African American Men and Ostrich Behavior

This project explores why African American men choose Ostrich Behavior when it comes to health care prevention and maintenance as related to hypertension. The population was African American men, ages18–80, in Northern California. Men were recruited while getting a haircut or waiting for one or after church services. Blood pressure readings were taken and a health questionnaire was administered. The results show that even if hypertension is known, men ages 18–45 go to fewer office visits than African American men in other age groups, and older men tend to seek medical care and take medication if prescribed

Phenotypic examination of variation occurring both among families and among genotypes within a T. repens x (T. ambiguum x T. occidentale) BC₁F₂ hybrid population : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Plant Breeding at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Development of white clover cultivars with increased vegetative persistence, particularly in dryland farming systems has been a major goal within breeding programmes, however little useful genetic variation for survival and growth in these environments has been found. Consequently, it has become necessary to look towards white clovers wild relatives as sources of genetic variation. T. repens x (T. ambiguum x T. occidentale) tri-species hybrids have been developed, however, their morphologies have not been evaluated, and little is known about optimal breeding strategies in these populations. An experiment was designed to characterise the magnitude of phenotypic variation for a range of root, shoot, and floral traits, and to ascertain optimal breeding strategies within a T. repens x (T. ambiguum x T. occidentale) BC1F2 hybrid plant population. The experiment was designed such that it could be analysed in two ways; a) Investigated levels of phenotypic variation occurring among hybrid families, compared to representatives of their F1 parents b) Investigated levels of phenotypic variation among individual hybrid genotypes, again compared to representatives of their F1 parents. Analysis (a) found a relative lack of among hybrid family variation. With significant (P<0.05) family variance components for 11 of the 18 traits measured, and generally only occurring between the upper and lower extremes. Repeatability estimates on a family mean basis were low (less than 0.51 for all traits). Analysis (b) found significant (P<0.05) genotypic variance components for all of the traits measured. Repeatability estimates ranged from 0.47-0.88, indicating a relatively high level of genetic determination for the majority of traits. Pattern analysis allowed the identification of hybrid genotypes showing the combined expression of key shoot, and root traits. These genotypes may provide a route to hybrid clover cultivars showing increased vegetative persistence via increased nodal and tap-root size, combined with good dry matter production

Social and environmental narrative reporting : analysts' perceptions

An ACCA research report, Narrative Reporting: Analysts' Perceptions of its Value and Relevance was published in November 2008. The research considered analysts' views on five key elements of narrative reporting, including social and environmental disclosures. Due to the significant interests ACCA has in corporate transparency with regards to sustainability, this specific part of the research has been highlighted in this paper. The other parts of the research have been summarised only.Publisher PD

Online kiosks: the alternative to mobile technologies for mobile users

Online kiosks have the potential to be a significant alternative to mobile technologies in retailing, information provision and service delivery. This article describes the development and use of different types of online kiosk in contexts where users are on the move and away from fixed technologies. A case study of a major UK airport terminal is used to illustrate different types of kiosk applications. Comparisons are made with mobile phone technologies. Online kiosks have a niche in allowing access to information, services and e-commerce technologies for all potential consumers. However, they also have a much wider role in self-managed, self-service delivery of information, services, goods and relationships to consumers on the move.</p

Giving New Zealand: Philanthropic Funding 2006

This report provides measurement of New Zealanders' philanthropic funding for the 2005/2006 year and what these funds supported

Investigation of hydrogen-air ignition sensitized by nitric oxide and by nitrogen dioxide

The sensitization of stoichiometric hydrogen-air ignition by NO, NO2 and a mixture of NO and NO2 was investigated behind reflected shock waves in a shock tube. Induction times were measured in pressure range 0.27 to 2.0 atm, temperature range 800 to 1500 K, and for NO or NO2 mole percent between 0.0 and 4.5. Addition of both NO and NO2 reduced the measured induction times. The experimental data are interpreted in terms of H2-O2-NO(x) oxidation reaction mechanisms. The influence of NO(x) upon a supersonic combustion ramjet combustor test, conducted in an arc-heated facility, is assessed

Optimal universal and categorical benefits with classification errors and imperfect enforcement

We determine the optimal combination of a universal benefit, B, and categorical benefit, C, for an economy in which individuals differ in both their ability to work – modelled as an exogenous zero quantity constraint on labour supply – and, conditional on being able to work, their productivity at work. C is targeted at those unable to work, and is conditioned in two dimensions: ex-ante an individual must be unable to work to be awarded the benefit , whilst ex-post a recipient must not subsequently work. However, the ex-ante conditionality may be imperfectly enforced due to Type I(false rejection) and Type II (false award) classification errors, whilst, in addition, the ex post conditionality may be imperfectly enforced. If there are no classification errors – and thus no enforcement issues – it is always optimal to set C>0, whilst B=0 only if the benefit budget is sufficiently small. However, when classification errors occur, B=0 only if there are no Type I errors and the benefit budget is sufficiently small, while the conditions under which C>0 depend on the enforcement of the ex-post conditionality. We consider two discrete alternatives. Under No Enforcement C>0 only if the test administering C has some discriminatory power. In addition, social welfare is decreasing in the propensity to make each type of error. However, under Full Enforcement C>0 for all levels of discriminatory power, including that of no discriminatory power. Furthermore, whilst social welfare is decreasing in the propensity to make Type I errors, there are certain conditions under which it is increasing in the propensity to make Type II errors. This implies that there may be conditions under which it would be welfare enhancing to lower the chosen eligibility threshold – supporting the suggestion by Goodin (1985) to “err on the side of kindness”.Postprin

Land and Property Taxation in 25 Countries: A Comparative Review

Steuer, Eigentum, Boden, Grundsteuer, Vergleich, Welt, Tax, Property, Land, Real property tax, Comparison, World

A new droplet generator

A new droplet generator is described. A loud speaker driven extractor needle was immersed in a pendant drop. Pulsing the speaker extracted the needle forming a fluid ligament which will decay into a droplet. The droplets were sized by stroboscopic photographs. The droplet's size was changed by varying the amplitude of the speaker pulses and the extractor needle diameter. The mechanism of droplet formation is discussed and photographs of ligament decay are presented. The droplet generator worked well on both oil and water based pesticide formulations. Current applications and results are discussed

Kiosks in retailing: the quiet revolution

Kiosks have the potential to be a significant application of IT in retailing, information provision and service delivery. This article discusses and analyses the application of kiosks as a channel for in-store service delivery. For these kiosks a taxonomy that characterises kiosks by their function: inform, interact, transact and relate is proposed. Eight case study examples of in store kiosks are analysed in using a framework that includes environment, task, audience, and technology. Included are: kiosks used by Halifax, Daewoo, Argos, Ikea, Debenhams, GNER, Sainsbury’s. and Boots. Both the taxonomy and the framework provide a basis for further analysis of the role of kiosks in service delivery, by allowing analysis and discussion of individual kiosks to be contextualised within a wider framework. </p