Systems were simply not in place to handle a crisis of this magnitude in the euro area – Interview with Peter Spiegel

Euro Crisis in the Press continues to ask influential analysts and commentators throughout Europe about their views on the multifaceted crisis facing Europe. In today’s interview Peter Spiegel, the Financial Times’ Brussels bureau chief, talks to us about the key dimensions of the crisis. He suggests that many aspects of the crisis have flown from an institutional failure, and rejects the view that media coverage exacerbated the crisis, pointing out that there has been much excellent journalism

Military retirement satisfaction and adjustment: The effects of planning, having transferable knowledge, skills, and abilities, and having identified with, and been committed to, the Navy on a sample of retired naval officers

We examined military retirement. We sought to determine if preretirement planning, having knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are readily transferable, and being committed to, and/or identifying with, the Navy would affect the retirement satisfaction and adjustment of a retired naval officers sample. Results indicated that both planning and transferability influenced retirement satisfaction and adjustment, while organizational commitment and identification did not. Implications of our findings, as well as a brief overview of some general retirement issues are included

Operator Bias and the Effect of Training on Visual Assessments of Pasture Yield for Forage Budgets in Northern Australian Savanna

Sustainable management of Australia’s extensive northern grazing lands is challenging given its highly variable interannual rainfall and pasture production. Accordingly, a key management recommendation is to adjust stocking rates to match forage supply (O’Reagain et al., 2014). ‘Stocktake’ is a forage budgeting system (Aisthorpe et al., 2004) widely used and promoted to assist graziers make short-term (\u3c 1 year) adjustments of stocking rate. Budgets are typically calculated at the start of the dry season, to ensure sufficient forage for stock and ground cover levels until the first rains some six to nine months later. The software application ‘Future Beef Stocktake Plus’ has also been developed for use on smart devices (http://www.stocktakeplus.com.au/). A key requirement for forage budgets is an accurate estimate of pasture mass. This is typically done visually with the aid of photo standards of pasture mass, providing a simple, efficient and non-destructive approach. Other key variables of forage budgeting include the percent of the pasture not likely to be consumed by livestock (i.e. percent unpalatable) and pasture wastage that occurs as a result of trampling, decay, leaf drop and consumption by insects. Despite adoption of the Stocktake forage budget system by graziers, key variables do not appear to have been investigated and uncertainty exists on the accuracy of pasture yield estimates. Accordingly, the degree of error, operator variability and the potential impact of factors such as land type and starting yield on yield estimates and hence, calculated stocking rates, are unknown. This study examined operator bias associated with the visual assessment of pasture total standing dry matter (TSDM) using photo standards and the extent to which this bias was affected by operator, land type and starting yield. The effect of training on operator yield assessments was also investigated

An Analog Neural Computer with Modular Architecture for Real-Time Dynamic Computations

The paper describes a multichip analog parallel neural network whose architecture, neuron characteristics, synaptic connections, and time constants are modifiable. The system has several important features, such as time constants for time-domain computations, interchangeable chips allowing a modifiable gross architecture, and expandability to any arbitrary size. Such an approach allows the exploration of different network architectures for a wide range of applications, in particular dynamic real-world computations. Four different modules (neuron, synapse, time constant, and switch units) have been designed and fabricated in a 2µm CMOS technology. About 100 of these modules have been assembled in a fully functional prototype neural computer. An integrated software package for setting the network configuration and characteristics, and monitoring the neuron outputs has been developed as well. The performance of the individual modules as well as the overall system response for several applications have been tested successfully. Results of a network for real-time decomposition of acoustical patterns will be discussed

Expression, Purification, and Analysis of Unknown Translation Factors from Escherichia coli: A Synthesis Approach

New approaches are currently being developed to expose biochemistry and molecular biology undergraduates to a more interactive learning environment. Here, we propose a unique project-based laboratory module, which incorporates exposure to biophysical chemistry approaches to address problems in protein chemistry. Each of the experiments described herein contributes to the stepwise process of isolating, identifying, and analyzing a protein involved in a central biological process, prokaryotic translation. Students are provided with expression plasmids that harbor an unknown translation factor, and it is their charge to complete a series of experiments that will allow them to develop hypotheses for discovering the identity of their unknown (from a list of potential candidates). Subsequent to the identification of their unknown translation factor, a series of protein unfolding exercises are performed employing circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopies, allowing students to directly calculate thermodynamic parameters centered around determining the equilibrium constant for unfolding as a function of denaturant (temperature or chemical). The conclusion of this multi-part laboratory exercise consists of both oral and written presentations, emphasizing synthesis of the roles of each translation factor during the stepwise process of translation

A petri nets based design of cognitive radios using distributed signal processing

AbstractReconfigurability for transceivers for wireless access networks like Bluetooth, WiMAX and W-LAN will become increasingly important. An appropriately flexible and reliable software architecture, allowing the concurrent processing of different controlling tasks for wireless terminals will hence be an important asset. Already during the 1980s reconfigurable receivers were developed for radio intelligence in the short wave range and the concept of software radio (SR) was born. A software defined radio (SDR) is a practical version of an SR: The received signals are sampled after a suitable band selection filter, usually in the base band or a low intermediate frequency band. The signal processing in both SR and SDR requires a considerable amount of concurrent processes. Since Petri nets (PNs) are both simple and strong tools for the description and the design of such concurrent processes, it is recommendable to deploy them for SDR. SDRs have paved the way towards cognitive radios (CRs), which are based on SDRs that additionally sense their environments, track changes, and react upon their findings. A CR is an autonomous unit in a communications environment that frequently exchanges information with the networks it is able to access as well as with other CRs. In this communication, the authors will introduce a realization concept for a CR which forms the basis of a hardware/firmware demonstrator developed by the authors. This demonstrator makes use of a digital signal processor (DSP) which forms the core of the design and flexibly programmable hardware accelerators based on field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The authors will describe the solution also in view of the recent developments of IEEE 802.2

Strategieoptionen zur Realisierung einer 100%igen Biofütterung bei Monogastriern im ökologischen Landbau

Die Umstellung auf 100%ige Biofütterung innerhalb der nächsten drei Jahre stellt eine große Herausforderung in der Monogastrierfütterung dar. Die in diesem Dossier vorgestellten Lösungsoptionen sind hinsichtlich ihrer Implementierungsmöglichkeit sehr unterschiedlich zu bewerten: Manche Optionen, wie beispielsweise die bakterielle Aminosäureherstellung, setzen noch erhebliche Forschungsarbeiten voraus, andere, wie die Verfütterung von bestimmten Silagen, sind bereits bewerte Praxis bei der Fütterung von Wiederkäuern, müssen allerdings erst noch auf Monogastrier angepasst werden. Während für die bakterielle Aminosäureherstellung entsprechende Bakterienstämme in ihrer Leistungsfähigkeit optimiert und geeignete Biosubstrate gefunden werden müssen, müssen bei der Silagebereitung und -verfütterung vor allem noch verbesserte technische Lösungen gefunden und installiert werden, damit das darin vorhandene Potenzial zur Entfaltung kommt

Netzwerk Ökologische Pflanzenzüchtung: Möglichkeiten und Methoden, Grenzen zwischen klassischen und „gentechnischen“ Züchtungsmethoden, partizipative Pflanzenzüchtung

Das Netzwerk Ökologische Pflanzenzüchtung hatte zum Ziel, die verschiedenen Akteure aus dem Sektor der ökologischen Pflanzenzüchtung besser zu vernetzen und zu koordinieren sowie den Austausch von Ideen und Informationen zu ermöglichen. Das Projekt wurde vor dem Hintergrund der starken Abhängigkeit des ökologischen Anbaus von konventionell gezüchteten Sorten sowie dem stetig zunehmenden Einsatz molekularbiologischer Techniken in der Pflanzenzucht konzipiert. Auf Grund dieser Entwicklungen bestand ein großer Bedarf sowohl an Informationen über Züchtungstechniken und gemeinsamem Austausch hierzu als auch konkret an besser auf die Bedingungen des Ökolandbaus abgestimmtem Vermehrungsmaterial. In den über das Netzwerk ausgerichteten Workshops traten Züchter, Anbauer, Berater, Vertreter der verschiedenen Anbauverbände und Wissenschaftler in einen gemeinsamen Dialog. Durch die Einbeziehung aller Akteure konnte das Projekt in vielen Bereichen einen Anschub oder Beitrag zur Weiterentwicklung der ökologischen Pflanzenzüchtung leisten. In der Projektlaufzeit erfolgte unter anderem eine deutlichere Positionierung der Anbauverbände hinsichtlich bestimmter Züchtungstechniken sowie eine diesbezügliche Sensibilisierung. Daneben wurden Diskussionen und Entwicklungen zur besseren Bündelung und Finanzierung ökologischer Züchtungsaktivitäten sowie die Gründung neuer ökologischer Züchtungsinitiativen und verbandsinterner Züchtungsforen angeregt. Das Projekt verstand sich in erster Linie als Networking Projekt, um in den Bereichen Austausch von Ideen und Informationen sowie Bereitstellung von geeignetem Vermehrungsmaterial Fortschritte zu erzielen. Neben den Workshops wurde es durch Praxisversuche flankiert um Sorten aus den Bereichen Ackerkulturen, Gemüsekulturen, Obstkulturen und Reben unter den Bedingungen des ökologischen Landbaus zu prüfen und für die Praxis bei Feldtagen zu demonstrieren. Die Versuche und Demonstrationen konnten unter anderem dazu beitragen, dass Praktiker zum Wintererbsenanbau animiert wurden, eine ökologisch gezüchtete Speisegerstensorte sowie zwei Wintererbsensorten zur Anmeldung gebracht wurden. Durch den Versuchsbau konnten außerdem mehrere Gemüsesorten angemeldet, eine schorfresistente Apfelsorte etabliert und die Bekanntheit und Anbaufläche von pilzwiderstandsfähigen Rebsorten (Piwi) gesteigert werden. Schließlich wurden Fragestellungen in weitere Forschungsprojekte eingespeist und wichtige Impulse für die ökologisch-partizipative Pflanzenzüchtung in Deutschland gesetzt

The Racing-Game Effect: Why Do Video Racing Games Increase Risk-Taking Inclinations?

The present studies investigated why video racing games increase players’ risk-taking inclinations. Four studies reveal that playing video racing games increases risk taking in a subsequent simulated road traffic situation, as well as risk-promoting cognitions and emotions, blood pressure,sensation seeking, and attitudes toward reckless driving. Study 1 ruled out the role of experimental demand in creating such effects. Studies 2 and 3 showed that the effect of playing video racing games on risk taking was partially mediated by changes in selfperceptions as a reckless driver. These effects were evident only when the individual played racing games that reward traffic violations rather than racing games that do not reward traffic violations (Study 3) and when the individual was an active player of such games rather than a passive observer (Study 4). In sum, the results underline the potential negative impact of racing games on traffic safety

The Struggle of Farming Systems in Europe:Looking for Explanations through the Lens of Resilience

Many farming systems in Europe are struggling to respond to accumulating economic, environmental, institutional and social challenges. From a resilience perspective, they need three distinct capacities to continue delivering products, income and public goods: robustness, adaptability and transformability. Based on a structured assessment of the resilience capacities of 11 farming systems across Europe we conclude that three mismatches likely contribute to their struggles. First, while farming systems comprised many non‐farm actors, resilience strategies largely focused on farms and their robustness, neglecting other options and opportunities. Second, while the delivery of public goods such as biodiversity and attractive landscapes was seen as a major concern, most resilience strategies focused on the delivery of private goods. Third, while in many farming systems actors expressed the need for transformation, farming systems’ capacity to transform was perceived as low. Building on the differentiated concept of resilience, findings can guide policymakers, farming system actors, consumers and societal interest groups to identify pathways towards more resilient agricultural systems in Europe