Assessing the Sources of Changes in the Volatility of Real Growth

In much of the world, growth is more stable than it once was. Looking at a sample of twentyfive countries, we find that in sixteen, real GDP growth is less volatile today than it was twenty years ago. And these declines are large, averaging more than fifty per cent. What accounts for the fact that real growth has been more stable in recent years? We survey the evidence and competing explanations and find support for the view that improved inventory management policies, coupled with financial innovation, adopting an inflation targeting scheme and increased central bank independence have all been associated with more stable real growth. Furthermore, we find weak evidence suggesting that increased commercial openness has coincided with increased output volatility.

Has Monetary Policy Become More Efficient? A Cross Country Analysis

Over the past twenty years, macroeconomic performance has improved in industrialized and developing countries alike. In a broad cross-section of countries inflation volatility has fallen markedly while output variability has either fallen or risen only slightly. This increased stability can be attributed to either: 1) more efficient policy-making by the monetary authority, 2) a reduction in the variability of the aggregate supply shocks, or 3) changes in the structure of the economy. In this paper we develop a method for measuring changes in performance, and allocate the source of performance changes to these two factors. Our technique involves estimating movements toward an inflation and output variability efficiency frontier, and shifts in the frontier itself. We study the change from the 1980s to the 1990s in the macroeconomic performance of 24 countries and find that, for most of the analyzed countries, more efficient policy has been the driving force behind improved macroeconomic performance.

A Modelling Framework for Optimising Investment for the Australian Livestock Industry

Despite the scale and importance of the beef industry in the north of Australia, recent political and environmental disruptions have highlighted the vulnerability of the supply chain. Ensuring that the supply chain remains resilient to climatic events as well as to unexpected decisions by the stakeholders will require careful planning and investment in logistics. In this paper, we outline an integrated methodology based on tactical and operational dynamic models, for assessing the effect of changes in the supply chain. Emphasis is on the development of an optimisation model that covers the ow of cattle from properties to agistment farms and feedlots to abattoirs/ports, and the selection of rest areas (spelling yards) along the path. The model selects the optimal location of spelling yards along the road network, subject to budget, site capacity, and service requirements. We show preliminary results for a case study comprising Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Microwave radar imaging of inhomogeneous breast phantoms using circular holography

Circular holography is a novel reconstruction technique for Breast Microwave Radar (BMR) imaging. Compared to current state of the art BMR image formation methods, this reconstruction approach yields spatially accurate images with higher signal to noise ratios and no artifacts. Nevertheless, a preclinical study is required to assess the feasibility of this technique in realistic breast imaging scenarios. In this paper, a series of preliminary results showing the performance of circular holography on preclinical datasets are presented. These datasets were recorded from inhomogeneous breast phantoms that mimic the dielectric properties and the anatomy of the different breast tissues. These phantoms were fabricated using Magnetic Resonance (MR) images a base model to emulate the shape and volumes of dense tissue regions. The reconstructed BMR images show that tumor and fibroglandular tissue responses can be effectively distinguished, suggesting that circular holography can be used as BMR reconstruction approach in clinical scenarios

A Modelling Framework for Optimising Investment for the Australian Livestock Industry

Despite the scale and importance of the beef industry in the north of Australia, recent political and environmental disruptions have highlighted the vulnerability of the supply chain. Ensuring that the supply chain remains resilient to climatic events as well as to unexpected decisions by the stakeholders will require careful planning and investment in logistics. In this paper, we outline an integrated methodology based on tactical and operational dynamic models, for assessing the effect of changes in the supply chain. Emphasis is on the development of an optimisation model that covers the ow of cattle from properties to agistment farms and feedlots to abattoirs/ports, and the selection of rest areas (spelling yards) along the path. The model selects the optimal location of spelling yards along the road network, subject to budget, site capacity, and service requirements. We show preliminary results for a case study comprising Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

A Modelling Framework for Optimising Investment for the Australian Livestock Industry

Despite the scale and importance of the beef industry in the north of Australia, recent political and environmental disruptions have highlighted the vulnerability of the supply chain. Ensuring that the supply chain remains resilient to climatic events as well as to unexpected decisions by the stakeholders will require careful planning and investment in logistics. In this paper, we outline an integrated methodology based on tactical and operational dynamic models, for assessing the effect of changes in the supply chain. Emphasis is on the development of an optimisation model that covers the ow of cattle from properties to agistment farms and feedlots to abattoirs/ports, and the selection of rest areas (spelling yards) along the path. The model selects the optimal location of spelling yards along the road network, subject to budget, site capacity, and service requirements. We show preliminary results for a case study comprising Western Australia and the Northern Territory.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Modeling for nonlinear rheological behavior of mixed polysaccharide gels

東京海洋大学博士学位論文 2020年度(2020年9月) 食品機能利用学 課程博士 甲第563号指導教員:松川真吾東京海洋大学202

Absorbed radiation dosimetry of the D3-specific PET radioligand [18F]FluorTriopride estimated using rodent and nonhuman primate

[(18)F]FluorTriopride ([(18)F]FTP) is a dopamine D(3)-receptor preferring radioligand with potential for investigation of neuropsychiatric disorders including Parkinson disease, dystonia and schizophrenia. Here we estimate human radiation dosimetry for [(18)F]FTP based on the ex-vivo biodistribution in rodents and in vivo distribution in nonhuman primates. Biodistribution data were generated using male and female Sprague-Dawley rats injected with ~370 KBq of [(18)F]FTP and euthanized at 5, 30, 60, 120, and 240 min. Organs of interest were dissected, weighed and assayed for radioactivity content. PET imaging studies were performed in two male and one female macaque fascicularis administered 143-190 MBq of [(18)F]FTP and scanned whole-body in sequential sections. Organ residence times were calculated based on organ time activity curves (TAC) created from regions of Interest. OLINDA/EXM 1.1 was used to estimate human radiation dosimetry based on scaled organ residence times. In the rodent, the highest absorbed radiation dose was the upper large intestines (0.32-0.49 mGy/MBq), with an effective dose of 0.07 mSv/MBq in males and 0.1 mSv/MBq in females. For the nonhuman primate, however, the gallbladder wall was the critical organ (1.81 mGy/MBq), and the effective dose was 0.02 mSv/MBq. The species discrepancy in dosimetry estimates for [(18)F]FTP based on rat and primate data can be attributed to the slower transit of tracer through the hepatobiliary track of the primate compared to the rat, which lacks a gallbladder. Out findings demonstrate that the nonhuman primate model is more appropriate model for estimating human absorbed radiation dosimetry when hepatobiliary excretion plays a major role in radiotracer elimination

Measuring the social and cultural contributions of immigrants to their integration efforts in rural communities

The purpose of this research is to examine the strategies newcomers employ to accumulate assets, minimize their vulnerability to risk exposure and become part of their new communities. “Getting by and getting ahead”. The following questions are guiding the study: 1. What are the strategies Latino immigrants use to integrate into communities and lead sustainable, high quality lives? 2. What factors facilitate or impede their economic integration?Includes bibliographical references