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Many existing parks are currently experiencing difficulties in achieving their conservation aims, yet they remain an important option for maintaining and enhancing the conservation of biological diversity and ecosystem processes. Critics have claimed that many national parks cannot continue to protect the biological resources within their borders, and the sustainability of these areas over the long-term is in question. Ways need to be found to strengthen those that are failing, and to understand and replicate those that are succeeding. This paper presents the empirical results from a systematic evaluation of how effectively six case study national parks and national park reserves in Canada and South Africa have been protecting ecological integrity. Several parks were effective at addressing the priorities for which they had monitoring data, however the effectiveness rating of each park decreased when all indicators, including those identified as priorities but lacking monitoring data, were analysed. This indicates that the parks had generally identified more priority indicators than they were actually able to address (for many reasons, including lack of budget or trained staff, managerial challenges). Overall, a systematic approach to evaluating ecological integrity in national parks is recommended as the managers of protected areas cannot be expected to conserve the biological diversity and ecosystem processes within their borders if they are unaware of the ecological status of the park’s biodiversity. The paper concludes with several practical recommendations for monitoring ecological integrity in national parks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Given the relatively new phenomenon of online child exploitation -- an important area of criminological and policy concern - it is difficult to obtain long term trend data on reported convictions. Existing legislative and prosecution-based approaches, while important, are unlikely to be adequate. This analysis of the legislative and prosecution-based responses in five Commonwealth countries (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and United Kingdom), highlights the need for clear national and international definitions as the lack of consistency in the international legislative environment creates opportunities for sexual exploitation of children. To provide a multi-faceted and non-prosecutorial approach to address online child exploitation including the commercial exploitation of children, this paper identifies five potential research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Previous studies of methane and higher hydrocarbon gases in Precambrian Shield rocks in Canada and the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa identified two major gas types. Paleometeoric waters were dominated by hydrocarbon gases with compositional and isotopic characteristics consistent with production by methanogens utilizing the CO2 reduction pathway. In contrast the deepest, most saline fracture waters contained gases that did not resemble the products of microbial methanogenesis and were dominated by both high concentrations of H2 gas, and CH4 and higher hydrocarbon gases with isotopic signatures attributed to abiogenic processes of water–rock reaction in these high rock/water ratio, hydrogeologically-isolated fracture waters. Based on new data obtained for the higher hydrocarbon gases in particular, a model is proposed to account for carbon isotope variation between CH4 and the higher hydrocarbon gases (specifically ethane, propane, butane, and pentane) consistent with abiogenic polymerization. Values of δ13C for CH4 and the higher hydrocarbon gases predicted by the model are shown to match proposed abiogenic hydrocarbon gas end-members identified at five field sites (two in Canada and three in South Africa) suggesting that the carbon isotope patterns between the hydrocarbon homologs reflect the reaction mechanism. In addition, the δ2H isotope data for these gases are shown to be out of isotopic equilibrium, suggesting the consistent apparent fractionation observed between the hydrocarbon homologs may also reflect reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of the gases. Recent experimental and field studies of proposed abiogenic hydrocarbons such as those found at mid-ocean spreading centers and off-axis hydrothermal fields such as Lost City have begun to focus not only on the origin of CH4, but on the compositional and isotopic information contained in the higher hydrocarbon gases. The model explored in this paper suggests that while the extent of fractionation in the first step in the hydrocarbon synthesis reaction chain may vary as a function of different reaction parameters, δ13C values for the higher hydrocarbon gases may be predicted by a simple mass balance model from the δ13C values of the lower molecular weight precursors, consistent with abiogenic polymerization. Integration of isotopic data for the higher hydrocarbon gases in addition to CH4 may be critical for delineation of the origin of the hydrocarbons and investigation of formation mechanisms. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Clinical trials for the treatment of schizophrenia now often include cognitive assessments in addition to clinical ratings of symptoms. Recently, these trials have included cross-national assessments. It is not clear if translated psychological tests produce consistent results across different languages. This paper presents the results of a study of the comparability of the results of cognitive assessments in different English-speaking countries and a number of countries where tests were translated into other languages. Performance on tests of executive functioning, verbal and visuo-spatial learning and memory, language skills, psychomotor speed, and vigilance was compared across the first episode patients with schizophrenia (n=301) assessed in six different languages (English, French, Finnish, German, Hebrew, and Afrikaans), including two different countries where patients were assessed in English and other languages: Canada (French) and South Africa (Afrikaans). The variance in performance across the sites tested in English was as large as the variance between English and non-English speakers when all tests were considered. Performance differences across English and other languages were found only for executive functions, vigilance, and psychomotor speed, with executive functioning differences nonsignificant when education was considered. No differences were found between English and non-English speakers in Canada. These results suggest that the translation of tests of memory and verbal skills can lead to consistent results across translated versions of the tests. Differences between countries were greater than differences between languages, suggesting the need to consider representativeness of patient samples in terms of local educational attainment. In general, these data support the validity of cross-national neuropsychological assessments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Although the steel industry has brought economic benefits to many countries, it also has non-negligible impacts on the environment. To understand how steel production impacts are shared among trading countries, it is necessary to conduct a large scale research from environmental and economic perspectives. This study applies the life cycle assessment method (LCA) to analyze 12 major iron-mining and steel-making countries, calculate a "unit GDP impact intensity" and finally raise an issue of "pollution allocation" among actors in international trade. Results firstly indicate that normalized ecotoxicity impacts over the entire production chain are among the most crucial consequences of iron and steel production, even higher than the non-negligeble impacts from carbon emissions. Secondly, performance indicators indicating the relation between environmental impacts and economic activities can be calculated as Total Normalized Impacts/GDP, an inverse measure of environmental versus economic efficiency. South Africa has the highest unit GDP impact intensity (4.35E-4 TNI/US $) in iron mining, while Canada has the largest intensity in steel manufacturing (5.81E-3 TNI/US $). Thirdly, countries that largely benefit from importing "pollution-free" materials, should share a proportional responsibility for the environmental pollution caused by iron&steel processing activities occurring in their trade partner countries: this is especially true for China and US, which are major iron ore/steel importing economies. Finally, this paper proposes policy implications at local, national and international levels, from a perspective of global sustainable development. • Environmental impacts of iron mining and steel production are assessed by using LCA. • Toxicity is the most important problem. • South Africa and Canada have the highest UNI among iron/steel producing countries, respectively.. • Importing countries should take responsibility of generated impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]