extends our knowledge on the roles of institutional environments and top executives on firm performance and top executive compensation.^

Leaf gas exchange characteristics of three neotropical mangrove species in response to varying hydroperiod

We determined how different hydroperiods affected leaf gas exchange characteristics of greenhouse-grown seedlings (2002) and saplings (2003) of the mangrove species Avicennia germinans (L.) Stearn., Laguncularia racemosa (L.) Gaertn. f., and Rhizophora mangle L. Hydroperiod treatments included no flooding (unflooded), intermittent flooding (intermittent), and permanent flooding (flooded). Plants in the intermittent treatment were measured under both flooded and drained states and compared separately. In the greenhouse study, plants of all species maintained different leaf areas in the contrasting hydroperiods during both years. Assimilation-light response curves indicated that the different hydroperiods had little effect on leaf gas exchange characteristics in either seedlings or saplings. However, short-term intermittent flooding for between 6 and 22 days caused a 20% reduction in maximum leaf-level carbon assimilation rate, a 51% lower light requirement to attain 50% of maximum assimilation, and a 38% higher demand from dark respiration. Although interspecific differences were evident for nearly all measured parameters in both years, there was little consistency in ranking of the interspecific responses. Species by hydroperiod interactions were significant only for sapling leaf area. In a field study, R. mangle saplings along the Shark River in the Everglades National Park either demonstrated no significant effect or slight enhancement of carbon assimilation and water-use efficiency while flooded. We obtained little evidence that contrasting hydroperiods affect leaf gas exchange characteristics of mangrove seedlings or saplings over long time intervals; however, intermittent flooding may cause short-term depressions in leaf gas exchange. The resilience of mangrove systems to flooding, as demonstrated in the permanently flooded treatments, will likely promote photosynthetic and morphological adjustment to slight hydroperiod shifts in many settings.

Chemical characteristics of dissolved organic matter in an oligotrophic subtropical wetland/estuarine ecosystem

Fluorescence properties of whole water samples and molecular characteristics of ultrafiltrated dissolved organic matter (UDOM > 1,000 D) such as lignin phenol and neutral sugar compositions and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra were determined along a freshwater to marine gradient in Everglades National Park. Furthermore, UDOM samples were categorized by hierarchical cluster analysis based on their pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry products. Fluorescence properties suggest that autochthonous DOM leached/exuded from biomass is quantitatively important in this system. 13C NMR spectra showed that UDOM from the oligotrophic Taylor Slough (TS) and Florida Bay (FB) ecosystems has low aromatic C (13% ± 3% for TS; 2% ± 2% for FB) and very high O-alkyl C (54% ± 4% for TS; 75% ± 4% for FB) concentrations. High O-alkyl C concentrations in FB suggest seagrass/phytoplankton communities as dominant sources of UDOM. The amount of neutral sugars was not appreciably different between the TS and FB sites (115 ± 12 mg C g C-1 UDOM) but their concentrations suggest a low level of diagenesis and high production rates of this material in this oligotrophic environment. Total yield of lignin phenols (vanillyl + syringyl phenols) in TS was low (0.20–0.39 mg 100 mg C-1 UDOM) compared with other riverine environments and even lower in FB (0.04–0.07 mg 100 mg C-1 UDOM) and could be a result of photodegradation and/or dilution by other utochthonous DOM. The high O-alkyl and low aromatic nature of this UDOM suggests significant biogenic inputs (as compared with soils) and limited bioavailability in this ecosystem.

Better Spanish, Better English: Native Language Literacy and Adult Education

Characteristics of the predominantly Hispanic community and native language usage in Miami are discussed in relation to poverty and common adult education programs. Native language literacy instruction is considered as an alternative offering to meet learners’ needs.

Curricular perceptions of adult education at National Chun -Chin University, Chia -Yi, Taiwan

This research was conducted in Chia-Yi, Taiwan to study the needs of adult education participants to determine the factors necessary to provide direction for the development of university adult education curriculum and supportive government educational policies. Factors researched were characteristics of the adult learner, theories of adult learning, demands of adult education, and implications of university adult education as the theoretical foundation for the development of specific curriculum development efforts. The study investigated adult learning needs and their relationship with demographic variable. Analyzing the needs of adult education participant and the relative factors through a survey resulted in recommendations for the development of adult education program plans, content of curriculum, and teaching. Research questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies, chi square, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and post hoc analysis. ^ The study showed that most participants in these adult education activities were under forty, middle class, of above average educational levels, and either living or working in the city. People who were older, of lesser social and economic positions, with lower educational standards, and living/working in the country, did not participate as much in adult education opportunities. Recommendations included that in the planning or setting up of adult education activities, attention be given to all the possible barriers or problems that are likely to occur in people's participation, e.g., motivation, interests, content of courses, teaching methods, willingness of participation, qualification of teachers, time, funds, locations, and so on. It is suggested that the resolution of these problems can significantly increase the participation of adult education. ^

Fluorescence Characteristics of Size-Fractionated Dissolved Organic Matter: Implications for a Molecular Assembly Based Structure?

Surface freshwater samples from Everglades National Park, Florida, were used to investigate the size distributions of natural dissolved organic matter (DOM) and associated fluorescence characteristics along the molecular weight continuum. Samples were fractionated using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and characterized by spectroscopic means, in particular Excitation-Emission Matrix fluorescence modeled with parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). Most of the eight components obtained from PARAFAC modeling were broadly distributed across the DOM molecular weight range, and the optical properties of the eight size fractions for all samples studied were quite consistent among each other. Humic-like components presented a similar distribution in all the samples, with enrichment in the middle molecular weight range. Some variability in the relative distribution of the different humic-like components was observed among the different size fractions and among samples. The protein like fluorescence, although also generally present in all fractions, was more variable but generally enriched in the highest and lowest molecular weight fractions. These observations are in agreement with the hypothesis of a supramolecular structure for DOM, and suggest that DOM fluorescence characteristics may be controlled by molecular assemblies with similar optical properties, distributed along the molecular weight continuum. This study highlights the importance of studying the molecular structure of DOM on a molecular size distribution perspective, which may have important implications in understanding the environmental dynamics such materials.

Trajectories of Vegetation Response to Water Management in Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, Florida

Ecosystem management practices that modify the major drivers and stressors of an ecosystem often lead to changes in plant community composition. This paper examines how closely the trajectory of vegetation change in seasonally-flooded wetlands tracks management-induced alterations in hydrology and soil characteristics. We used trajectory analysis, a multivariate method designed to test hypotheses about rates and directions of community change, to examine vegetation shifts in response to changes in water management practices within the Taylor Slough basin of Everglades National Park. We summarized vegetation data by non-metric multidimensional scaling ordination, and examined the time trajectory of each site along environmental vectors representing hydrology and soil phosphorus gradients. In the Taylor Slough basin, vegetation change trajectories closely followed the hydrologic changes caused by the operation of water pumps and detention ponds adjacent to the canals. We also observed a shift in vegetation composition along a vector of increasing soil phosphorus, which suggests the need for implementing measures to avoid P-enrichment in southern Everglades marl prairies. This study indicates that shifts in vegetation composition in response to changes in hydrologic conditions and associated parameters may be detected through trajectory analysis, thereby providing feedback for adaptive management of wetland ecosystems.

Georeferenced standardized apparent wave power along the coastline of Cabrera National Park for analysis of essential habitats of littoral species

Wind- induced exposure is one of the major forces shaping the geomorphology and biota in coastal areas. The effect of wave exposure on littoral biota is well known in marine environments (Ekebon et al., 2003; Burrows et al., 2008). In the Cabrera Archipelago National Park wave exposure has demostrated to have an effect on the spatial distribution of different stages of E.marginatus (Alvarez et al., 2010). Standarized average wave exposures during 2008 along the Cabrera Archipelago National park coast line were calculated to be applied in studies of littoral species distribution within the archipelago. Average wave exposure (or apparent wave power) was calculated for points located 50 m equidistant on the coastline following the EXA methodology (EXposure estimates for fragmented Archipelagos) (Ekebon et al., 2003). The average wave exposures were standardized from 1 to 100 (minimum and maximum in the area), showing coastal areas with different levels of mea wave exposure during the year. Input wind data (direction and intensity) from 2008 was registered at the Cabrera mooring located north of Cabrera Archipelago. Data were provided by IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB, TMMOS http://www.imedea.uib-csic.es/tmoos/boyas/). This cartography has been developed under the framework of the project EPIMHAR, funded by the National Park's Network (Spanish Ministry of Environment, Maritime and Rural Affairs, reference: 012/2007 ). Part of this work has been developed under the research programs funded by "Fons de Garantia Agrària i Pesquera de les Illes Balears (FOGAIBA)".

Employment status and health in Spain before and after the Great Recession

This article analyzes the relationship between employment status (ES), on one hand, and self-rated health and psychological distress, on the other, in the context of the Great Recession beginning in 2008. For this purpose, it is necessary to move beyond the employment/unemployment dichotomy characteristics of previous theories and research concerning the relationship between the labor market, recession, and health. The authors use data from the Spanish National Health Surveys in 2006 (n = 15,128), before the crisis, and in 2012 (n = 11,124), when its consequences had taken effect. The results of the regression analysis indicate a structural change in the relationship between ES and health. Health inequality patterns changed during the crisis, with increased deterioration in the health of unemployed, especially the long-term unemployed, and self-employed workers. Health inequalities were reduced for temporary workers. The results support the idea that the structure of the association between ES and health varies according to the economic cycle. The association between recession, ES, and health would be directly related to the specific characteristics of the economic and employment contexts under study. In the Spanish case, labor market segmentation processes based on numerical flexibility—a key feature of the Mediterranean Variety of Capitalism—may explain the results obtained.

Characteristics of entrepreneurs and public support for NTBFs

This paper studies the role of the characteristics of entrepreneurs as determinants of public financial support for New Technology Based Firms (NTBFs). Using a single database about the profile of Spanish technology entrepreneurs from 2001 to 2009, we analyze the relationship between NTBF participation in the NEOTEC program run by the main Spanish public agency for R&D and four dimensions of the entrepreneurial team: its human capital, its links to the public system of R&D, its motivation at the time the company was created and the extent of its planning to initiate the business activity. Our results show that NTBFs founded by entrepreneurs who have less experience in management, have planned less, are more oriented toward growth and have closer ties to the public system of R&D are more likely to participate in the public aid program.

Factors associated with self-cutting as a method of self-harm: findings from the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self-Harm

Background: Research suggests that patients presenting to hospital with self-cutting differ from those with intentional overdose in demographic and clinical characteristics. However, large-scale national studies comparing self-cutting patients with those using other self-harm methods are lacking. We aimed to compare hospital-treated self-cutting and intentional overdose, to examine the role of gender in moderating these differences, and examine the characteristics and outcomes of those patients presenting with combined self-cutting and overdose. Methods: Between 2003 and 2010, the Irish National Registry of Deliberate Self-Harm recorded 42,585 self-harm presentations to Irish hospital emergency departments meeting the study inclusion criteria. Data were obtained on demographic and clinical characteristics by independent data registration officers. Results: Compared with overdose only, involvement of self-cutting (with or without overdose) was significantly more common in males than females, with an overrepresentation of males aged <35 years. Independent of gender, involvement of self-cutting (with or without overdose) was significantly associated with younger age, city residence, repetition within 30 days and repetition within a year (females only). Factors associated with self-cutting as the sole method were no fixed abode/living in an institution, presenting outside 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., not consuming alcohol and repetition between 31 days and 1 year (males only). Conclusion: The demographic and clinical differences between self-harm patients underline the presence of different subgroups with implications for service provision and prevention of repeated self-harm. Given the relationship between self-cutting and subsequent repetition, service providers need to ensure that adequate follow-up arrangements and supports are in place for the patient.

Evaluating the Impact of the Positive Choices Intervention on Substance Use, Psychological, and Care Engagement Outcomes Relevant to Current National HIV Prevention Goals

The HIV epidemic in the United States continues to be a significant public health problem, with approximately 50,000 new infections occurring each year. National public health priorities have shifted in recent years towards targeted HIV prevention efforts among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) that include: increasing engagement in and retention in care, improving HIV treatment adherence, and increasing screening for and treatment of substance use and psychological difficulties. This study evaluated the efficacy of Positive Choices (PC), a brief, care-based, theory-driven, 3-session counseling intervention for newly HIV-diagnosed men who have sex with men (MSM), in the context of current national HIV prevention priorities. The study involved secondary analysis of data from a preliminary efficacy trial of the PC intervention (n=102). Descriptive statistics examined baseline substance use, psychological characteristics and strategies, and care engagement and HIV-related biological outcomes. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) examined longitudinal changes in these variables by study condition. Results indicated that PC improved adherence to HIV treatment, but increased use of illicit drugs, specifically amyl nitrates and other stimulant drugs; additionally, moderation analyses indicated differences in patterns of change over time in viral load by baseline depression status. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.