Issues and Policies for Universal Service and Net Neutrality in a Broadband Environment

The purpose of this paper is to identify the key issues surrounding ubiquity or universal service and equity or net neutrality in telecommunications with applications for New Zealand. This paper in its initial form was presented at the conference "Telecommunications: Ubquity and Equity in a Broadband Environment" held in Wellington 26-28 August 2010.This paper provides a higher-level overview of the issues and identifies key questions that must be answered when developing policies regarding universal service and net neutrality. With the understanding that policies must recognise differences among countries yet can still benefit from international experience the paper will then based on the conference addresses and papers offer some analysis and policy recommendations to assist New Zealand in making informed policy choices

Policy Considerations for the New Zealand Natural Gas Industry

Professor Stanford Levin and Alfred Duncan undertake a study of the natural gas industry in New Zealand at a time when the two industry regulators are undertaking regulatory initiatives.The Commerce Commission is in the midst of setting their default price-quality regulatory framework that will take effect in July 2012. The Gas Industry Company the industry co-regulator has just recently issued a proposal to undertake a project to determine the current need for gas transmission investment and to develop a way for any needed investment to occur.The authors are hopeful that this study will prove useful to industry participants policymakers and also to the two industry regulators

Smart Evaluation of Electric Utility Smart Grid Investment Proposals

Electric companies policy makers and regulators around the world are facing calls for smart grid updates. Sometimes these upgrades make business sense and are undertaken by electric companies as has been the case with some smart grid investments in New Zealand. Frequently however the calls for upgrades come with demands for significant subsidies to pay for them as is likely to be the case for additional smart grid investments in New Zealand. In order to evaluate these subsidy requests a cost-benefit methodology must be employed that correctly measures the societal benefits of smart grid upgrades that require a public subsidy. The application of this methodology and an understanding of its implications is necessary to the evaluation of smart grid deployment

Issues and Policies for Universal Service and Net Neutrality in a Broadband Environment

The purpose of this paper is to identify the key issues surrounding ubiquity or universal service and equity or net neutrality in telecommunications with applications for New Zealand. This paper in its initial form was presented at the conference "Telecommunications: Ubquity and Equity in a Broadband Environment" held in Wellington 26-28 August 2010.This paper provides a higher-level overview of the issues and identifies key questions that must be answered when developing policies regarding universal service and net neutrality. With the understanding that policies must recognise differences among countries yet can still benefit from international experience the paper will then based on the conference addresses and papers offer some analysis and policy recommendations to assist New Zealand in making informed policy choices

Smart Evaluation of Electric Utility Smart Grid Investment Proposals

Electric companies policy makers and regulators around the world are facing calls for smart grid updates. Sometimes these upgrades make business sense and are undertaken by electric companies as has been the case with some smart grid investments in New Zealand. Frequently however the calls for upgrades come with demands for significant subsidies to pay for them as is likely to be the case for additional smart grid investments in New Zealand. In order to evaluate these subsidy requests a cost-benefit methodology must be employed that correctly measures the societal benefits of smart grid upgrades that require a public subsidy. The application of this methodology and an understanding of its implications is necessary to the evaluation of smart grid deployment

Beyond Absurd: Jim Thorpe and a Proposed Taxonomy for the Absurdity Doctrine

In light of the Third Circuit\u27s recent decision interpreting the Native American Graves Repatriation Act, this Article argues that the Supreme Court must clarify the Absurdity Doctrine of statutory interpretation. The Article offers a framework for doing so

Policy Considerations for the New Zealand Natural Gas Industry

Professor Stanford Levin and Alfred Duncan undertake a study of the natural gas industry in New Zealand at a time when the two industry regulators are undertaking regulatory initiatives.The Commerce Commission is in the midst of setting their default price-quality regulatory framework that will take effect in July 2012. The Gas Industry Company the industry co-regulator has just recently issued a proposal to undertake a project to determine the current need for gas transmission investment and to develop a way for any needed investment to occur.The authors are hopeful that this study will prove useful to industry participants policymakers and also to the two industry regulators

Effectiveness of a computer assisted learning (CAL) package to raise awareness of autism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Promoting awareness of autism in populations who work with children may result in an earlier diagnosis of the condition. In this study, a computer assisted learning (CAL) package, containing educationally appropriate knowledge about autism was developed; and the effectiveness of this CAL package was evaluated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The CAL package was developed using computer software, "Xerte" and "Flash Macromedia". The effectiveness of the CAL package was evaluated in 32 childcare students in the UK, who were randomised to watch the CAL package or to read the information leaflet containing the same information (n = 16 in each group). Retention performance, level of enjoyment, and level of confidence to identify a child with autism, after the interventions, were evaluated. The data obtained from two studied groups was analysed using unpaired Student's t-test, 95% confidence interval, and effect size.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Students who watched the CAL package had superior retention performance percentage scores (p = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.83–12.19, effect size = 0.8) and level of enjoyment (p = 0.04, 95% CI = 0.03–2.75, effect size = 0.7) compared with students who read the information leaflet. However, there was no significant difference in level of confidence to identify a child with autism (p = 0.39, 95% CI = -1.80–0.72, effect size = -0.3).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The CAL package developed was an effective method of educating people who work with children about autism.</p

Genomic, Proteomic and Physiological Characterization of a T5-like Bacteriophage for Control of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O157:H7

Despite multiple control measures, Escherichia coli O157:H7 (STEC O157:H7) continues to be responsible for many food borne outbreaks in North America and elsewhere. Bacteriophage therapy may prove useful for controlling this pathogen in the host, their environment and food. Bacteriophage vB_EcoS_AKFV33 (AKFV33), a T5-like phage of Siphoviridae lysed common phage types of STEC O157:H7 and not non-O157 E. coli. Moreover, STEC O157:H7 isolated from the same feedlot pen from which the phage was obtained, were highly susceptible to AKFV33. Adsorption rate constant and burst size were estimated to be 9.31×10−9 ml/min and 350 PFU/infected cell, respectively. The genome of AKVF33 was 108,853 bp (38.95% G+C), containing 160 open reading frames (ORFs), 22 tRNA genes and 32 strong promoters recognized by host RNA polymerase. Of 12 ORFs without homologues to T5-like phages, 7 predicted novel proteins while others exhibited low identity (<60%) to proteins in the National Centre for Biotechnology Information database. AKVF33 also lacked the L-shaped tail fiber protein typical of T5, but was predicted to have tail fibers comprised of 2 novel proteins with low identity (37–41%) to tail fibers of E. coli phage phiEco32 of Podoviridae, a putative side tail fiber protein of a prophage from E. coli IAI39 and a conserved domain protein of E. coli MS196-1. The receptor-binding tail protein (pb5) shared an overall identify of 29–72% to that of other T5-like phages, with no region coding for more than 6 amino acids in common. Proteomic analysis identified 4 structural proteins corresponding to the capsid, major tail, tail fiber and pore-forming tail tip (pb2). The genome of AKFV33 lacked regions coding for known virulence factors, integration-related proteins or antibiotic resistance determinants. Phage AKFV33 is a unique, highly lytic STEC O157:H7-specific T5-like phage that may have considerable potential as a pre- and post-harvest biocontrol agent

Temporal dysfunction in traumatic brain injury patients : primary or secondary impairment?

Adequate temporal abilities are required for most daily activities. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients often present with cognitive dysfunctions, but few studies have investigated temporal impairments associated with TBI. The aim of the present work is to review the existing literature on temporal abilities in TBI patients. Particular attention is given to the involvement of higher cognitive processes in temporal processing in order to determine if any temporal dysfunction observed in TBI patients is due to the disruption of an internal clock or to the dysfunction of general cognitive processes. The results showed that temporal dysfunctions in TBI patients are related to the deficits in cognitive functions involved in temporal processing rather than to a specific impairment of the internal clock. In fact, temporal dysfunctions are observed when the length of temporal intervals exceeds the working memory span or when the temporal tasks require high cognitive functions to be performed. The consistent higher temporal variability observed in TBI patients is a sign of impaired frontally mediated cognitive functions involved in time perception. -- Keywords : traumatic brain injury, time perception, time reproduction, time production, time discrimination, executive function