Rationalization in the Canadian Retail Gasoline Industry: The Role of Environmental Regulations

The number of gasoline stations in Canada fell by 40 percent between 1989 and 2000. Many demand and competition related explanations have been offered for this rationalization, while industry sources cite stiffer environmental regulations as a factor in station closures. In the late 1980s and early 1990s most Canadian provinces adopted regulations requiring that unprotected petroleum storage tanks be upgraded or replaced according to a schedule based on the age of the tank and that nearby unprotected tanks also be upgraded or removed. In this paper, we exploit provincial differences in the timing of these regulations to examine the role of upgrade and removal regulations on the timing and degree of station shutdown in 12 cities across the country.petroleum storage; rationalization; retail gasoline; underground storage tanks; environmental regulations

Trends and Design Relating literature to industry practice

In a crowded market place, where technology and functionality are not enough to differentiate a product from its competitors, the product’s appearance is a major driver of consumer preference. But preferences change over time, and product forms need to reflect this in order to stay relevant. This paper addresses the usage of trends by designers to inform the design and evolution of their products. Published theory regarding trends in product form exists in the fashion and consumer behaviour domains, but not in direct relation to the design of consumer products. This paper is preceded by a synthesis of literature in adjacent fields and compares the literature understanding with real industrial practice. Interviews with 9 professionals in trend research, design consultancy, furniture, fashion and architecture, were undertaken to explore the value and usage of trends across a variety of creative fields. The interview data were used to corroborate and enhance the literature understanding. In addition, the study also provides some emerging comparisons between design disciplines. The product designers interviewed were unlikely to use formal trend research methods: inspiration, tacit knowledge and experience accounts for much of their creative output. However, trend consultancies have developed methods of identifying and using trends to develop products for 5-10 years in the future. The fashion industry also has established ways of to rapidly identify or predict trend information. Keywords: Product form; trends; fashion; foresight</p

Interactive tutorials in the marketing of digital cameras: How tutorials benefit consumers & retailers

There is a growing market for digital single-lens refl ex cameras (SLRs) that is driven by their ease of use, accessibility, and falling price points. Marketing these cameras with an interactive tutorial not only allows photo enthusiasts to improve as photographers, but also gives the retailer a profi table add-on and selling incentive. This work explores how interactive multimedia can be utilized as a source for instruction in camera mechanics. The proposed model is an interface using a virtual camera with which the user interacts. From this starting point the user can choose tutorials from corresponding elements on the camera. The topics covered include the shutter, aperture, image sensor, lens, and metering system. The interface allows for multiple paths through the tutorials. The tutorials are also interconnected so the user can transfer between topics when necessary. Tutorial information is layered from basic to detailed so the user can determine the amount of information they will access on a particular topic. By providing information in this way the users can customize the tutorial to fi t their needs and interests

The Fueling Diagram: Linking Galaxy Molecular-to-Atomic Gas Ratios to Interactions and Accretion

To assess how external factors such as local interactions and fresh gas accretion influence the global ISM of galaxies, we analyze the relationship between recent enhancements of central star formation and total molecular-to-atomic (H2/HI) gas ratios, using a broad sample of field galaxies spanning early-to-late type morphologies, stellar masses of 10^(7.2-11.2) Msun, and diverse stages of evolution. We find that galaxies occupy several loci in a "fueling diagram" that plots H2/HI vs. mass-corrected blue-centeredness, a metric tracing the degree to which galaxies have bluer centers than the average galaxy at their stellar mass. Spiral galaxies show a positive correlation between H2/HI and mass-corrected blue-centeredness. When combined with previous results linking mass-corrected blue-centeredness to external perturbations, this correlation suggests a link between local galaxy interactions and molecular gas inflow/replenishment. Intriguingly, E/S0 galaxies show a more complex picture: some follow the same correlation, some are quenched, and a distinct population of blue-sequence E/S0 galaxies (with masses below key transitions in gas richness) defines a separate loop in the fueling diagram. This population appears to be composed of low-mass merger remnants currently in late- or post-starburst states, in which the burst first consumes the H2 while the galaxy center keeps getting bluer, then exhausts the H2, at which point the burst population reddens as it ages. Multiple lines of evidence suggest connected evolutionary sequences in the fueling diagram. In particular, tracking total gas-to-stellar mass ratios within the diagram provides evidence of fresh gas accretion onto low-mass E/S0s emerging from central starbursts. Drawing on a comprehensive literature search, we suggest that virtually all galaxies follow the same evolutionary patterns found in our broad sample.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures (table 4 available at http://user.physics.unc.edu/~dstark/table4_csv.txt), accepted for publication in Ap

Direct observation of nanocrystal-induced enhancement of tensile ductility in a metallic glass composite

Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have attracted wide interest, but their successful application is hindered by their low ductility at room temperature. Therefore, the use of composites of a BMG matrix with crystalline secondary phases has been proposed to overcome this drawback. In the present work we demonstrate the fabrication of a tailored BMG nanocomposite containing a high density of monodisperse nanocrystals with a size of around 20 nm using a combination of mechanical and thermal treatment of Cu36Zr48Al8Ag8 well below the crystallization temperature. Direct observations of the interaction of the nanocrystals with a shear band during in situ deformation in a transmission electron microscope demonstrate that the achieved nanocomposite has the potential to inhibit catastrophic fracture in tension. This demonstrates that a sufficient number of nanoscale structural heterogeneities can be a route towards BMG composites with superior mechanical properties

Employee burnout and job retention scores among EMS workers in Vermont

Objective: To assess whether shift length and employment status were positively associated with increased burnout and retention among emergency medical service (EMS) workers in the state of Vermont. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data using the Vermont EMS Retention Survey from the Vermont Department of Health. 545 participants provided data from August to November 2019. Measures included burnout and retention using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results: In an adjusted model, the 24-hour shift length was associated with higher burnout compared to the eight-hour shift. Volunteer workers displayed lower instances of burnout and had higher retention rates than their paid counterparts. Conclusions: These findings suggest that in some cases, shift length and employment status may relate to burnout and retention. These relationships could inform policies related to staffing and scheduling of EMS workers. Further research could assess a predictive relationship between shift length, employment status and burnout or retention

Visual Attention for Region of Interest Coding in JPEG 2000

This paper details work undertaken on the application of an algorithm for visual attention (VA) to region of interest (ROI) coding in JPEG 2000 (JP2K). In this way, an "interest ordered" progressive bit-stream is produced where the regions highlighted by the VA algorithm are presented first in bit-stream. The paper briefly outlines the terminology used in JP2K, the packet structure of the bit-stream, and the methods available to achieve ROI coding in JP2K (tiling, coefficient scaling, and code-block selection). The paper then describes how the output of the VA algorithm is post-processed so that an ROI is produced that can be efficiently coded using coefficient scaling in JP2K. Finally, a two alternative forced choice (2AFC) visual trial is undertaken to compare the visual quality of images encoded using the proposed VA ROI algorithm and conventional JP2K. The experimental results show that, while there is no overall preference for the VA ROI encoded images; there is an improvement in perceived image quality at low bit rates (below 0.25 bits per pixel). It is concluded that an overall increase in image quality only occurs when the increase in quality of the ROI more than compensates for the decrease in quality of the image background (i.e., non-ROI)

Controlling solute channel formation using magnetic fields

Solute channel formation introduces compositional and microstructural variations in a range of processes, from metallic alloy solidification, to salt fingers in ocean and water reservoir flows. Applying an external magnetic field interacts with thermoelectric currents at solid/liquid interfaces generating additional flow fields. This thermoelectric (TE) magnetohydrodynamic (TEMHD) effect can impact on solute channel formation, via a mechanism recently drawing increasing attention. To investigate this phenomenon, we combined in situ synchrotron X-ray imaging and Parallel-Cellular-Automata-Lattice-Boltzmann based numerical simulations to study the characteristics of flow and solute transport under TEMHD. Observations suggest the macroscopic TEMHD flow appearing ahead of the solidification front, coupled with the microscopic TEMHD flow arising within the mushy zone are the primary mechanisms controlling plume migration and channel bias. Two TE regimes were revealed, each with distinctive mechanisms that dominate the flow. Further, we show that grain orientation modifies solute flow through anisotropic permeability. These insights led to a proposed strategy for producing solute channel-free solidification using a time-modulated magnetic field