Migration and the Environment: The Case of Philippine Uplands

Modeling the relationship between population growth and migration, this paper shows that destinations with higher average household incomes attract many immigrants. While it is not different from previous studies, this paper utilizes more environmentally based measures of economic opportunity at the destination.natural resources and environment, forestry sector, environmental issues, migration

Migration and the Environment: The Case of Philippine Uplands

Modeling the relationship between population growth and migration, this paper shows that destinations with higher average household incomes attract many immigrants. While it is not different from previous studies, this paper utilizes more environmentally based measures of economic opportunity at the destination.natural resources and environment, forestry sector, environmental issues, migration

Microstructural changes in Beta-silicon nitride grains upon crystallizing the grain-boundary glass

Crystallizing the grain boundary glass of a liquid phase sintered Si3N4 ceramic for 2 h or less at 1500 C led to formation of gamma Y2Si2O7. After 5 h at 1500 C, the gamma Y2Si2O7 had transformed to beta Y2Si2O7 with a concurrent dramatic increase in dislocation density within beta Si3N4 grains. Reasons for the increased dislocation density is discussed. Annealing for 20 h at 1500 C reduced dislocation densities to the levels found in as-sintered materials

Whither the community bank? relationship finance in the information age

Banks and banking ; Bank mergers

The past, present, and probable future for community banks

We review how deregulation, technological advance, and increased competitive rivalry have affected the size and health of the U.S. community banking sector and the quality and availability of banking products and services. We then develop a simple theoretical framework for analyzing how these changes have affected the competitive viability of community banks. Empirical evidence presented in this paper is consistent with the model's prediction that regulatory and technological change has exposed community banks to intensified competition on the one hand, but on the other hand has left well-managed community banks with a potentially exploitable strategic position in the industry. We also offer an analysis of how the number and distribution of community banks may change in the future.Community banks

Artificial Intelligence (AI), Operations Research (OR), and Decision Support Systems (DSS): A conceptual framework

In recent years there has been increasing interest in applying the computer based problem solving techniques of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Operations Research (OR), and Decision Support Systems (DSS) to analyze extremely complex problems. A conceptual framework is developed for successfully integrating these three techniques. First, the fields of AI, OR, and DSS are defined and the relationships among the three fields are explored. Next, a comprehensive adaptive design methodology for AI and OR modeling within the context of a DSS is described. These observations are made: (1) the solution of extremely complex knowledge problems with ill-defined, changing requirements can benefit greatly from the use of the adaptive design process, (2) the field of DSS provides the focus on the decision making process essential for tailoring solutions to these complex problems, (3) the characteristics of AI, OR, and DSS tools appears to be converging rapidly, and (4) there is a growing need for an interdisciplinary AI/OR/DSS education

Repurposing E. coli by Engineering Quorum Sensing and Redox Genetic Circuits

Because cells have the extraordinary ability to sense and respond to even subtle environmental changes by intricately regulating their gene expression patterns, their behaviors can be intentionally “tuned” by altering the state of their environments in a prescribed or rational manner. Rational control of both external and internal molecular stimuli provides a basis for many biotechnological applications including the expression of foreign protein products. This is done by coordinately controlling product synthesis while retaining the cell in a productive state. Quorum sensing (QS), a molecular signaling modality that mediates cell-cell communication, autonomously facilitates both inter- and intra-species gene regulation. This process can be rewired to enable autonomously actuated, but molecularly programmed, genetic control. Recently, even electrical signals, which have long been used to control the most sophisticated of man-made devices, are now employed to alter cell signaling processes enabling computer programmed behavior, particularly in cells suitably engineered to accommodate electrical signals. By minimally engineering these genetic circuits, new applications have emerged for the repurposing of Escherichia coli, from creating innovative sensor concepts to stimulating the emerging field of electrogenetics