Reducing Deforestation and Trading Emissions: Economic Implications for the post-Kyoto Carbon Market

This paper quantitatively assesses the economic implications of crediting carbon abatement from reduced deforestation for the emissions market in 2020 by linking a numerical equilibrium model of the global carbon market with a dynamic partial equilibrium model of the forestry sector. We find that integrating avoided deforestation in international emissions trading considerably decreases the costs of post-Kyoto climate policy – even when accounting for conventional abatement options of developing countries under the CDM. At the same time, tropical rainforest regions receive substantial net revenues from exporting carbon-offset credits to the industrialized world. Moreover, reduced deforestation can increase environmental effectiveness by enabling industrialized countries to tighten their carbon constraints without increasing mitigation costs. Regarding uncertainties of this future carbon abatement option, we find both forestry transaction costs and deforestation baselines to play an important role for the post-Kyoto carbon market. --Climate Change,Kyoto Protocol,Emissions Trading,Deforestation

Evidence flow graph methods for validation and verification of expert systems

The results of an investigation into the use of evidence flow graph techniques for performing validation and verification of expert systems are given. A translator to convert horn-clause rule bases into evidence flow graphs, a simulation program, and methods of analysis were developed. These tools were then applied to a simple rule base which contained errors. It was found that the method was capable of identifying a variety of problems, for example that the order of presentation of input data or small changes in critical parameters could affect the output from a set of rules

Salmonella and Caspase-1: A complex Interplay of Detection and Evasion

Salmonellae are intracellular pathogens that replicate within epithelial cells and macrophages, and are a significant public health threat in both developed and developing countries. The innate immune system detects microbes through pattern recognition receptors, which are compartmentalized on the subcellular level to detect either extracellular (e.g., TLRs) or cytosolic (e.g., NLRs) perturbations. Salmonella infection is detected by the NLRC4 and NLRP3 inflammasomes, which activate Caspase-1, resulting in reduced bacterial burdens during infection. NLRC4 responds to the SPI1 type III secretion system via detection of inadvertently translocated flagellin and rod protein. The signals for NLRP3 detection during Salmonella infection remain undefined. Salmonella have evolved evasion strategies to attenuate Caspase-1 responses. We review recent findings describing the interplay between detection and evasion of S. typhimurium infection by the inflammasome. We discuss how the interplay between detection and evasion affects Caspase-1 effector functions mediated by IL-1β secretion, IL-18 secretion, and pyroptosis

Clinical and radiological evaluation of minimally invasive intramedullary fixation by titanium elastic nails in paediatric long bone fractures of lower limb: a prospective study

Background: Elastic stable intramedullary nailing for the treatment of paediatric femur and tibial diaphyseal fractures was introduced by Prevot and colleagues in 1979. It follows three-point fixation principle that provides internal support in presence of cortical contact and an intact soft-tissue envelope. This technique has many advantages, including better reduction, dynamic axial stabilization, shorter hospitalization with early rehabilitation and low complication rate.Methods: This is a prospective observational study done at Kauvery Medical Centre, Trichy between May 2017 to May 2018 consisting of 39 children between age 5 to 16 years with diaphyseal fractures of femur and tibia. The fractures were treated by closed reduction and internal fixation with titanium elastic intramedullary nailing. The patients were evaluated clinically and radiologically and followed for an average of 6 months. Outcome was assessed using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) scoring system used by Flynn et al.Results: Our series consisted of 39 patients (22 cases with fracture shaft of femur and 17 cases with fracture shaft of tibia), 33 males and only 6 females. Average time for radiological union was 9.89 weeks. All patients had full range of hip and ankle motion and 2 (5.1%) patients had mild restriction in knee flexion at 12 weeks.Conclusions: Elastic stable intramedullary nailing is an ideal method for treatment of paediatric femoral and tibial diaphyseal fractures due to lower complication rate and good functional outcome in comparison to other methods of treatment

Review of Literature on Rural Road Improvement

Rural roads are the tertiary road system in total road network which provides connectivity for the rural population to market and other facility centres. In India rural roads are being planned and programmed in the favour of overall rural development, and tried to provide all weather connectivity with some level of achievement. The investment of funds for road development provided policy guidelines and priorities for rural roads. Improvement of rural road is needed where satisfactory results are not obtained

Anti-correlated hard X-ray time lags in Galactic black hole sources

We investigate the accretion disk geometry in Galactic black hole sources by measuring the time delay between soft and hard X-ray emissions. Similar to the recent discoveries of anti-correlated hard X-ray time lags in Cyg X-3 and GRS 1915+105, we find that the hard X-rays are anti-correlated with soft X-rays with a significant lag in another source: XTE J1550-564. We also find the existence of pivoting in the model independent X-ray spectrum during these observations. We investigate time-resolved X-ray spectral parameters and find that the variation in these parameters is consistent with the idea of a truncated accretion disk. The QPO frequency, which is a measure of the size of truncated accretion disk, too changes indicating that the geometric size of the hard X-ray emitting region changes along with the spectral pivoting and soft X-ray flux. Similar kind of delay is also noticed in 4U 1630-47.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Generic Schema Matching with Cupid

Schema matching is a critical step in many applications, such as XML message mapping, data warehouse loading, and schema integration. In this paper, we investigate algorithms for generic schema matching, outside of any particular data model or application. We first present a taxonomy for past solutions, showing that a rich range of techniques is available. We then propose a new algorithm, Cupid, that discovers mappings between schema elements based on their names, data types, constraints, and schema structure, using a broader set of techniques than past approaches. Some of our innovations are the integrated use of linguistic and structural matching, context-dependent matching of shared types, and a bias toward leaf structure where much of the schema content resides. After describing our algorithm, we present experimental results that compare Cupid to two other schema matching systems

Biomimetic mechanism for micro aircraft

A biomimetic pitching and flapping mechanism including a support member, at least two blade joints for holding blades and operatively connected to the support member. An outer shaft member is concentric with the support member, and an inner shaft member is concentric with the outer shaft member. The mechanism allows the blades of a small-scale rotor to be actuated in the flap and pitch degrees of freedom. The pitching and the flapping are completely independent from and uncoupled to each other. As such, the rotor can independently flap, or independently pitch, or flap and pitch simultaneously with different amplitudes and/or frequencies. The mechanism can also be used in a non-rotary wing configuration, such as an ornithopter, in which case the rotational degree of freedom would be suppressed