Group life insurance in Kuwait : problems and prospects

The Kuwaiti government obliged firms to cover part of employee's risks through legislation in 1965 and 1977. Employers should cover risks as death or job injury due to or during work. This had affected the group life insurance (GLI) market. The thesis examines the economics of this market. Problem of choosing the right life table with respect to Kuwaiti mortality rates is tested. The efficiency of using English life tables to estimate mortality rates in Kuwait GLI market is examined. The effects of GLI underwriters on the market are investigated. The Social Security Services (SSS) are offered for Kuwaitis only, Non-Kuwaitis face more economical insecurity than Kuwaitis do. Therefore, the demand for employees' group investment plan to cover future security facing Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti workers, in particular, is also considered. The thesis suggests several methods to solve the problems facing the Kuwait GLI market. Kuwaiti Mortality rates are estimated using data from both the Social Security Association (SSA) and a sample of term group life insurees to be compared with English and American life tables. Methods of avoiding lack of information, adverse selection, and moral hazard in Kuwait GLI market are proposed. Finally, the advantages of introducing group investment plan are examined, and it was shown that these could alleviate SSS problems. Use of group investment plan should reduce the cost of the SSS for Kuwaitis, secure part of Non-Kuwaitis risks, and assist insurers to avoid or reduce their economic problems

Standarized radiological hazard analysis for a broad based operational safety program

The Radiological hazard Analysis (RHA) Manual provides a methodology and detailed guidance for systematic analysis of radiological hazards over a broad spectrum of program functions, housed in a wide variety of facilities. Radiological programs at LANL include: research and experimentation; routine materials operations; production; non-destructive examination or testing; isotope and machine produced radiations; chemistry; and metallurgy. The RHA permits uniform evaluation of hazard types over a range of several orders of magnitude of hazard severity. The results are used to estimate risk, evaluate types and level or resource allocations, identify deficiencies, and plan corrective actions for safe working environments. 2 refs

Polynomial Identities, Indices, and Duality for the N=1 Superconformal Model SM(2,4\nu)

We prove polynomial identities for the N=1 superconformal model SM(2,4\nu) which generalize and extend the known Fermi/Bose character identities. Our proof uses the q-trinomial coefficients of Andrews and Baxter on the bosonic side and a recently introduced very general method of producing recursion relations for q-series on the fermionic side. We use these polynomials to demonstrate a dual relation under q \rightarrow q^{-1} between SM(2,4\nu) and M(2\nu-1,4\nu). We also introduce a generalization of the Witten index which is expressible in terms of the Rogers false theta functions.Comment: 41 pages, harvmac, no figures; new identities, proofs and comments added; misprints eliminate

Randomised trial of glutamine, selenium, or both, to supplement parenteral nutrition for critically ill patients

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Radon Potential, Geologic Formations, and Lung Cancer Risk

OBJECTIVE: Exposure to radon is associated with approximately 10% of U.S. lung cancer cases. Geologic rock units have varying concentrations of uranium, producing fluctuating amounts of radon. This exploratory study examined the spatial and statistical associations between radon values and geological formations to illustrate potential population-level lung cancer risk from radon exposure. METHOD: This was a secondary data analysis of observed radon values collected in 1987 from homes (N = 309) in Kentucky and geologic rock formation data from the Kentucky Geological Survey. Radon value locations were plotted on digital geologic maps using ArcGIS and linked to specific geologic map units. Each map unit represented a package of different types of rock (e.g., limestone and/or shale). Log-transformed radon values and geologic formation categories were compared using one-way analysis of variance. RESULTS: Observed radon levels varied significantly by geologic formation category. Of the 14 geologic formation categories in north central Kentucky, four were associated with median radon levels, ranging from 8.10 to 2.75 pCi/L. CONCLUSION: Radon potential maps that account for geologic factors and observed radon values may be superior to using observed radon values only. Knowing radon-prone areas could help target population-based lung cancer prevention interventions given the inequities that exist related to radon

Critical phenomena: 150 years since Cagniard de la Tour

Critical phenomena were discovered by Cagniard de la Tour in 1822, who died 150 years ago. In order to mark this anniversary, the context and the early history of his discovery is reviewed. We then follow with a brief sketch of the history of critical phenomena, indicating the main lines of development until the present date. Os fen\'omenos cr\'{\i}ticos foram descobertos pelo Cagniard de la Tour em Paris em 1822. Para comemorar os 150 anos da sua morte, o contexto e a hist\'oria initial da sua descoberta \'e contada. Conseguimos com uma descri\c{c}\~ao breve da hist\'oria dos fen\'emenos cr\'{\i}ticos, indicando as linhas principais do desenvolvimento at\'e o presente.Comment: Latex2e, 8 pp, 3 eps figures include

Observation of CH4 and other Non-CO2 Green House Gas Emissions from California

In 2006, California passed the landmark assembly bill AB-32 to reduce California's emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that contribute to global climate change. AB-32 commits California to reduce total GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a reduction of 25 percent from current levels. To verify that GHG emission reductions are actually taking place, it will be necessary to measure emissions. We describe atmospheric inverse model estimates of GHG emissions obtained from the California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measurement (CALGEM) project. In collaboration with NOAA, we are measuring the dominant long-lived GHGs at two tall-towers in central California. Here, we present estimates of CH{sub 4} emissions obtained by statistical comparison of measured and predicted atmospheric mixing ratios. The predicted mixing ratios are calculated using spatially resolved a priori CH{sub 4} emissions and surface footprints, that provide a proportional relationship between the surface emissions and the mixing ratio signal at tower locations. The footprints are computed using the Weather Research and Forecast (WRF) coupled to the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model. Integral to the inverse estimates, we perform a quantitative analysis of errors in atmospheric transport and other factors to provide quantitative uncertainties in estimated emissions. Regressions of modeled and measured mixing ratios suggest that total CH{sub 4} emissions are within 25% of the inventory estimates. A Bayesian source sector analysis obtains posterior scaling factors for CH{sub 4} emissions, indicating that emissions from several of the sources (e.g., landfills, natural gas use, petroleum production, crops, and wetlands) are roughly consistent with inventory estimates, but livestock emissions are significantly higher than the inventory. A Bayesian 'region' analysis is used to identify spatial variations in CH{sub 4} emissions from 13 sub-regions within California. Although, only regions near the tower are significantly constrained by the tower measurements, CH{sub 4} emissions from the south Central Valley appear to be underestimated in a manner consistent with the under-prediction of livestock emissions. Finally, we describe a pseudo-experiment using predicted CH{sub 4} signals to explore the uncertainty reductions that might be obtained if additional measurements were made by a future network of tall-tower stations spread over California. These results show that it should be possible to provide high-accuracy estimates of surface CH{sub 4} emissions for multiple regions as a means to verify future emissions reductions

Estimating Worker Risk Levels Using Accident/Incident Data

The purpose of the work described in this report was to identify methods that are currently being used in the Department of Energy (DOE) complex to identify and control hazards/risks in the workplace, evaluate them in terms of their effectiveness in reducing risk to the workers, and to develop a preliminary method that could be used to predict the relative risks to workers performing proposed tasks using some of the current methodology. This report describes some of the performance indicators (i.e., safety metrics) that are currently being used to track relative levels of workplace safety in the DOE complex, how these fit into an Integrated Safety Management (ISM) system, some strengths and weaknesses of using a statistically based set of indicators, and methods to evaluate them. Also discussed are methods used to reduce risk to the workers and some of the techniques that appear to be working in the process of establishing a condition of continuous improvement. The results of these methods will be used in future work involved with the determination of modifying factors for a more complex model. The preliminary method to predict the relative risk level to workers during an extended future time period is based on a currently used performance indicator that uses several factors tracked in the CAIRS. The relative risks for workers in a sample (but real) facility on the Hanford site are estimated for a time period of twenty years and are based on workforce predictions. This is the first step in developing a more complex model that will incorporate other modifying factors related to the workers, work environment and status of the ISM system to adjust the preliminary prediction