Analysis of parametric oscillatory instability in Fabry-Perot cavity with Gauss and Laguerre-Gauss main mode profile

We calculate the parametric instabilities in Fabry-Perot cavities of Advanced VIRGO and LIGO interferometers with different main mode profiles. All unstable combinations of elastic and Stokes modes both for the case with TEM00 and LG33 as a carriers are deduced.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Gambling Behaviors of Former Athletes: The Delayed Competitive Effect

Gambling behaviors in current athletes, former athletes and non-athletes were examined. Gambling tendencies were determined from participants\u27 responses on the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS). A delayed competitive effect among athletes that might surface in the form of pathological gambling was investigated. To test this novel theory, participants were divided into three groups: athletes who are currently playing sports, former athletes who used to play competitive sports and non-athletes who have never participated in competitive sporting events. A 2 x 3 independent groups AN OVA was utilized comparing SOGS scores across gender and athletic status. The mean score for former athletes on the SOGS was significantly higher than for both current athletes and non-athletes as was the frequency of those classified as probable pathological gamblers suggesting the possibility that a delayed competitive effect might exist among former athletes. Additionally, a higher percentage of former athletes were involved in sports gambling

Determinants of the Probability of Ship Injuries

This study investigates determinants of the probability that an individual onboard a ship of a given shipping line will be injured (given that the ship is not involved in an accident). A Probit regression statistical model is used to investigate such determinants when ships are in port and on given types of containerships. Probit estimation results suggest that an individual is less likely to be injured in port onboard a ship that is larger in size and underway, but more likely to be injured if involved in a fall. An individual is less likely to be injured onboard a containership with AMO union officers if it is larger in size and during the daytime. An individual is less likely to be injured onboard a containership with MEBA and MMP union officers if it is larger in size, when the weather is clear and when he/she is wearing steel-toed safety boots

Numerical simulations of mountain winds in an alpine valley

The meteorological model WRF is used to investigate the wind circulation in Valle Camonica, Italy, an alpine valley that includes a large subalpine lake. The aim was to obtain the information necessary to evaluate the wind potential of this area and, from a methodological point of view, to suggest how numerical modeling can be used to locate the most interesting spots for wind exploitation. Two simulations are carried out in order to analyze typical scenarios occurring in the valley. In the first one, the diurnal cycle of thermally-induced winds generated by the heating-cooling of the mountain range encircling the valley is analyzed. The results show that the mountain slopes strongly affect the low-level winds during both daytime and nighttime, and that the correct setting of the lake temperature improves the quality of the meteorological fields provided by WRF significantly. The second simulation deals with an event of strong downslope winds caused by the passage of a cold front. Comparisons between simulated and measured wind speed, direction and air temperature are also shown

COLLECTIVE REPUTATION AND QUALITY

Firms who sell a regional or specialty product often share a common or collective reputation, which is based on the group's aggregate quality. The dynamic problem of collective reputation is similar to the natural resource extraction problems. Therefore, for the analysis of this particular problem, we use differential games. If there is unrestricted access to a common property resource (the reputation stock), agents perceive its shadow value to be zero and extract too rapidly; i.e, they all "cheat" on quality, "milking" the rents generated by the existence of the resource (reputation stock). We show that when there exists a collective product reputation without firm traceability, the firms will extract too much from the stock of reputation. A firm is said to "extract" reputation from the reputation stock when it sells low-quality products at high prices given by the high past levels of quality. The firm builds on the group's reputation when it provides a product with a quality level which is higher than the expected level of quality. The results from this work support minimum quality standards for producer groups and regional and specialty products. This is in contrast to the findings of previous work. Finally, the implications of these results are discussed as they relate to the case study of Washington apples. We present the case of Washington apples in light of the results of the analytical model.Agribusiness,

An Economic Analysis of Replacing Existing Bermudagrass Stands with Tifton 85 Bermudagrass for Beef Cow-Calf, Stocker and Hay Production

Comparisons of simulated NPV for Coastal and Tifton 85 bermuda-grass using experimental data, current input prices and historical hay and feeder cattle prices indicates that many producers would benefit by adopting this new cultivar. Cow-calf producers would benefit the most followed by stocker/replacement heifer producers and finally hay producers. When risk-aversion is introduced into the model, all cow-calf and stocker producers regardless of the level of risk-aversion should consider adopting T85. Moderately or extremely risk-averse hay producers would consider adopting T85, while those that are slightly risk-averse would be indifferent.Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

Leveraging the Public School System to Combat Adolescent Obesity: The Limits of Arkansas’s Statewide Policy Initiative

Purpose: This study assessed the effectiveness of one of the earliest statewide policy initiatives to address obesity via schools—Arkansas’s Act 1220 of 2003—on adolescent obesity. The Act required public schools in Arkansas to conduct body mass index (BMI) screening and reporting, restrict access to vending machines and establish physical education and nutrition standards.Methods: To determine the effect of Act 1220 as a whole, this study analyzed data representative of adolescents in grades 9-12 from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) using the quasi-experimental method of difference-in-differences. Changes in adolescents’ weight outcomes in Arkansas before (1999 and 2001) and after (2005, 2007 and 2009) the implementation of Act 1220 were compared to changes in weight outcomes for adolescents from the neighboring state of Missouri across the same time period.Results: Arkansas’s Act 1220 did not significantly influence adolescents’ BMI-for-age z-scores (zBMI) (-0.017; 95% confidence interval [CI] [-0.097, 0.063]; p=.68). Further, the Act did not lead to significant reductions in zBMI among adolescents who were either overweight (-0.003; 95% CI [-0.043, 0.036]; p=.86) or obese (-0.010; 95% CI [-0.070, 0.051]; p=.75). Results remain robust to adjustments for self-report bias in height and weight as well as a set of alternative comparison states.Conclusions: Preventing adolescent overweight and obesity is unlikely to occur through such large-scale policy initiatives alone