Issues Related to the Emergence of the Information Superhighway and California Societal Changes, IISTPS Report 96-4

The Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies (IISTPS) at San José State University (SJSU) conducted this project to review the continuing development of the Internet and the Information Superhighway. Emphasis was placed on an examination of the impact on commuting and working patterns in California, and an analysis of how public transportation agencies, including Caltrans, might take advantage of the new communications technologies. The document reviews the technology underlying the current Internet “structure” and examines anticipated developments. It is important to note that much of the research for this limited-scope project was conducted during 1995, and the topic is so rapidly evolving that some information is almost automatically “dated.” The report also examines how transportation agencies are basically similar in structure and function to other business entities, and how they can continue to utilize the emerging technologies to improve internal and external communications. As part of a detailed discussion of specific transportation agency functions, it is noted that the concept of a “Roundtable Forum,” growing out of developments in Concurrent Engineering, can provide an opportunity for representatives from multiple jurisdictions to utilize the Internet for more coordinated decision-making. The report also included an extensive analysis of demographic trends in California in recent years, such as commute and recreational activities, and identifies how the emerging technologies may impact future changes

Students’ responses to theory: An FD case study

This paper will report on a small qualitative case study which explored the professional formation of students on a work-based learning course. These students were studying part-time to become professionally qualified youth workers and were already working or volunteering in the field. Drawing on interviews with students and their employers nine months after completion of the WBL course we will map some of the ways in which they consider participation has influenced their understanding of the field and their approach to their work. Contrary to expectations, our own and those in the professional literature, we found that students placed considerable value on the contribution of theory. In some cases this had led to significant changes in perspective, leading them to question their own practices and those of colleagues. While some had encountered resistance others had the autonomy to change their practices during and after the course

BLP-2LASSO for aggregate discrete choice models with rich covariates

We introduce the BLP-2LASSO model, which augments the classic BLP (Berry, Levinsohn, and Pakes, 1995) random-coefficients logit model to allow for data-driven selection among a high-dimensional set of control variables using the 'double-LASSO' procedure proposed by Belloni, Chernozhukov, and Hansen (2013). Economists often study consumers’ aggregate behaviour across markets choosing from a menu of differentiated products. In this analysis, local demographic characteristics can serve as controls for market-specific preference heterogeneity. Given rich demographic data, implementing these models requires specifying which variables to include in the analysis, an ad hoc process typically guided primarily by a researcher’s intuition. We propose a data-driven approach to estimate these models, applying penalized estimation algorithms from the recent literature in high-dimensional econometrics. Our application explores the effect of campaign spending on vote shares in data from Mexican elections

Regionalizing telecommunications reform in West Africa

In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition that significant welfare gains could be realized through deep forms of regional integration which entail harmonization of legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks. Reforms that reduce cross-border transaction costs and improve the performance of “backbone” infrastructure services are arguably even more important for the creation of an open, unified regional economic space than trade policy reforms narrowly defined. This paper assesses the potential gains from regionalized telecommunications policy in West Africa. To this end, the paper: (i) discusses how regional cooperation can overcome national limits in technical expertise, enhance the capacity of nations credibly to commit to stable regulatory policy, and ultimately facilitate infrastructure investment in the region; (ii) identifies trade-distorting regulations that inhibit opportunities for regional trade and economic development, and so are good candidates for regional trade negotiations to reduce indirect trade barriers; and (iii) describes substantive elements of a harmonized regional regulatory policy that can deliver immediate performance benefits.E-Business,Environmental Economics&Policies,ICT Policy and Strategies,Transport Economics Policy&Planning,Emerging Markets

Into Africa

The international resource boom has spurred a hunt for new mineral and hydrocarbon reserves, and an important new frontier in this search is Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Australian resource companies are now spending tens of billions of dollars on exploration and development, and engineering and service companies are clinching billions of dollars of contracts, across SSA. In this Lowy Institute Paper, Roger Donnelly and Benjamin Ford describe how Africa now matters much more to corporate Australia, assess the drivers and dimensions of the SSA resource boom, and examine some of the implications for Australian companies and Australian public policy

The Association Between Pelvic Discomfort and Erectile Dysfunction in Adult Male Bicyclists.

BackgroundBicycle riding's impact on erectile function remains a topic of great interest given cycling's popularity as a mode of transportation and exercise.AimWe evaluated risk factors for sexual dysfunction in male cyclists with the primary intention of determining if genital/pelvic pain and numbness are associated with erectile dysfunction (ED).MethodsWe surveyed male cyclists using an online anonymous questionnaire. Cyclists were queried on their demographics, cycling experience, and sexual function using the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM). ED was diagnosed when a completed SHIM score was <22. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk of ED in men with genital/pelvic pain or numbness after riding. The survey was designed in the United States.OutcomesQuantitative characterization of cycling habits, onset and timing of genital pain and numbness, and SHIM score.ResultsA total of 1635 participants completed the survey. A majority of men were over the age of 50 (58%, 934/1,607), Caucasian (88%, 1,437/1,635), had been active cyclists for over 10 years (63%, 1,025/1,635) and used road bikes (97%, 1,578/1,635). Overall, 22%, 30%, and 57% of men reported ED, genital pain, and genital numbness, respectively. While controlling for cohort demographics, body mass index, cycling intensity and equipment, and medical comorbidities, no saddle characteristics were associated with the risk of developing genital numbness. However, men reporting penile numbness were at higher risk of reporting ED (odds ratio [OR] = 1.453, P = .048). In addition, quicker onset of numbness and resolution of numbness within a day was associated with impaired erectile function. For example, numbness occurring less than 1 hour after cycling had greater odds of leading to ED than numbness after 5 hours (OR = 2.002, P = .032). Similarly, genital pain occurring less than 1 hour (OR = 2.466, P = .031) after cycling was associated with higher ED risk.Strengths & limitationsStrengths include a large sample size of high-intensity cyclists and validated questionnaire use. Limitations include reliance on anonymous self-reported survey data and minimal inquiry into the riding preferences and terrain traversed by cyclists.ConclusionsPelvic pain and numbness are common complaints among male riders in the United States. Men with such complaints are more likely to also report ED especially if it occurs earlier in the ride. Although direction of causality and temporality are uncertain, alleviation of factors resulting in pelvic discomfort may reduce cycling's impact on sexual function. Such interventions are critical given that cycling for both active travel and aerobic exercise confers numerous health benefits. Balasubramanian A, Yu J, Breyer BN, et al. The Association Between Pelvic Discomfort and Erectile Dysfunction in Adult Male Bicyclists. J Sex Med 2020;17:919-929

Creating Church Online: An Ethnographic Study of Five Internet-Based Christian Communities

“Online churches” are Internet-based Christian communities, seeking to pursue worship, discussion, friendship, teaching, support, proselytisation and other key religious goals through computer-mediated communication. These online churches are one example of “online religion”, a new kind of digital religious practice that promises to transform worship, authority, community and the construction of identity. This thesis examines five online churches, representing diverse media, theological traditions, leadership structures and forms of external oversight. Each has created a sizeable congregation and offers forms of worship and community online. I used ethnographic methods to examine these churches with particular attention to media, worship, community and leadership. I conducted long-term participant observation over the three years of my research, taking part in online and offline activities whenever possible, speaking informally with as many people as possible and interviewing over 100 leaders and members. Survey data and other written materials were also studied where available, including media reports, participant accounts and online blog posts. My research suggested seven important themes present in each group: mass appeal, the formation of community, spiritual experience, the replication of familiar elements of architecture, liturgy and organisation, the prevalence of local churchgoing among online participants, patterns of internal control and systems of external oversight. Each case study demonstrates the very different negotiations of those themes at work in each group. In my final chapter, I bring together threads and insights from each case study according to four key dimensions of one common theme: the relationship between digital and everyday life. Online churches deliberately replicate familiar elements of everyday activity, become part of the everyday, remain carefully distinct from the everyday and become distinctively digital. We must attend to all four of these layers to adequately understand and evaluate what takes place online, and what role that online activity plays in everyday religious lives

Small-colony variant of Staphylococcus lugdunensis in prosthetic joint infection

Prosthetic joint infection is usually caused by staphylococci. Among the coagulase-negative staphylococci, Staphylococcus lugdunensis is important because it behaves as a pathogen similar to S aureus. It also develops biofilms, and the biofilm phenotype can appear as small-colony variants. Although genetically indistinguishable, they differ in size and antibiotic susceptibility from the parent strain and are responsible for chronic persistent infection and failure of antibiotic treatment. They can also lead to misinterpretation of results. The patient reported here underwent total knee replacement and 2 years later presented with prosthetic joint infection. Tissue samples and prosthesis taken at revision grew S lugdunensis, the majority of which were small-colony variants. Recommendations are made for their detection and identification