The Influence of Materials in Furniture Design

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MICROBIAL COMMUNITY RESPONSE TO LIGHT AND HEAVY CRUDE OIL IN FRESHWATER SYSTEMS

With increased demand for oil, there is an increased risk for oil spills in many environments. A number of pipelines transport oil near or across freshwater systems including the Great Lakes. Microbes are capable of breaking down oil and have thus been proposed as tools for oil spill response through bioremediation. There is a need to understand the microbial response to diverse oil types in freshwater environments due to the lack of research into this topic. This study’s main objectives are to understand how the freshwater microbial communities respond to oil, and how the bacterial communities may respond to different oil types. The bacterial community response to oil was examined at seven different geographical locations in the Great Lakes. Additionally, the microbial community response to two very different oil types. A heavy oil, Cold Lake Diluted Bitumen (DilBit), and a light oil (Bakken) were examined. Our results demonstrated a distinct community composition at different sites throughout the Great Lakes. Furthermore, there was a distinct response to oil depending on the location. Additionally, our results showed a distinct community response to the two oil types tested Bakken and DilBit crudes. The primary organisms that responded to oil in our microcosms in the Great Lakes were bacteria from the families; Sphingomonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Burkholderiales, and Comamonadacea. Our results also indicated that the extent of response to oil varied greatly between offshore, the Straits, and inland systems. These findings suggest that in the case of an oil spill in the Great Lakes, the location of the spill and type of oil should be taken into account in planning bioremediation efforts. Our results demonstrate that in most locations in the Great Lakes, a common group of bacteria can be expected to respond to the oil exposure indicating the potential for oil biodegradation throughout the Great Lakes

Human interaction with digital ink : legibility measurement and structural analysis

Literature suggests that it is possible to design and implement pen-based computer interfaces that resemble the use of pen and paper. These interfaces appear to allow users freedom in expressing ideas and seem to be familiar and easy to use. Different ideas have been put forward concerning this type of interface, however despite the commonality of aims and problems faced, there does not appear to be a common approach to their design and implementation. This thesis aims to progress the development of pen-based computer interfaces that resemble the use of pen and paper. To do this, a conceptual model is proposed for interfaces that enable interaction with "digital ink". This conceptual model is used to organize and analyse the broad range of literature related to pen-based interfaces, and to identify topics that are not sufficiently addressed by published research. Two issues highlighted by the model: digital ink legibility and digital ink structuring, are then investigated. In the first investigation, methods are devised to objectively and subjectively measure the legibility of handwritten script. These methods are then piloted in experiments that vary the horizontal rendering resolution of handwritten script displayed on a computer screen. Script legibility is shown to decrease with rendering resolution, after it drops below a threshold value. In the second investigation, the clustering of digital ink strokes into words is addressed. A method of rating the accuracy of clustering algorithms is proposed: the percentage of words spoiled. The clustering error rate is found to vary among different writers, for a clustering algorithm using the geometric features of both ink strokes, and the gaps between them. The work contributes a conceptual interface model, methods of measuring digital ink legibility, and techniques for investigating stroke clustering features, to the field of digital ink interaction research

Maximum Score Estimates of the Determinants of Residential Mobility: Implications for the Value of Residential Attachment and Neighborhood Amenities

This paper examines the determinants of the decision of low-income renters to move out of their current dwelling. Maximum score estimation is shown t be superior to ordinary discrete choice estimation techniques (probit, logit) for this problem, ad for similar discrete choices that require revering a previously optimal decision. The estimation reveals psychological costs of moving for typical low income renters of at least 8 percent of their income; these costs are even higher for older, longer tenure, or minority households. Policies that displace low income renters will have large social costs. In addition, the estimation results are used to calculate implicit household willingness to pay (WTP) for neighborhood amenities. This WTP based on mobility behavior is much greater than WTP estimates derived using hedonic methods, and is argued to be more accurate. This paper uses a semiparametric empirical technique to estimate the determinants of the decision of low-income renters to move out of their dwelling. These estimates show that low-income residents highly value remaining in their dwelling. In addition, these estimates are used to illustrate an alternative method to measure willingness to pay for neighborhood amenities. Moving decisions are usually examined with standard discrete choice models such as probit or logit (e.g., Venti and Wise (1984), or Weinberg, Friedman, and Mayo (1981). But the moving decision presents econometric difficulties for standard discrete choice models. As will be explained in section 1, because the household decision about moving is conditional on having previously preferred the original location, the disturbance term in mobility models is unlikely to follow the simple distributional forms required for probit or logit estimation. Maximum score estimation is an alternative estimation technique for discrete choice models that is robust to unusual distributions of the disturbance term. Although the theoretical properties of maximum score estimation have been well-explored (see Manski (1975,1985)), our paper presents one of the first empirical applications of maximum score techniques. Maximum score estimation of our residential mobility model yields similar parameter estimates to probit estimation, but much smaller standard errors. This advantage of greater precision may prove attractive to other researchers. We use our estimates of the residential mobility model to calculate the value to households of remaining at their current dwelling rather than being forced to move out. We use the household's mobility response to rent changes to infer a monetary value of remaining in the current dwelling. Our calculations indicate that the typical low-income renter household is willing to pay at least 8 percent of its annual income to avoid being forced out of its current dwelling. These "psychological moving costs" increase greatly for older or longer tenure households. Large "psychological moving costs" have important implications for public policy towards low-income neighborhoods. Neighborhood improvement policies or private market forces may displace low-income renters. If the losses suffered by low-income renters due to being forced out of their current dwelling unit are significant, as indicated in this paper, then it is important to include these losses in any evaluation of the net benefits of a neighborhood improvement program. In addition, policy makers might want to consider policies to prevent or compensate for privately-induced displacement. Estimates of the monetary value of low-income renters' psychological moving costs are important to determining the effects of these policies, and deciding appropriate compensation. Finally, this paper uses the residential mobility estimates to infer the willingness t pay (WTP) of low-income renters for neighborhood amenities such as the physical condition of the neighborhood, neighborhood school quality, and the safety of the neighborhood from crime. The relative responsiveness of household mobility to changes in these neighborhood amenities, versus changes in rents, implicitly reveals households' monetary valuations of these amenities. The more common approach to measuring household WTP for neighborhood amenities is the hedonic price approach, which relies n the equilibrium relationship between housing prices and amenities. The calculations in this paper suggest that mobility-based WTP estimates for amenities may often be greater than hedonic based estimates of WTP. We consider which approach is more accurate. Section 1 of the paper presents our econometrics, specification, and data. Section 2 presents the results. Section 3 is the conclusion.residential, mobility, determinants, Bartik, low-income, renters

GEOSIM: A numerical model for geophysical fluid flow simulation

A numerical model which simulates geophysical fluid flow in a wide range of problems is described in detail, and comparisons of some of the model's results are made with previous experimental and numerical studies. The model is based upon the Boussinesq Navier-Stokes equations in spherical coordinates, which can be reduced to a cylindrical system when latitudinal walls are used near the pole and the ratio of latitudinal length to the radius of the sphere is small. The equations are approximated by finite differences in the meridional plane and spectral decomposition in the azimuthal direction. The user can specify a variety of boundary and initial conditions, and there are five different spectral truncation options. The results of five validation cases are presented: (1) the transition between axisymmetric flow and baroclinic wave flow in the side heated annulus; (2) the steady baroclinic wave of the side heated annulus; (3) the wave amplitude vacillation of the side heated annulus; (4) transition to baroclinic wave flow in a bottom heated annulus; and (5) the Spacelab Geophysical Fluid Flow Cell (spherical) experiment

People like us: gentrification and the service class in Hackney in the 1980s

This is a study of service-class residents in Hackney, an inner London borough situated directly to the north of the City of London. The main focus of the study is on why these people chose to live in Hackney in the first place, why they have stayed and what influence living in Hackney has had on their social and political attitudes. Chapters two to four are concerned with debates about the structure and class formation of the service-class, whether it is one class or many, what (if any) are its political allegiances, and the relationship between the service-class and gentrification. Chapter five considers the changes which have taken place in London and Hackney over the last fifteen years. Chapter six introduces the empirical basis for this discussion: a survey of 245 largely service-class recent homebuyers in two areas of Hackney. Chapters seven to nine present these findings which show that the respondents are representative of a distinct, and elite, sub-group of the service class, in terms of their family background, their income and occupation and in their social and political attitudes. Whilst many respondents initially came to Hackney because of its cheap housing and central location, their reasons for staying have more to do with the cultural significance of living in inner London. This, in turn, has had important consequences for their social, cultural and political behaviour. The concluding chapter suggests that there are 'locality effects' observable in the behaviour and attitudes of service-class residents in Hackney which are reasons for living in inner London and consequences of living there. There are also significant differences between the two areas studied which may have implications for the internal formation of the service-class even within a spatially delimited area, such as inner London

Direct-from-sputum rapid phenotypic drug susceptibility test for mycobacteria

The spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a leading global public-health challenge. Because not all biological-mechanisms of resistance are known, culture-based (phenotypic) drug-susceptibility testing (DST) provides important information that influences clinical decision-making. Current phenotypic tests typically require pre-culture to ensure bacterial loads are at a testable level (taking 2-4 weeks) followed by 10-14 days to confirm growth, or lack thereof.Includes bibliographical reference

Which Radial Velocity Exoplanets Have Undetected Outer Companions?

(Abridged) The observed radial velocity (RV) eccentricity distribution for extrasolar planets in single-planet systems shows that a significant fraction of planets are eccentric ($e > 0.1$). Here we investigate the effects on an RV planet's eccentricity produced by undetected outer companions. We have carried out Monte Carlo simulations of mock RV data to understand this effect and predict its impact on the observed distribution. We first quantify the statistical effect of undetected outer companions and show that this alone cannot explain the observed distribution. We then modify the simulations to consist of two populations, one of zero-eccentricity planets in double-planet systems and the other of single planets drawn from an eccentric distribution. Our simulations show that a good fit to the observed distribution is obtained with 45% zero-eccentricity double-planets and 55% single eccentric planets. Matching the observed distribution allows us to determine the probability that a known RV planet's orbital eccentricity has been biased by an undetected wide-separation companion. Our simulations show that moderately-eccentric planets, with $0.1 < e < 0.3$ and $0.1 < e < 0.2$, have a $\sim 13$ and $\sim 19$ probability, respectively, of having an undetected outer companion. We encourage both high-contrast direct imaging and RV follow-up surveys of known RV planets with moderate eccentricities to test our predictions and look for previously undetected outer companions.Comment: 23 pages (12 text, 2 tables, 9 figures). Accepted to the Astrophysical Journal 30 June 200