Sequential License Buyback Auctions: An Experimental Analysis

Fisheries managers use licenses as a method of capping the size of a fishing industry, but as management goals change and the size of fishery stocks fluctuate, managers may be faced with the decision to buy back licenses. The vast majority of economic literature on license buyback programs focuses on the changes to economic efficiency of the fleet, often citing changes to the composition of fleet size. However, managers have little guidance in deciding how to structure a buyback auction, despite the fact that the auction structure plays a key role in determining which licenses are retired and in the composition of the remaining fleet. With the Texas Park and Wildlife Department’s Inshore Shrimp License Buyback Program as a basis for auction design, this research uses three experimental treatments to analyze how individuals respond to various reverse auction structures. In terms of the quickest license expiration, our experiments suggest that fisheries managers should select a binding auction with no sequential quality. However, we find that managers would see higher average bids from fishers in comparison to the two sequential auctions. The results are also relevant to other environmental programs in which environmental services are purchased over time in a sequential reverse auction.Fisheries management, license buyback, reverse auction, Institutional and Behavioral Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Q22, Q28, C9,

Evaluation of thermal insulation by coal beds in the western Arkoma Basin, OK and implications for large scale geothermal resources

Weighted average geothermal gradients in the Western Arkoma Basin, Oklahoma are estimated from bottom hole temperatures (BHT) from 158 oil and gas wells. The regional geothermal gradient is 28.8 °C/km. The central and north central portions of the basin have higher gradients than southern and northern portions, especially in large areas of Pittsburg and Haskell counties where geothermal gradients in excess of 36 °C/km exist. These gradients suggest that temperatures suitable for low temperature geothermal power exist at depths of 2-3 km. Coals have very low thermal conductivity (0.15 – 0.5 W/m°K) acting as thermal insulators. This study examines the impact of coals on the thermal regime. Desmoinesian coal thickness was mapped in the Basin using bulk density curves from 78 well logs. The maximum thickness was about 50 ft of Pennsylvanian coal. However, most wells show much lower amounts (\u3c 20 ft). Ten of eleven wells along a north/south cross section were selected for one dimensional (1D) thermal modeling. Correlation of net coal thickness to the weighted average geothermal gradients and computer models show that coal thickness is too thin to have a significant effect on the geothermal gradient. Temperature gradients in eight wells are consistent with vertical steady state conduction, and two are not. Analytical solutions and temperature logs show that downward movement of cold water can produce the observed geothermal gradient in these two wells. Temperature log profiles from wells near the Basin center reveal thermal anomalies indicating conditions inconsistent with steady state vertical thermal conduction below the Atoka formation. These anomalies are located around major fault fairways and provide potential evidence for fluid flow and/or refraction of thermal energy. Within the Basin center, the Spiro and Cromwell Sandstones are geothermal reservoirs of interest as they are thick, aerially extensive, have moderate to good porosity, and are at depths suitable for low temperature geothermal power (~80 °C). More detailed structural analysis, aided by two dimensional modeling is needed to further assess the geothermal potential in the area

Physical Therapy Management Of Gross Function Loss Following Gunshot Wound To Left Hand: A Case Report

Background and Purpose: Nonfatal gunshot emergencies occur regularly within the United States but do not often lead to patients entering outpatient physical therapy clinics for rehabilitation. The complex musculoskeletal injuries which result from gunshot wounds may require prolonged rehabilitative care to best achieve functional outcomes, but clinicians may find a gap in the current literature for guidance. The purpose of this case study is to describe the outpatient rehabilitation treatment interventions for a gunshot wound to the hand, including manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, therapeutic activity, and neuromuscular reeducation. Case Description: The patient was a 34-year-old, left hand dominant, white male who presented to physical therapy after accidentally discharging his handgun on the ventral side of his left hand. During initial examination, the patient presented with gross dysfunction of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular and integumentary systems which limited his ability to use his left hand while performing activities of daily living (ADLs) and work tasks. Outcomes: The patient improved towards all set goals including strength, pain rating, and range of motion (ROM). AROM wrist flexion improved from 20 degrees to 70 degrees, PROM forearm supination improved from -45 degrees to 64 degrees and average PROM metacarpophalangeal flexion improved from 29 degrees to 75.8 degrees. Wrist extension remained highly restricted, limiting the patient’s ability to fully return to ADLs, IADLs, and all necessary job functions. Discussion: The patient displayed improvements in ROM as demonstrated by handheld goniometry values, strength as demonstrated by MMT grades and dynamometry, and progressed exceptionally well towards all chosen goals. These outcomes suggest that a comprehensive approach to the PT rehabilitation of a gunshot wound to the hand appears to be successful in promoting functional patient gains

Restorying Queer Family: A Scoping Review

LGBTQ+ populations within clinical research are typically characterized through the lens of the minority stress model (Meyer, 2003) and the risks or problems that are associated with their identities (Kiekens et al., 2020). Despite rising rates of families headed by LGBTQ+ individuals (Suter et al., 2016), they remain underrepresented within family-based research (Jensen & Sanner, 2021).This body of work aims to move beyond these standards to explore the ways that LGBTQ+ individuals utilize narrative as a means of connecting themselves to their families. In order to accomplish this, a scoping literature review was conducted to answer the following question: “Within the current literature, in what ways has narrative been used to foster connection between LGBTQ+ individuals and their conception of family?” Seven articles were identified for inclusion based on their exploration of all three central concepts including LGBTQ+ individuals, family, and narrative. Based on these articles, four subthemes were generated, entitled “Experiences of Coming Out,” “Family Interactions Matter,” “Community and Society,” and “Continuous Evolution.” These subthemes articulate a larger theme described as “The Life Cycle of Queer Family,” which serves as a new narrative for the typical development of LGBTQ+ identities within a familial context. Recommendations for the development of a narradrama intervention targeting families with LGBTQ+ members are described. Lastly, the implications of this new narrative on clinical work with LGBTQ+ populations are discussed, and consideration of further inquiry is provided

Everything I Love Restored

This book of new poems documents my trials and triumphs in my recovery from a Dual Diagnosis..

Water Partners International, Community Water Systems Sustainability Evaluation in Lempira, Honduras

Emory University's Center for Global Safe Water studied a random sampling of 10 out of 43 water projects in Honduras implemented between 1990 and 2002 by WaterPartners International and Comité Central de Proyectos de Agua y Desarrollo Integral de Lempira or the Central Committee for Water and Comprehensive Development Projects in Lempira (COCEPRADIL). The goal of this evaluation was to document system status, current operations and financial situation of the water committee, and system maintenance history, and to quantify user satisfaction in each of 10 randomly selected projects. None of the communities reported a significant number of broken or abandoned water points; nearly all of the communities surveyed had increased the number of water points from the beginning of the project and all were still collecting the water tariff. Community satisfaction was high throughout the study area for nearly all categories: quality, quantity, accessibility, affordability, and access. Kind of Study: Randomized Control Trial (RCT). Grey literature. Sample Size: 10 randomly selected rural water supply projects out of 43 projects in Lempira, Honduras. Timing of Study: July 12-22, 2006

Automatic discovery of optimal classes

A criterion, based on Bayes' theorem, is described that defines the optimal set of classes (a classification) for a given set of examples. This criterion is transformed into an equivalent minimum message length criterion with an intuitive information interpretation. This criterion does not require that the number of classes be specified in advance, this is determined by the data. The minimum message length criterion includes the message length required to describe the classes, so there is a built in bias against adding new classes unless they lead to a reduction in the message length required to describe the data. Unfortunately, the search space of possible classifications is too large to search exhaustively, so heuristic search methods, such as simulated annealing, are applied. Tutored learning and probabilistic prediction in particular cases are an important indirect result of optimal class discovery. Extensions to the basic class induction program include the ability to combine category and real value data, hierarchical classes, independent classifications and deciding for each class which attributes are relevant