University of Guelph

About: University of Guelph is a education organization based out in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 26542 authors who have published 50553 publications receiving 1715255 citations. The organization is also known as: U of G & Guelph University.

Human adaptation to climatic variability and change

Abstract: Recent developments in both the policy arena and the climate impacts research community point to a growing interest in human adaptation to climatic variability and change. The importance of adaptation in the climate change question is affirmed in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Technical Guidelines for Assessing Impacts and Adaptations and the IPCC’s more recent Second Assessment Report. Yet, the nature and processes of human adaptation to climate are poorly understood and rarely investigated directly. Most often, human responses of one form or another are simply assumed in impacts research. Analyses that do address adaptation use a variety of interpretations and perspectives resulting in an incomplete, and at times inconsistent, understanding of human adaptation to environmental variations. This paper reviews and synthesizes perspectives from an eclectic body of scholarship to develop a framework for characterizing and understanding human adaptation to climatic variabllily and change. The framework recognizes the characteristics of climatic events, the ecological properties of systems which mediate effects, and the dlstinctions which are possible among different types of adaptation. A classification scheme is proposed for differentiating adaptation strategies.

Talent management: A strategy for improving employee recruitment, retention and engagement within hospitality organizations

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this article is to clarify what is meant by talent management and why it is important (particularly with respect to its affect on employee recruitment, retention and engagement), as well as to identify factors that are critical to its effective implementation. Design/methodology/approach – This article is based on a review of the academic and popular talent management literatures. Findings – Talent management is an espoused and enacted commitment to implementing an integrated, strategic and technology enabled approach to human resource management (HRM). This commitment stems in part from the widely shared belief that human resources are the organization's primary source of competitive advantage; an essential asset that is becoming in increasingly short supply. The benefits of an effectively implemented talent management strategy include improved employee recruitment and retention rates, and enhanced employee engagement. These outcomes in turn have been associated with improved operational and financial performance. The external and internal drivers and restraints for talent management are many. Of particular importance is senior management understanding and commitment. Practical implications – Hospitality organizations interested in implementing a talent management strategy would be well advised to: define what is meant by talent management; ensure CEO commitment; align talent management with the strategic goals of the organization; establish talent assessment, data management and analysis systems; ensure clear line management accountability; and conduct an audit of all HRM practices in relation to evidence‐based best practices. Originality/value – This article will be of value to anyone seeking to better understand talent management or to improve employee recruitment, retention and engagement.

Organogels: An Alternative Edible Oil-Structuring Method

Abstract: Structuring liquid oils has become an active area of research in the past decade, mainly due to pressures to reduce saturated fat intake and eliminate trans fats from our diets. However, replacing hard fats with liquid oil can lead to major changes in the quality of food products. Recent strategies to impart solid-fat functionality to liquid oils include the addition of unusual compounds to oil, leading to its gelation. These include small-molecule organogelators such as phytosterols and 12-hydroxystearic acid, which self-assemble into crystalline fibers which trap oil. Other crystalline additives include waxes, ceramides, monoacylglycerides, and other surfactants. Recently, the polymer ethyl cellulose was reported to form a polymer gel in triacylglyceride (TAG) oils. Other non-conventional strategies also include the formation of protein-stabilized cellular solids with oil trapped within the cells. In this review, we summarize the research on each one of these components in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the area in oleogel research and provide future perspectives.

QoS-based Discovery and Ranking of Web Services

Abstract: Discovering Web services using keyword-based search techniques offered by existing UDDI APIs (i.e. Inquiry API) may not yield results that are tailored to clients' needs. When discovering Web services, clients look for those that meet their requirements, primarily the overall functionality and quality of service (QoS). Standards such as UDDI, WSDL, and SOAP have the potential of providing QoS-aware discovery, however, there are technical challenges associated with existing standards such as the client's ability to control and manage discovery of Web services across accessible service registries. This paper proposes a solution to this problem and introduces the Web service relevancy function (WsRF) used for measuring the relevancy ranking of a particular Web service based on client's preferences, and QoS metrics. We present experimental validation, results, and analysis of the presented ideas.

Global vulnerability of peatlands to fire and carbon loss

Abstract: The amount of carbon stored in peats exceeds that stored in vegetation A synthesis of the literature suggests that smouldering fires in peatlands could become more common as the climate warms, and release old carbon to the air Globally, the amount of carbon stored in peats exceeds that stored in vegetation and is similar in size to the current atmospheric carbon pool Fire is a threat to many peat-rich biomes and has the potential to disturb these carbon stocks Peat fires are dominated by smouldering combustion, which is ignited more readily than flaming combustion and can persist in wet conditions In undisturbed peatlands, most of the peat carbon stock typically is protected from smouldering, and resistance to fire has led to a build-up of peat carbon storage in boreal and tropical regions over long timescales But drying as a result of climate change and human activity lowers the water table in peatlands and increases the frequency and extent of peat fires The combustion of deep peat affects older soil carbon that has not been part of the active carbon cycle for centuries to millennia, and thus will dictate the importance of peat fire emissions to the carbon cycle and feedbacks to the climate