360 research outputs found
Investigations to determine a possible source of the Carboniferous sandstone of the Ozark region
In preparing this thesis the object has been to determine, by comparisons, a possible source of the Carboniferous sandstones. It is perfectly obvious that the material came from some older formation. Considering all the possible sources from which the Carboniferous sandstone could have originated, we, have the Pre-Cambrian igneous rocks of the St. Francois Mountains, the basal Cambrian sandstone or the La Motte formation, the Roubidoux formation (chiefly sandstone), and the St. Peter formation (essentially sandstone) --Introduction, page 4
Is Groningen a Sustainable Student City? A White Paper
Over the last few years, Groningen has emerged as an international city. The universities and the Gemeente have undertaken an initiative to become known not merely as a student city, but as an āinternationalā city. To achieve this, they have planned to increase the international student population within the city (Gemeente Groningen, 2018). While trying to attain this vision, however, problems seem to have surfaced. In order to properly evaluate the complex situation Groningen finds itself in, we had to begin by defining our terms, creating a toolbox with which to analyse the city. In our investigations, we found that the idea of sustainability proposed by our sources was not clearly defined or was too narrow. Based on the existing literature, we found that sustainability could be divided into three pillars; economic, social, and, of course, environmental (Purvis, Mao & Robinson 2018). Once we had defined our terms and established what we were looking for, we began assembling relevant data regarding the city of Groningen. Utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods, we conducted interviews, collected statistics, created maps and examined existing legislation and literature pertaining to the subjects of sustainability and student cities. Finally, we evaluated the current condition of Groningen as a sustainable student city, pinpointing shortcomings, the reasons behind them, and the areas where we donāt know enough. It seems that the universities and the Gemeente hadnāt fully evaluated the capacities of Groningen to accommodate this increase of international students before their internationalisation campaign. Perhaps the largest issue that arose is the unexpected lack of integration between the international students and the local residents. This is seen as extremely unfavourable by students, making it very difficult for them to assimilate into the city and become active agents within their respective communities. Instead, a sort of bubble emerges; where internationals live together and mingle amongst themselves, only really acting as consumers within the city, departing the city after they complete their degrees, without having integrated into the city. The demands of the two separate groups which have a completely different way of being, are almost irreconcilable, with limited communication between one another augmenting their disparities. Unfortunately, the lack of social integration and insufficient planning have been the demise of each other, particularly in regards to how Groningen can sustain the influx of internationals. Some issues that have arisen as a result of this are; the shortage of student housing, the difficulty of access to the labour market for international students, a lack of student representation within the city, and the rise of dodgy practices against internationals. If these problems arenāt promptly addressed, then it seems likely that the situation will worsen. If Groningen starts building a negative reputation as a result of these issues, it could face major difficulties in continuing its ambition of becoming a truly international student city. An evaluation regarding the capacity of Groningen to accommodate international students is needed in order to determine whether or not it is sustainable. If we actively collaborate with the various stakeholders, on the basis of a concrete analysis of Groningen (in terms of the city and the University), we can set a realistic path to achieve a sustainable and well-integrated student city, where both the internationals and the long-term residents have adequate say and input within their communities, and the city as a whole
Physical tests for Random Numbers in Simulations
We propose three physical tests to measure correlations in random numbers
used in Monte Carlo simulations. The first test uses autocorrelation times of
certain physical quantities when the Ising model is simulated with the Wolff
algorithm. The second test is based on random walks, and the third on blocks of
n successive numbers. We apply the tests to show that recent errors in high
precision simulations using generalized feedback shift register algorithms are
due to short range correlations in random number sequences. We also determine
the length of these correlations.Comment: 16 pages, Post Script file, HU-TFT-94-
Identification of sex hormone-binding globulin in the human hypothalamus
Gonadal steroids are known to influence hypothalamic functions through both genomic and non-genomic pathways. Sex hormone-binding globulin ( SHBG) may act by a non-genomic mechanism independent of classical steroid receptors. Here we describe the immunocytochemical mapping of SHBG-containing neurons and nerve fibers in the human hypothalamus and infundibulum. Mass spectrometry and Western blot analysis were also used to characterize the biochemical characteristics of SHBG in the hypothalamus and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of humans. SHBG-immunoreactive neurons were observed in the supraoptic nucleus, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, paraventricular nucleus, arcuate nucleus, the perifornical region and the medial preoptic area in human brains. There were SHBG-immunoreactive axons in the median eminence and the infundibulum. A partial colocalization with oxytocin could be observed in the posterior pituitary lobe in consecutive semithin sections. We also found strong immunoreactivity for SHBG in epithelial cells of the choroid plexus and in a portion of the ependymal cells lining the third ventricle. Mass spectrometry showed that affinity-purified SHBG from the hypothalamus and choroid plexus is structurally similar to the SHBG identified in the CSF. The multiple localizations of SHBG suggest neurohypophyseal and neuroendocrine functions. The biochemical data suggest that CSF SHBG is of brain rather than blood origin. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Base
JIT-Based cost analysis for dynamic program transformations
Tracing JIT compilation generates units of compilation that are easy to analyse and are known to execute frequently. The AJITPar project investigates whether the information in JIT traces can be used to dynamically transform programs for a specific parallel architecture. Hence a lightweight cost model is required for JIT traces.
This paper presents the design and implementation of a system for extracting JIT trace information from the Pycket JIT compiler. We define three increasingly parametric cost models for Pycket traces. We determine the best weights for the cost model parameters using linear regression. We evaluate the effectiveness of the cost models for predicting the relative costs of transformed programs
Perception of High Alcohol Use of Peers Is Associated With High Personal Alcohol Use in First-Year University Students in Three Central and Eastern European Countries
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess discrepancies between estimated peer and personal drinking behavior and to determine associations between perceptions of peer and personal drinking behavior among university students from Hungary (HU), Lithuania (LT), and the Slovak Republic (SK). Methods: 2,554 freshman university students completed an online questionnaire on the frequency of their personal alcohol use, the number of heavy drinking occasions and on their perception concerning the corresponding drinking behavior of a typical student. Associations between perceived peer and personal use were analyzed by means of logistic regression, adjusting for sex. Results: The majority of students across all countries thought their peers drink more frequently and are more often involved in heavy drinking occasions than themselves. Students who perceived the frequency of peer alcohol use to be higher were more likely to drink alcohol twice a week or more often (SR: OR = 3.81, 95% CI = 2.51ā5.79; LT: OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 2.11ā4.75; HU: OR = 2.10, 95% CI = 1.53ā2.87) compared with students who drink alcohol monthly or less. Those who perceived the number of peer heavy drinking occasions as high were more likely to report heavy drinking weekly or more often (SR: OR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.92ā5.20; LT:OR = 3.56, 95% CI = 2.14ā5.94; HU:OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.79ā2.51) compared with students who report heavy drinking less than monthly. Conclusions/Importance: University students perceived peer alcohol use to be higher than their personal use. Given the association between perceptions and personal alcohol use, future research should investigate if targeting perceptions in the surveyed countries may have an impact on alcohol use
Must . . . stay . . . strong!
This is the fourth installment in our trilogy of papers on epistemic modality.It is a recurring matra that epistemic must creates a statement that is weaker than the corresponding flat-footed assertion: It must be raining vs. Itās raining. Contrary to classic discussions of the phenomenon such as by Karttunen, Kratzer, and Veltman, we argue that instead of having a weak semantics, must presupposes the presence of an indirect inference or deduction rather than of a direct observation. This is independent of the strength of the claim being made. Epistemic must is therefore quite similar to evidential markers of indirect evidence known from languages with rich evidential systems. We work towards a formalization of the evidential component, relying on a structured model of information states (analogous to some models used in the belief dynamics literature). We explain why in many contexts, one can perceive a lack of confidence on the part of the speaker who uses must
Exploring the linkages between managerial leadership, communication and teamwork in successful event delivery
Recent growth of events has triggered research into the determinants of successful event delivery. Communication is one of the determinants, and the importance of managerial leadership in enabling communication across an event's team is recognised. Empirical research on the attributes of event managers that make them good leaders from the perspective of an event's team is however limited. Through in-depth, semi-structured interviews with employees of an established events company in the UK, this study explores the role of managerial leadership in the success of an event, referring in particular to the enablers and inhibitors of effective communication. The study finds that leadership capacity of managers correlates with their personal and inter-personal competencies. On a personal level, poor motivational and interaction skills reduce the event's team performance. On an inter-personal level, insufficient recognition of the efforts applied by individual team members as well as the entire team serves as an inhibitor
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