Optimal Pooling in Claims Resolution Facilities

A class of nonlinear stochastic processes satysfying a "Lipschitz-type strip condition" and supplied by a linear output equation, is considered. Robust asymptotic (high-gain) state estimation for nonlinear stochastic processes via differential neural networks is discussed. A new type learning law for the weight dynamics is suggested. By a stochastic Lyapunov-like analysis (with Ito formula implementation), the stability conditions for the state estimation error as well as for the neural network weights are established. The upper bound for this error is derived. The numerical example, dealing with "module"-type nonlinearities, illustrates the effectiveness of the suggested approach

The politics of alcohol policy in Nigeria: a critical analysis of how and why brewers use strategic ambiguity to supplant policy initiatives

The global call by the World Health Assembly (WHA) to control the rising alcohol-related problems caused by harmful consumption through policy became necessary in 2005 due to the recognition of the fact that many countries did not have alcohol policies. This gave rise to the adoption of a ten-point policy strategy by the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States in 2010. Against this backdrop, many countries adopted alcohol policies to reduce harmful alcohol consumption. Nigeria was one of the WHO Member Countries that adopted the resolution. Nigeria is among the 30 countries with the highest per capita consumption and alcohol-related problems, yet has not formulated alcohol policy to date. This paper draws on Eisenberg’s Strategic Ambiguity Model to explore the role of brewers in supplanting alcohol policy initiatives in Nigeria. It argues that the leading alcohol producers in Nigeria have been the main reason alcohol policies have not been formulated. The article focuses on why their campaigns for responsible drinking, promotions, sponsorships and ‘strategic social responsibilities’ may have increased since the WHA made the call and the WHO adopted the resolution in 2010. It concludes by arguing that there is an urgent need to formulate policies drawing from the WHO resolution to curtail the activities of these brewers and reduce harmful consumption

Optical Properties of Porous Alumina Assisted Niobia Nanostructured Films–Designing 2-D Photonic Crystals Based on Hexagonally Arranged Nanocolumns

Three types of niobia nanostructured films (so-called native, planarized, and column-like) were formed on glass substrates by porous alumina assisted anodizing in a 0.2 M aqueous solution of oxalic acid in a potentiostatic mode at a 53 V and then reanodizing in an electrolyte containing 0.5 M boric acid and 0.05 M sodium tetraborate in a potentiodynamic mode by raising the voltage to 230 V, and chemical post-processing. Anodic behaviors, morphology, and optical properties of the films have been investigated. The interference pattern of native film served as the basis for calculating the effective refractive index which varies within 1.75–1.54 in the wavelength range 190–1100 nm. Refractive index spectral characteristics made it possible to distinguish a number of absorbance bands of the native film. Based on the analysis of literature data, the identified oxide absorbance bands were assigned. The effective refractive index of native film was also calculated using the effective-medium models, and was in the range of 1.63–1.68. The reflectance spectra of all films show peaks in short- and long-wave regions. The presence of these peaks is due to the periodically varying refractive index in the layers of films in two dimensions. FDTD simulation was carried out and the morphology of a potential 2-D photonic crystal with 92% (wavelength 462 nm) reflectance, based on the third type of films, was proposed

Transmittance optical characteristics of columnar nanoscale niobia arrays formed via anodizing of Al/Nb layers on glass

Anisotropic columnar nanoscale niobia arrays formed via anodizing Al/Nb bilayers on glass showed the sensitivity of transmittance characteristics to the light polarization, which can serve as a basis for applications in photonics and integrated optics

Reflective optical characteristics of planar film with the nanoscale inner structure formed via anodizing of Al/Nb layers on glass

Planar film with nanoscale inner structure via anodizing Al/Nb layers on glass showed several distinct maxima on the reflection curve in the regions of 320, 380, and 850 nm corresponding to forbidden photonic bands

Embedding initial data for black hole collisions

We discuss isometric embedding diagrams for the visualization of initial data for the problem of the head-on collision of two black holes. The problem of constructing the embedding diagrams is explicitly presented for the best studied initial data, the Misner geometry. We present a partial solution of the embedding diagrams and discuss issues related to completing the solution.Comment: (27pp text, 11 figures