A General Regional Agricultural Model (GRAM) Applied to a Region in Poland

The General Regional Agricultural Model (GRAM) described in this report is the product of a case study of regional development in the Upper Notec region of Poland carried out collaboratively by IIASA and the Systems Research Institute in Warsaw, Poland. The purpose of this work was twofold: to assist Polish authorities in planning the development of agriculture in the region, and to create a universal methodology in the form of a model applicable to similar problems and settings in other countries. Thus, the methodological characteristics presented in this report are based on testing and implementing the model in the concrete situation of the Upper Notec region of Poland. GRAM was developed using the so-called "bottom-up" approach, which consists of orienting the model toward technological interdependencies at the level of the agricultural areas in the region, and including a set of variables and parameters that enable this "bottom" model to be linked with those for other aspects of the regional economy. The model deals with the following elements: a set of crops, a number of rotation groups; types of agricultural animals, types of livestock products, and feed components in forage; three types of market and three types of land ownership; different crop growing and livestock breeding technologies; and different soil qualities and types of fertilizers according to the contents of the elements. The model incorporates space and can give solutions for a number of regions. Technically GRAM is a large linear programming model with static relations. The purpose of the model is to derive a detailed specification for a production structure combined with a direct utilization of its products that is optimal for a predefined objective. The model can also be used to indicate essential bottlenecks, resource distribution inconsistencies, and so on. It allows the formulations of multi-objective optimization problems to consider conflicts between different groups of producers. It is solved under constraints in labor, machinery, fertilizers and water availability at annual and two peak levels. Two types of objective functions are used: monetary (linked with cost-benefit analysis) and physical. Among specific objective for which the model has been solved there are: total net return or net production value from agricultural activities within the region; balance of regional agricultural production in monetary terms; regional agricultural production in terms of nutrition units; regional trade balances in livestock products in monetary terms and nutrition units; and export production in monetary terms. In cooperation with other elements of the regional model system, two types of information are exchanged: dual prices and volume of output

International study of video review of concussion in professional sports

BACKGROUND: Video review has become an important tool in professional sporting codes to help sideline identification and management of players with a potential concussion. AIM: To assess current practices related to video review of concussion in professional sports internationally, and compare protocols and diagnostic criteria used to identify and manage potential concussions. METHODS: Current concussion management guidelines from professional national and international sporting codes were reviewed. Specific criteria and definitions of video signs associated with concussion were compared between codes. Rules and regulations adopted across the codes for processes around video review were also assessed. RESULTS: Six sports with specific diagnostic criteria and definitions for signs of concussion identified on video review participated in this study (Australian football, American football, world rugby, cricket, rugby league and ice hockey). Video signs common to all sports include lying motionless/loss of responsiveness and motor incoordination. The video signs considered by the majority of sports as most predictive of a diagnosis of concussion include motor incoordination, impact seizure, tonic posturing and lying motionless. Regulatory requirements, sideline availability of video, medical expertise of video reviewers and use of spotters differ across sports and geographical boundaries. By and large, these differences reflect a pragmatic approach from each sport, with limited underlying research and development of the video review process in some instances. CONCLUSIONS: The use of video analysis in assisting medical staff with the diagnosis or identification of potential concussion is well established across different sports internationally. The diagnostic criteria used and the expertise of the video review personnel are not clearly established, and research efforts would benefit from a collaborative harmonisation across sporting codes

Pathways to Electrochemical Solar-Hydrogen Technologies

Solar-powered electrochemical production of hydrogen through water electrolysis is an active and important research endeavor. However, technologies and roadmaps for implementation of this process do not exist. In this perspective paper, we describe potential pathways for solar-hydrogen technologies into the marketplace in the form of photoelectrochemical or photovoltaic-driven electrolysis devices and systems. We detail technical approaches for device and system architectures, economic drivers, societal perceptions, political impacts, technological challenges, and research opportunities. Implementation scenarios are broken down into short-term and long-term markets, and a specific technology roadmap is defined. In the short term, the only plausible economical option will be photovoltaic-driven electrolysis systems for niche applications. In the long term, electrochemical solar-hydrogen technologies could be deployed more broadly in energy markets but will require advances in the technology, significant cost reductions, and/or policy changes. Ultimately, a transition to a society that significantly relies on solar-hydrogen technologies will benefit from continued creativity and influence from the scientific community.Solid state NMR/Biophysical Organic Chemistr

NATAL-74: Definition and Development of a Course Authoring Language to Meet National Requirements

NRC publication: Ye

The influence of cricket fast bowlers’ front leg technique on peak ground reaction forces

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Sports Sciences on 25th Oct 2012, available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2012.736628High ground reaction forces during the front foot contact phase of the bowling action are believed to be a major contributor to the high prevalence of lumbar stress fractures in fast bowlers. This study aimed to investigate the influence of front leg technique on peak ground reaction forces during the delivery stride. Three-dimensional kinematic data and ground reaction forces during the front foot contact phase were captured for 20 elite male fast bowlers. Eight kinematic parameters were determined for each performance, describing run-up speed and front leg technique, in addition to peak force and time to peak force in the vertical and horizontal directions. There were substantial variations between bowlers in both peak forces (vertical 6.7 ± 1.4 body weights; horizontal (braking) 4.5 ± 0.8 body weights) and times to peak force (vertical 0.03 ± 0.01 s; horizontal 0.03 ± 0.01 s). These differences were found to be linked to the orientation of the front leg at the instant of front foot contact. In particular, a larger plant angle and a heel strike technique were associated with lower peak forces and longer times to peak force during the front foot contact phase, which may help reduce the likelihood of lower back injuries

A Design Task Advisor. Artificial Intelligence Education

NRC publication: Ye