Understanding attitudes towards congestion pricing: a latent variable investigation with data from four cities

Numerous cities around the world are considering the implementation of road pricing to ease urban traffic congestion, following on from the success in cities such as London and Singapore. However, policy makers are also all too aware of the generally negative public opinion towards such measures. This study makes use of data collected in four cities (two in Sweden, one in Finland and one in France) using a very consistent survey probing for citizens' attitudes towards pricing. We find very strong similarities across the four cities in terms of a number of underlying attitudinal constructs that help explain people's answers in a hypothetical referendum on congestion pricing. The similarities across cities indicate that the increase in the opinion towards congestion pricing once they are introduced is not primarily an effect of changes in underlying attitudes, changes in how the underlying attitudes influence the support for congestion pricing, or differences in anticipated versus experienced or perceived self - interest. Instead this effect seems to be caused by a status quo acceptance, tending to increase the support for the current situation

Zipper - a Duplex Method for VDSL based on DMT

We present a new duplex scheme, called Zipper, for discrete multitone (DMT)-based very high bit-rate digital subscriber line (VDSL) systems on copper wires. This scheme divides the available bandwidth by assigning different subcarriers for the upstream and downstream directions. It has high flexibility to divide the capacity between the up and downstream, as well as good coexistence possibilities with other systems such as ADSL. Simulation results show the high bit-rate performance in different environments such as mixed ADSL and VDSL traffic under radio frequency interference and with different background noise source

A method for evaluation of QRS shape features using a mathematical model for the ECG

Automated classification of ECG patterns is facilitated by careful selection of waveform features. This paper presents a method for evaluating the properties of features that describe the shape of a QRS complex. By examining the distances in the feature space for a class of nearly similar complexes, shape transitions which are poorly described by the feature under investigation can be readily identified. To obtain a continuous range of waveforms, which is required by the method, a mathematical model is used to simulate the QRS complexes

Anharmonic softening of Raman active phonons in Iron-Pnictides; estimating the Fe isotope effect due to anharmonic expansion

We present Raman measurements on the iron-pnictide superconductors CeFeAsO_{1-x}F_{x} and NdFeAsO{1-x}F_{x}. Modeling the Fe-As plane in terms of harmonic and a cubic anharmonic Fe-As interaction we calculate the temperature dependence of the energy and lifetime of the Raman active Fe B_{1g} mode and fit to the observed energy shift. The shifts and lifetimes are in good agreement with those measured also in other Raman studies which demonstrate that the phonon spectrum is well represented by phonon-phonon interactions without any significant electronic contribution. We also estimate the anharmonic expansion from Fe (56->54) isotope substitution to \Delta a=5.1 10^{-4}\AA and \Delta d_{Fe-As}= 2.510^{-4}\AA and the shift of harmonic zero point fluctuations of bond lengths <=3 10^{-5}\AA^2, giving a total relative average decrease of electronic hopping integrals of |\delta t|/t<= 2.0 10^{-4}. The results poses a serious challenge for any theory of superconductivity in the pnictides that does not include electron-phonon interactions to produce a sizable Fe-isotope effect.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Understanding valuation of travel time changes: are preferences different under different stated choice design settings?

Stated choice (SC) experiments are the most popular method to estimate the value of travel time changes (VTTC) of a population. In the simplest VTTC experiment, the SC design variables are time changes and cost changes. The levels of these variables create a particular setting from which preferences are inferred. This paper tries to answer the question “do preferences vary with SC settings?”. For this, we investigate the role of the variables used in the SC experiment on the estimation of the set of VTTC (i.e. mean and covariates). Ideally, one would like to observe the same individuals completing different SC experiments. Since that option is not available, an alternative approach is to use a large dataset of responses, and split it according to different levels of the variable of interest. We refer to this as partial data analysis. The estimation of the same model on each sub-sample provides insights into potential effects of the variable of interest. This approach is applied in relation to three design variables on the data for the last national VTTC study in the UK, using state-of-the-art model specifications. The results show several ways in which the estimated set of VTTC can be affected by the levels of SC design variables. We conclude that model estimates (including the VTTC and covariates) are different in different settings. Hence by focussing the survey on specific settings, sample level results will be affected accordingly. Our findings have implications for appraisal and can inform the construction of future SC experiments

Propylene Carbonate Reexamined: Mode-Coupling β\beta Scaling without Factorisation ?

The dynamic susceptibility of propylene carbonate in the moderately viscous regime above $T_{\rm c}$ is reinvestigated by incoherent neutron and depolarised light scattering, and compared to dielectric loss and solvation response. Depending on the strength of $\alpha$ relaxation, a more or less extended $\beta$ scaling regime is found. Mode-coupling fits yield consistently $\lambda=0.72$ and $T_{\rm c}=182$K, although different positions of the susceptibility minimum indicate that not all observables have reached the universal asymptotics

A critical appraisal of the use of simple time-money trade-offs for appraisal value of travel time measures

Stated choice surveys have established themselves as the preferred approach for value of travel time elicitation with the help of choice models. However, major differences exist in the approach used across regions and contexts. In Europe (particularly Northern Europe), value of travel time is often estimated in large national studies, which continue to rely extensively on simple time-money trade-offs. On the other hand, studies in Australia and South America in particular tend to have a more local focus and follow the notion that more complex setups are preferable. The European studies however are also those where the results are actually used in cost–benefit analysis and data from European studies have formed a testbed for many advanced model specifications. The present paper aims to provide a critical appraisal of the use of simple time-money trade-offs, drawing from our experience in recent European studies. We highlight a number of issues, in terms of differences in valuations across formats as well as a lack of clarity on how respondents actually interpret travel time in these simple time-money trade-offs

Розвиток творчої активності студентів-гітаристів через імпровізацію під час роботи над музичним твором

(uk) У статті розглядається питання розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів. Надається обґрунтування того, що одним з ефективних засобів розвитку творчої активності студентів-гітарістів є високий рівень засвоєння прийомів імпровізації на заняттях з основного музичного інструменту. Наголошується, що розвиток творчого потенціалу в процесі музично-творчої діяльності студентів буде ефективним за умов здійснення педагогічного керівництва.(ru) В статье рассматривается вопрос развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов. Предоставляется обоснование того, что одним из эффективных средств развития творческой активности студентов-гитаристов является высокий уровень усвоения приемов импровизации на занятиях основного музыкального инструмента. Отмечается, что развитие творческого потенциала в процессе музыкально-творческой деятельности студентов будет эффективным в условиях осуществления педагогического руководства.(en) This article deals with the development of the creative activity of students guitarists. The ground of being one of the most effective means of creative activity of students guitarists is a high level of mastering techniques of improvisation in the classroom with the main musical instrument. It is noted that the development of creativity in the process of musical and creative activities students will be effective on condition that educational leadership. ndependent work on a musical composition is a productive form of developing students creative musical thinking. In the work plan of the students must be enabled as works of high complexity and fragments or themes from the works that are very difficult to implement fully. The basic weight school repertoire is designed for self-study students