Official Interventions and Occasional Violations of Uncovered Interest Parity in the Dollar-DM Market

This paper presents a model of exchange rate determination in which the forward premium anomaly emerges as the result of unanticipated central bank interventions in the foreign exchange market. Deviations from uncovered interest parity (UIP) therefore represent neither unexploited profit opportunities nor compensation for bearing risk. In simulations, the model generates a forward premium anomaly and matches several other notable features of US-German data. Additional empirical support is obtained from an analysis of Fed and Bundesbank interventions in the dollar—DM market where it is found that the forward premium anomaly intensifies during those times when a central bank intervenesForward premium anomaly, foreign exchange intervention

Uji Coba Penggunaan Video Pembelajaran sebagai Upaya Peningkatan Kemampuan Menggambar Karikatur

Latar belakang penelitian yaitu membantu guru seni budaya SMAN 1 Prambon yang mengalami keterbatasan dalam hal menyampaikan materi tentang seni rupa murni terutama dalam materi menggambar karikatur. Tujuan pembelajaran yaitu untuk mengetahui kefektifan media video pembelajaran dalam meningkatkan kemampuan menggambar karikatur siswa. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode observasi, angket, wawancara, dan penelitian dengan non tes. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan yaitu teknik analisa tes hasil belajar siswa, analisa hasil observasi dan respon siswa, penarikan kesimpulan berdasarkan permasalahan penelitian. Aktivitas guru tanpa menggunakan media video pembelajaran (pre-test) memperoleh prosentase 89%. Prosentase aktivitas guru pada saat menggunakan media video pembelajaran (post-test)  sebesar 90%. Aktivitas siswa tanpa media video pembelajaran (pre-test) memperoleh prosentase 67%. Sedangkan prosentase aktivitas siswa pada saat menggunakan video pembelajaran (post-test)  menjadi 92%. Rerata ketuntasan hasil belajar siswa dalam satu kelas adalah ≥ 70. Tanpa menggunakan media video pembelajaran rerata hasil belajar siswa yang diperoleh yaitu 60 (kriteria kurang). Setelah menggunakan media video pembelajaran rerata hasil belajar siswa menjadi 75 (kriteria tuntas). Kata Kunci: media, video, karikatur, hasil belajar.                                                                       The background of the research is to help the art and culture teachers of SMAN 1 Prambon who have problem to give materials of fine art, especially drawing caricature. The purpose of the research is to recognize the affectivity of video as the media in learning process, to increase the students’ ability in drawing caricature. The method applied in the research is observation method, questionnaire, interview and non-test research. The data technique analysis is analysis technique of students’ learning, observation result, students’ response and the conclusion based on research problems.  Teacher’s activity without video learning media (pre-test) got 89% prosentage and with video learning media (post-test) got 90%. The students’ activity without video learning media applied (pre-test) is 67 % and the activity of the students with video as learning media (post-test) is 92%. The completeness of learning of the students in the class is ≥ 70. The average of learning result without the video leaning media is 60 (less criteria) while applying the video learning media, the result is 75 (complete criteria). Keywords: media, video, caricatures, learning outcom

Earth Pressures on Walls of a Deep Excavation

This paper reports recorded earthpressures acting on diaphragm walls during a deep excavation carried out in a soft ground and discusses factors affecting the readings. The main theme of the paper is on wall friction and its influence on vertical earthpressures. It can be demonstrated that the assumption normally adopted in the design of the retaining structures for braced excavations that the vertical earthpressures equal to the overburden pressures could be erroneous. As a result, the vertical pressures on the active side are often over- estimated and those on the passive side under-estimated. In conclusion, it is appropriate for soft to medium stiff sites to assume that the angle of wall friction equals to the angle of internal friction of soils in computing the limiting active and passive earth pressur.es for designing the retaining structures of braced excavations

Performance of Diaphragm Walls in Deep Foundation Excavations

Two case studies of using diaphragm wall as earth retaining structure for deep excavation are reported. Case A concerns excavation down to a depth of 14.7 min alternate layers of soft silty clay and silty sand. Diaphragm walls of 70 m thick and 22 m deep were installed into a dense silty sand stratum. In Case B, diaphragm walls of 60 m thick were constructed in very soft clayey soil without penetration into any firm stratum. In both cases, instrumentations including piezometers, inclinometers, earth pressure cells, reinforcing bar transducers, heave stakes, settlement points and strut strain gauges were installed and monitored throughout the construction. Comparison of predictions based on simplified theory and empirical relationships were made with the actual performance behavior of the diaphragm wall and the subsoils. It was found that elastic mode of soil-wall system can reasonably predict the behavior of diaphragm wall. In sandy soils, arching effect has significant effect on the magnitude and distribution of earth pressure on the wall. With the assistance of instrumentation monitoring during excavation work, factor of safety against base failure as low as 1.05 was used in the design

Kajian Penerapan Teknologi Produksi pada USAhatani Kopi Robusta di Lokasi Prima Tani Kabupaten Pasuruan

Assessment on Application of Technology in Farming Production of Robusta Coffee in PrimaTani Location in Pasuruan District. Coffee is main commodity in desa Tutur, Prima Tani location of kabupatenPasuruan, East Java. The low coffee productivity and high leaf rust severity are still coffee farming problems.Accordingly, on Prima Tani activity introduced a technology innovation formulated in an assessment. Theobjective of the assessment was to know the effect of recommended production technology towards leaf rustseverity and coffee productivity. Assessment was conducted since September 2007 till September 2008, usinga separate plot design with two treatments. The treatments assessed were recommended production technology(T1), and farmer's practices (T2). Each treatment was applied on Five farmer's Robusta coffee planting (2.5 haand 5-10 years age, 1,000 trees/ha) as a replicate, following 10 farmers participatory. Data of leaf rust severity,production and cost production were collected to be analyzed statistically and economically to identify thefarming profit. The result of the assessment showed that the recommended production technology decrease theleaf rust severity of 60%, increase the coffee productivity of 89,5%, and increase the farming profit of 120%.Key words: Production technology, coffee farming, leaf rust disease, productivityKopi adalah komoditas unggulan di lokasi Prima Tani Desa Tutur Kabupaten Pasuruan, Propinsi JawaTimur. Rendahnya produktivitas dan tingginya penyakit karat daun masih merupakan kendala pada budidaya kopi.Untuk itu pada kegiatan Prima Tani dilakukan introduksi inovasi teknologi dalam bentuk suatu pengkajian. Tujuanpengkajian adalah mengetahui kinerja teknologi produksi rekomendasi terhadap perkembangan penyakit karatdaun dan produktivitas tanaman kopi. Pengkajian dilaksanakan mulai September 2007 sampai dengan September2008, menggunakan rancangan petak terpisah, terdiri dari dua perlakuan yaitu: (1) penerapan teknologi produksisesuai rekomendasi (T1), dan (2) penerapan teknologi petani (T2). Masing-masing perlakuan diterapkan padalima kebun kopi Robusta (sebagai ulangan) seluas 2,5 ha, umur tanaman kopi 5-10 tahun, melibatkan 10 petanisecara partisipatif. Rata-rata populasi tanaman kopi 1.000 pohon/ha. Data yang dikumpulkan meliputi tingkatkerusakan tanaman oleh penyakit karat daun yang didasarkan pada skor kerusakan, produksi, dan biaya produksi.Data dianalisis secara statistik, dan ekonomis untuk mengetahui keuntungan USAhatani. Hasil kajian menujukkanbahwa kinerja teknologi produksi rekomendasi menurunkan tingkat kerusakan tanaman oleh penyakit karatdaun rata-rata 60%, serta meningkatkan produktivitas 89,5%, dan meningkatkan pendapatan USAhatani 120%

Penerapan Metode Six Sigma dan Perbaikan Kerja pada Pengendalian Kualitas Sepatu CV. Cir

CV. CIR adalah Perusahaan yang bergerak dalam produksi Sepatu. Kendala yang dihadapi oleh Perusahaan ini adalah Proses produksi yang dilakukan tiap harinya masih belum memenuhi standar, karena masih banyak ditemui variasi dalam proses produksi yang mengakibatkan produk repair dan rework. Untuk itu perlu dilakukan perbaikan kualitas produk tersebut. Dalam hal ini metode yang digunakan yaitu dengan menggunakan metode six sigma sebagai alat perbaikan kualitasnya. Hasil pengumpulan data yang diperoleh menunjukkan rata-rata defect sebesar 1,7% setiap bulannya. Kemudian dari referensi data tersebut dilakukan analisa. Hasil analisa dengan Pareto Diagram diperoleh bahwa foxing bonding merupakan jenis cacat tertinggi dengan persentase sebesar 21,8%. Dan ada 4 unsur yang mempengaruhi jenis cacat tersebut yaitu: unsur man, machine, method dan material. Melalui analisa FMEA, didapatkan bahwa nilai Risk Priority Number (RPN) tertinggi yaitu 432. Penyebabnya operator kurang teliti dalam pengoperasian mesin. Nilai tersebut merupakan mode kegagalan paling kritis dan dijadikan sebagai prioritas utama sehingga perlu dilakukan perbaikan. Usulan perbaikan yang diajukan yaitu dengan memberikan pelatihan kepada Karyawan dan juga membuat standar operasi prosedur yang mudah dipahami oleh para karyawan. &nbsp

Functional significance of the hepaCAM gene in bladder cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The hepaCAM gene encodes a new immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecule, and its expression is suppressed in a variety of human cancers. Additionally, hepaCAM possesses properties often observed in tumor suppressor genes. However, the expression and biological function of hepaCAM has not been investigated in bladder cancer. Therefore we sought to examine hepaCAM expression and the relationship between its structure and function in human transitional cell carcinoma of bladder (TCCB).</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>HepaCAM expression was evaluated in 28 normal and 34 TCCB bladder specimens and 2 TCCB cell lines using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The wild-type hepaCAM and the extracellular domain-truncated mutant gene were transfected into the TCCB cell line T24, and the biological properties of both the wild-type gene and the domain-truncated mutant were then assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HepaCAM expression was down-regulated in 82% (28/34) of TCCB specimens and undetectable in the 2 TCCB cell lines tested. The localization of hepaCAM appeared to be dependent on cell density in T24 cells. In widely spread cells, hepaCAM accumulated on the perinuclear membrane and the cell surface protrusions, whereas in confluent cells, hepaCAM was predominantly localized at the sites of cell-cell contacts on the cell membrane. Functionally, hepaCAM expressed not only increased cell spreading, delayed cell detachment, enhanced wound healing and increased cell invasion; it also inhibited cell growth (P < 0.01). When the extracellular domain was deleted, the localization of hepaCAM was significantly altered, and it lost both its adhesive function and its influence on cell growth.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>HepaCAM is involved in cell adhesion and growth control, and its expression is frequently silenced in TCCB. The extracellular domain of hepaCAM is essential to its physiological and biological functions.</p

Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube–Metalloporphyrin Chemiresistive Gas Sensor Arrays for Volatile Organic Compounds

National Science Foundation (U.S.) (DMR-1410718)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (1122374)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier NanotechnologiesUnited States. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (W911NF-14-1-0087

MPIFA: A Modified Protocol Independent Fairness Algorithm for Community Wireless Mesh Networks

Community Wireless Mesh Networks (WMN) is a paradigm in wireless communication of 21st centuary as means of providing high speed braodband access. Un-cooperative nodes, both selfish and malicious proves to be a significant threat in Community WMN that require a solution independent of routing protocols being used. We propose to implement Modified PIFA (MPIFA), an Improved version of Protocol Independent Fairness Algorithm (PIFA) proposed by Younghwan Yoo, Sanghyun and P. Agrawal [6] with ability to cater specific requirements in Community WMN. MPIFA has malicious nodes detection rate improvement of 50% when nodes demonstrate low probabilistic malicious behavior of 10% to circumvent the security measures in place. Improvements were also made to reduce false malicious node detections to 4% when node-to-node link failures occur in Community WMN.Comment: Innovative Technologies in Intelligent Systems and Industrial Applications(CITISIA) 200

An application of simulated annealing to the optimum design of reinforced concrete retaining structures

This paper reports on the application of a simulated annealing algorithm to the minimum cost design of reinforced concrete retaining structures. Cantilever retaining walls are investigated, being representative of reinforced concrete retaining structures that are required to resist a combination of earth and hydrostatic loading. To solve such a constrained optimisation problem, a modified simulated annealing algorithm is proposed that avoids the simple rejection of infeasible solutions and improves convergence to a minimum cost. The algorithm was implemented using an object-orientated visual programming language, offering facilities for continual monitoring, assessing and changing of the simulated annealing control parameters. Results show that the simulated annealing can be successfully applied to the minimum cost design of reinforced concrete retaining walls, overcoming the difficulties associated with the practical and realistic assessment of the structural costs and their complex inter-relationship with the imposed constraints on the solution space