Numerical Simulation and Optimisation of a Gas-Solid-Liquid Separator

Imperial Users onl

An economic approach to collective management of endemic animal diseases

The control of animal diseases is an issue of particular interest in animal production chains. Because of their direct impact on production, animal diseases generate income shortfalls for farmers. In some cases, diseases may also have lead to human health problems and undermine market access conditions. Because of these potential negative impacts, some diseases are regulated. But for many communicable diseases, much latitude is given to individual control of the disease by farmers. In the case of a communicable disease, individual management therefore generates an externality, as individual decisions have an impact on the level of risk exposure of other farms to the disease. Thus, the collective result of individual management may differ from the collective expectations. This gap can be reduced by collective actions. The aim of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework for the study of collective management of animal diseases, which will provide management tools to collective managers of animal health. The development of this conceptual framework rests on three steps. We first discuss the means to model the individual decisions of farmer in regard to animal diseases. Then it should take into account the interaction between the epidemiology of the disease and the individual decisions of farmers, by the coupling of epidemiologic and economic models. Finally, collective management tools are introduced in these models in order to test incentives schemes for horizontal coordination. Finally, collective actions are introduced in these models, in order to test devices for horizontal coordination (management of prevalence between farms).Animal health economics - Micro modelling – Bio-economic modelling - endemic animal diseases, Animal health economics, Micro modelling, Bio-economic modelling, endemic animal diseases, Livestock Production/Industries,

Solving the "Isomorphism of Polynomials with Two Secrets" Problem for all Pairs of Quadratic Forms

We study the Isomorphism of Polynomial (IP2S) problem with m=2 homogeneous quadratic polynomials of n variables over a finite field of odd characteristic: given two quadratic polynomials (a, b) on n variables, we find two bijective linear maps (s,t) such that b=t . a . s. We give an algorithm computing s and t in time complexity O~(n^4) for all instances, and O~(n^3) in a dominant set of instances. The IP2S problem was introduced in cryptography by Patarin back in 1996. The special case of this problem when t is the identity is called the isomorphism with one secret (IP1S) problem. Generic algebraic equation solvers (for example using Gr\"obner bases) solve quite well random instances of the IP1S problem. For the particular cyclic instances of IP1S, a cubic-time algorithm was later given and explained in terms of pencils of quadratic forms over all finite fields; in particular, the cyclic IP1S problem in odd characteristic reduces to the computation of the square root of a matrix. We give here an algorithm solving all cases of the IP1S problem in odd characteristic using two new tools, the Kronecker form for a singular quadratic pencil, and the reduction of bilinear forms over a non-commutative algebra. Finally, we show that the second secret in the IP2S problem may be recovered in cubic time

Self-Assessed Health Status and Satisfaction with Health Care Services in the Context of the Enlarged European Union

The paper aims at analysing the relationship between self-rated health-status, satisfaction with health care services and socio-economic factors, in the context of different national health care systems in the enlarged European Union. The effects of socio-economic deprivation and the functioning of national health care systems on self-rated health status and satisfaction with health care services are investigated using the European Social Survey 2006 dataset (ESS3), and macro data provided by Eurostat (2007) and the World Health Organization (2007). Socio-economic deprivation is measured both at the micro-level (using indicators of economic strain, household income, education, employment status and belonging to discriminated groups), and the macro-level (national poverty rates, the values of poverty thresholds, quintile ratios and GDP per capita). The performance of national health care systems is quantified with the help of two indexes, designed for the purpose of the present study: an index of total health care provisions and an index of governmental commitment to health care. The following countries are included in the analysis: Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.self-assessed health ; health care systems ; health inequalities ; governmental policies

Paid Work and Intellectual Disability

Adults with intellectual disabilities in paid work have voiced a number of concerns regarding their employment: independence at work, the continued need for links with formal support, choices in lifestyle opportunities and lack of career path options. In a central New Zealand region selected agencies were asked to identify adults with intellectual disabilities who had paid work. The agencies then forwarded invitations to adults whom they considered were successfully employed. Seventeen workers responded and were interviewed on how they obtained and learned their job and the initial and on-going support they received. If permissions were gained from both parties then important other persons/s were also interviewed. As a result of this survey strategies leading to better opportunities and greater employment rates for adults with intellectual disabilities are offered

Copulas and Correlation in Statistical Risk Theory

The Financial Risk Management (FRM) aims to identify, measure and manage risks in different sectors. One of the core things during such operations is measuring different dependencies. Linear correlation is known as one of the most popular measure of dependence, however it is known that it is a reasonable mea- sure of dependence only when variables are Normally distributed, but this is not the case with credit and portfolio risks, therefore other measures of dependency are needed. This paper presents a Copula function for bivariate case as one of the tools to analyze dependencies in portfolio risk management. Copulas were first introduced by Sklar in 1959 [8], and in 1999 they were studied in financial context for the first time by Embrechts et al. in 1999 [4]. Motivated by the copula analysis of European stock portfolios [6], this paper aims to analyze portfolio consisting of Asian S&P Asia 50 and S&P BSE 100 indices, and apply copula to this portfolio

Genealogi Ilmu Pemerintahan

ABSTRAK Government as a focus of government studies can be defined as organized and systematic activities, which originated from sovereign and independent entity which has its fundamentals to he identified as a state, which ruled over its citizens and territory to achieve its national goals. By that definition, it is clear that government studies is a subject with a wide ranging interpretation on government, included government of a state, a non-state government, and government in its common terms as an object of political science. Government studies with its modern characteristics was born in Prussia and Austria in the 17th century. This subject was known as Kameralwissenschaft. The cause of the needs of this particular subject is the thoughts that we need an organized knowledge directed straight on how government\u27s official should function_ In the next progress, lb-tier with various context in many countries and regions, study on go tierrinie nt has generated various terms, concepts, and object of study. kata kunci: asal-muasal kajian, perkembangan ilmu pernerintahan, karneralisme, ilmti pernerintahan terapan

The role of CA1 α-adrenoceptor on scopolamine induced memory impairment in male rats

Introduction: Similarities in the memory impairment between Alzheimer patients and scopolamine treated animals have been reported. In the present study, the possible role of α-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampus on scopolamine state-dependent memory in adult male Wistar rats was evaluated. Methods: The animals were bilaterally implanted with chronic cannulae in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus, trained in a step-through type inhibitory avoidance task, and tested 24 h after training to measure step-through latency. Results: Post-training intra-CA1 administration of scopolamine (0.5 and 2μg/rat) dose-dependently reduced the step-through latency, showing an amnestic response. Amnesia produced by post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat) was reversed by pre-test administration of the scopolamine (0.5 and 2 μg/rat) that is due to a state-dependent effect. Pre-test intra-CA1 injection of α1-adrenoceptor agonist, phenylephrine (0.25, 0.5 μg/rat) in the dose range that we used, could not affect memory impairment induced by post-training injection of scopolamine (2 μg/rat). However intra-CA1 pretest injection of α2-adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine (0.5 μg/rat) improved post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat) intra-CA1 injection induced retrieval impairment. Furthermore, pre-test intra-CA1 microinjection of phenylephrine (0.25 and 0.5 μg/rat) or clonidine (0.25 and 0.5 μg/rat) with an ineffective dose of scopolamine (0.25 μg/rat), synergistically improved memory performance impaired by post-training scopolamine (2 μg/rat). Our results also showed that, pre-test injection of α1-receptor antagonist prazosin (1, 2 μg/rat) or α2-receptors antagonist yohimbine (1, 2 μg/rat) before effective dose of scopolamine (2 μg/rat) prevented the improvement of memory by pre-test scopolamine. Conclusion: These results suggest that α1- and α2-adrenergic receptors of the dorsal hippocampal CA1 region may play an important role in scopolamine-induced amnesia and scopolamine state-dependent memory