Configurational analysis of access to basic infrastructure services: evidence from Turkish provinces

In many developing countries, access to basic infrastructure services, such as sewerage and waste disposal, varies considerably across different areas. In this study, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis identifies configurations of economic and political conditions (population density, population size, income and political participation) associated with good and poor access to sewerage and waste disposal in Turkish provinces. The findings suggest that there is a core configuration of conditions associated with good access to both types of infrastructure service—high income and high political participation. A single core configuration is associated with poor access to both types of service—low population density, small population size and low political participation. Other configurations are observed relating specifically to good and poor access to sewerage and waste disposal services, respectively. We theorise the different pathways that we identify, emphasising that economic measures to support development may offer the best prospect of improving infrastructure access

Statistically Steady Measurements of Rayleigh-Taylor Mixing in a Gas Channel

A novel gas channel experiment is described to study the development of high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor mixing. Two gas streams, one containing air and the other containing a helium-air mixture, flow parallel to each other separated by a thin splitter plate. The streams meet at the end of a splitter plate leading to the formation of an unstable interface and of buoyancy driven mixing. This buoyancy driven mixing experiment allows for long data collection times, has short transients, and is statistically steady. The facility was designed to be capable of large Atwood number studies (At~0.75). We describe initial validation work to measure the self similar evolution of mixing at density differences (0.03

Managerial networking and stakeholder support in public service organizations

Resource dependence theory suggests that to function successfully, organizations must obtain certain resources controlled by actors in their environment. To do this effectively, managers often develop networking relationships with key stakeholder groups in order to make critical resources available. Managers in public service organizations, in particular, are frequently under great pressure to network with relevant actors from stakeholder groups in order to build support for service (co)production and legitimacy for strategic and operational decisions. To identify networking strategies which are conducive to stakeholder support, we explore the networking behaviour of over 1,000 English local government managers. Fuzzy cluster analysis identifies four distinctive, though inter-related types of managerial networking: technical, reputational, political, and tokenistic. The cluster membership functions from this analysis are used to examine the relationship between types of networking and stakeholder support in depth. The results of hierarchical regression analysis suggest that technically-orientated networking is the most conducive to stakeholder support, with tokenistic networking the least conducive

Mathematical Modeling of a Sociological and Hydrologic Decision System

The general goal of this study was to develop a functional model of the sociological and related hydrologic elements in flood control decision-making. Conceptual system models were developed for the hydrologic system and for the sociological system. The sociological variables were identified as they related to the steps in the process of the model. Following the conceptual decision process model the social elements of the model were calibrated from data obtained from field studies and mathematical equations were developed and tested. Finally simulations of the process were run. After adjustments were made the model was found to function. Several methodological factors were devised to make the model more realistic and operable. These were: 1) Distortion Factors, which are differences that exists between various actual situations and perception of these situations; 2)Importance Factors, which are measures of the relative degrees of importance of each of the major characteristics of a proposal such as economic, aesthetic, effectiveness, etc,; 3) Acceptance Functions, defined as a combination of the perceived value of a characteristic and the Importance Factors; 4) Expansion Effect, which provides for changes in behavior related to values that are in a latent state of unimportance to a state of high importance stimulating high level action; 5) Threshold Levels, that determine the point between no activity and public action. These concepts permit the model to adjust to changes in social behavior related to the social structure of the decision process. The system provides for the function of social values as they relate to the social structures and the hydrologic components

Creation and pinning of vortex-antivortex pairs

Computer modeling is reported about the creation and pinning of a magnetic vortex-antivortex (V-AV) pair in a superconducting thin film, due to the magnetic field of a vertical magnetic dipole above the film, and two antidot pins inside the film. For film thickness $= 0.1\xi$, $\kappa = 2$, and no pins, we find the film carries two V-AV pairs at steady state in the imposed flux range $2.10\Phi_0 < \Phi^+ < 3.0\Phi_0$, and no pairs below. With two antidot pins suitably introduced into the film, a single V-AV pair can be stable in the film for $\Phi^+ \ge 1.3\Phi_0$. At pin separation $\ge 17\xi$, we find the V-AV pair remains pinned after the dipole field is removed, and, so can represent a 1 for a nonvolatile memory.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

FEDSM2005-77154 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF STATISTICALLY STEADY RAYLEIGH- TAYLOR MIXING AT HIGH ATWOOD NUMBERS

ABSTRACT In the present work, a novel gas channel experiment was used to study the non-equilibrium development of high Atwood number Rayleigh-Taylor mixing. Two gas streams, one containing air and the other containing a Helium-Air mixture, flow parallel to each other separated by a thin splitter plate. The streams meet at the end of the splitter plate leading to the formation of an unstable interface and initiation of buoyancy driven mixing. This buoyancy driven mixing experiment allows for long data collection times, short transients and was statistically steady. The facility was capable of large Atwood number studies (At ~ 0.75). Here, we describe recent work to measure the self similar evolution of mixing at large density differences (At ~

Modeling the Total Hydrologic-Sociologic Flow System of Urban Areas - Phase II

Introduction and Overview: This is an interim report on Phase II of the three phase study. The objectives covered in this phase were: 1. To gather social and hydrologic data needed to calibrate and test the model. 2. The expand the physical model to include the rural part of the watersheds. 3. To test and improve techniques of the logical linking of the hydrologic and sociologic systems. 4. To begin adapting the model to the computer. During the second phase for the hydrologic component of the model major emphasis was placed on the expansion of the hydrologic area and the collection and analysis of additional physical data. The major emphasis for the sociologic part of the model was on the gathering of social data by the re-designing and testing of an improved research instrument (schedule or questionaire_ and administration of this schedule to a random sample of the general population in the urbanized area. The urbanized area is related to the physical hydrologic area of the study. The data were collected to improve the basic methodology and conceptualizations for linking the hydrologic and sociologic systems together in one model. Division of this report: Section II of this interim report deals with development of the physical component of they hydrologic-sociologic model. It describes the expansion of the hydrologic to include the rural parts of the watershed and tests for validation of they physical submodel. Section III review the ype of work done in Phase II of the sociological work. This consisted of: (1) reviewing the accomplishments and limitations of the first phase; (2) redesigning the questionaire to correct deficiencies in the one used in the first study, to measure additional variables throught to perhaps be relevant to the problem, and where desireable, to adapt them to the general population of the area rather than to specialized populations; (3) pretesting of component parts of the revised schedule; (4) drawing of a random sample from the population; (5) interviewing of the sample; (6) coding and processing of data for analysis; and (7) preliminary analysis of the results of the data. Progress made in the mathematical formulations of social elements is vital. The refinement of meaurement of the population data for use in the model is of central importance since the effectiveness of the testing, verification, and consequent improvement of the model depends on the accuracy of the measurement of the variables involved. Section IV shows some details on the work performed in interrelating the sociologic and hydrologic components of the model, and on one possible mathematical formulation which shows some of the interrelationships between these components. It is hoped that the formulation achieved will be useful to planners, not only in increased understanding of the total system, but also in the analysis of the merits of flood-control proposals relative to the social characteristics of particular areas. Section V discusses the purposes of the work in Phase II and the objectives expected to be met during the coming phase

Study protocol - A systematic review and meta-analysis of hypothermia in experimental traumatic brain injury: Why have promising animal studies not been replicated in pragmatic clinical trials?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and permanent disability. Systemic hypothermia, a treatment used in TBI for many decades, has recently been found to be associated with neutral or unfavourable clinical outcomes despite apparently promising preclinical research. Systematic review and meta‐analysis is a tool to summarize literature and observe trends in experimental design and quality that underpin its general conclusions. Here we aim to use these techniques to describe the use of hypothermia in animal TBI models, collating data relating to outcome and both study design and quality. From here we intend to observe correlations between features and attempt to explain any discrepancies found between animal and clinical data. This protocol describes the relevant methodology in detail