Randomized strategies and prospect theory in a dynamic context

When prospect theory (PT) is applied in a dynamic context, the probability weighting com- ponent brings new challenges. We study PT agents facing optimal timing decisions and consider the impact of allowing them to follow randomized strategies. In a continuous-time model of gam- bling and optimal stopping, Ebert and Strack (2015) show that a naive PT investor with access only to pure strategies never stops. We show that allowing randomization can signi cantly alter the predictions of their model, and can result in voluntary cessation of gambling

Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Marine Fisheries in the Arctic

This paper is to investigate how climate change affect fisheries resources and economic performance of fishing sector and coastal communities in the Arctic with a focus on Svalbard Fisheries Protection Zone. Climate change is projected to alter the productivity of our oceans, the distribution, abundance, composition, quality and quantity of marine fisheries resources. Many coastal communities in the Arctic have been intricately connected to marine fisheries economically, culturally and socially. Changes in the spatial distribution and relative abundance of commercially exploited and potentially valuable fish species are likely to change the dynamics of fishing activities and exploitation patterns. Using a Dynamic Bioclimate Envelope Model (DBEM), we project that a warming climate will likely increase overall species richness and abundance in the Arctic, resulting in increased catch potential. We then evaluate how these changes affect fishing sector and coastal communities through changes in revenues, profits, fishing cost, household income and employment opportunities in the fisheries sector. The results highlight the disparity in climate vulnerability in fisheries related food security and livelihood between different fishing sectors and areas

Can social inclusion be evaluated? Investigating the psychometric properties of the social inclusion intervention scale

The present study aims to validate a newly developed Social Inclusion Intervention Scale (SIIS) using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The participants were 128 children aged 45-84 month-old from local integrated preschools in Hong Kong. The factor structure of the SIIS fit the data well (RMSEA = .08, NFI = .92, and TLI = .95, CFI = .96, SRMR = .04), with good convergent validity (all CR values > .92, all AVE values > .61). The internal consistency was good across items (all α values > .91) and factors (all CR values > .92). Hence, the sample obtained from the clinical trials of this study showed a good model fit, which suggested that the SIIS is adequate in measuring social inclusion among preschool children in social inclusion intervention programmes. The implications of the two emerged themes of social inclusion from the findings, Relationships and Acceptance, are further discussed to ascertain how they shed light on the design of social inclusion intervention

Ocean Science Series: Redistribution of Fish Catch by Climate Change

Global climate change is expected to affect marine fisheries productivity because of changes in water temperature, ocean currents and other ocean conditions. Marine fisheries are an important food source, and changes in the total amount or geographic distribution of fish available for catch could affect food security. Changes in marine food supply due to climate change, however, were previously unknown

Hepatitis B testing and vaccination in immigrants attending english as a second language classes in british columbia, Canada.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a growing health issue in Canada, especially given that population growth is now largely the result of immigration. Immigrants from countries with high HBV prevalence and low levels of HBV vaccination have an excess risk of liver disease and there is a need for increased diligence in HBV blood testing and possibly vaccination among these populations. Objective: This study describes the sociodemographic characteristics associated with a history of HBV testing and HBV vaccination in immigrants from several countries with high HBV prevalence who are attending English classes. Methods: 759 adult immigrants attending English as a Second Language classes completed a self-administered questionnaire asking about sociodemographic characteristics and history of HBV testing and HBV vaccination. Descriptive statistics and adjusted ORs were calculated to explore these associations. Results: 71% reported prior HBV testing, 8% reported vaccination without testing, and 21% reported neither testing nor vaccination. Age, education and country of birth all showed significant effects for both testing and vaccination. Conclusions: Health care practitioners need to be cognizant of HBV testing, and possibly vaccination, in some of their patients, including immigrants from countries with endemic HBV infection. Infected persons need to be identified by blood testing in order receive necessary care to prevent or delay the onset of liver disease as well as to adopt appropriate behaviours to reduce the risk of transmission to others. Close contacts of infected persons also require HBV testing and subsequent vaccination (if not infected) or medical management (if infected)

Climate change increases the risk of fisheries conflict

The effects of climate change on the ocean environment – especially ocean warming, acidification, and sea level rise – will impact fish stocks and fishers in important ways. Likely impacts include changes in fish stocks’ productivity and distribution, human migration to and away from coastal areas, stresses on coastal fisheries infrastructure, and challenges to prevailing maritime boundaries. In this paper, we explore these and other related phenomena, in order to assess whether and how the impacts of climate change on fisheries will contribute to the risk of fisheries conflict. We argue that climate change will entail an increase in the conditions that may precipitate fisheries conflict, and thereby create new challenges for existing fisheries management institutions. Several potential changes in fisheries management policy are recommended to avert the growing risk of fisheries-related conflicts

Data-driven approach for highlighting priority areas for protection in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction

One of the aims of the United Nations (UN) negotiations on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) is to develop a legal process for the establishment of area-based management tools, including marine protected areas, in ABNJ. Here we use a conservation planning algorithm to integrate 55 global data layers on ABNJ species diversity, habitat heterogeneity, benthic features, productivity, and fishing as a means for highlighting priority regions in ABNJ to be considered for spatial protection. We also include information on forecasted species distributions under climate change. We found that parameterizing the planning algorithm to protect at least 30% of these key ABNJ conservation features, while avoiding areas of high fishing effort, yielded a solution that highlights 52,545,634 km2 (23.7%) of ABNJ as high priority regions for protection. Instructing the planning model to avoid ABNJ areas with high fishing effort resulted in relatively minor shifts in the planning solution, when compared to a separate model that did not consider fishing effort. Integrating information on climate change had a similarly minor influence on the planning solution, suggesting that climate-informed ABNJ protected areas may be able to protect biodiversity now and in the future. This globally standardized, data-driven process for identifying priority ABNJ regions for protection serves as a valuable complement to other expert-driven processes underway to highlight ecologically or biologically significant ABNJ regions. Both the outputs and methods exhibited in this analysis can additively inform UN decision-making concerning establishment of ABNJ protected areas

Can social inclusion be evaluated? Investigating the psychometric properties of the social inclusion intervention scale

The present study aims to validate a newly developed Social Inclusion Intervention Scale (SIIS) using Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The participants were 128 children aged 45-84 month-old from local integrated preschools in Hong Kong. The factor structure of the SIIS fit the data well (RMSEA = .08, NFI = .92, and TLI = .95, CFI = .96, SRMR = .04), with good convergent validity (all CR values > .92, all AVE values > .61). The internal consistency was good across items (all α values > .91) and factors (all CR values > .92). Hence, the sample obtained from the clinical trials of this study showed a good model fit, which suggested that the SIIS is adequate in measuring social inclusion among preschool children in social inclusion intervention programmes. The implications of the two emerged themes of social inclusion from the findings, Relationships and Acceptance, are further discussed to ascertain how they shed light on the design of social inclusion intervention

Heterogeneity of human Neutrophil CD177 expression results from CD177P1 Pseudogene Conversion

Most humans harbor both CD177neg and CD177pos neutrophils but 1–10% of people are CD177null, placing them at risk for formation of anti-neutrophil antibodies that can cause transfusion-related acute lung injury and neonatal alloimmune neutropenia. By deep sequencing the CD177 locus, we catalogued CD177 single nucleotide variants and identified a novel stop codon in CD177null individuals arising from a single base substitution in exon 7. This is not a mutation in CD177 itself, rather the CD177null phenotype arises when exon 7 of CD177 is supplied entirely by the CD177 pseudogene (CD177P1), which appears to have resulted from allelic gene conversion. In CD177 expressing individuals the CD177 locus contains both CD177P1 and CD177 sequences. The proportion of CD177hi neutrophils in the blood is a heritable trait. Abundance of CD177hi neutrophils correlates with homozygosity for CD177 reference allele, while heterozygosity for ectopic CD177P1 gene conversion correlates with increased CD177neg neutrophils, in which both CD177P1 partially incorporated allele and paired intact CD177 allele are transcribed. Human neutrophil heterogeneity for CD177 expression arises by ectopic allelic conversion. Resolution of the genetic basis of CD177null phenotype identifies a method for screening for individuals at risk of CD177 isoimmunisation

Socio-economic tools to mitigate the impacts of ocean acidification on economies and communities reliant on coral reefs — a framework for prioritization

Coral reef preservation is a challenge for the whole of humanity, not just for the estimated three billion people that directly depend upon coral reefs for their livelihoods and food security. Ocean acidification combined with rising sea surface temperatures, and an array of other anthropogenic influences such as pollution, sedimentation, over fishing, and coral mining represent the key threats currently facing coral reef survival. Here we summarize a list of agreements, policies, and socio-economic tools and instruments that can be used by global, national and local decision-makers to address ocean acidification and associated threats, as identified during an expert workshop in October 2017. We then discuss these tools and instruments at a global level and identify the key tasks for raising decision makers’ awareness. Finally, we suggest ways of prioritizing between different actions or tools for mitigation and adaptation