Growth and Pollution Convergence: Theory and Evidence

Stabilizing pollution levels in the long run is a pre-requisite for sustainable growth. We develop a neoclassical growth model with endogenous emission reduction predicting that, along optimal sustainable paths, pollution growth rates are (i) positively related to output growth (scale effect) and (ii) negatively related to emission levels (defensive effect). This dynamic law reduces to a convergence equation that is empirically tested for two major and regulated air pollutants - sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides - with a panel of 25 European countries spanning the years 1980-2005. Traditional parametric models are rejected by the data. More flexible regression techniques confirm the existence of both the scale and the defensive effect, supporting the model predictions.Air pollution, convergence, economic growth, nonparametric regressions

The Puzzle of Muslim Advantage in Child Survival in India

The socio-economic status of Indian Muslims is, on average, considerably lower than that of upper caste Hindus. Muslims have higher fertility and shorter birth spacing and are a minority group that, it has been argued, have poorer access to public goods. They nevertheless exhibit substantially higher child survival rates, and have done for decades. This paper documents and analyses this seeming puzzle. The religion gap in survival is much larger than the gender gap but, in contrast to the gender gap, it has not received much political or academic attention. A decomposition of the survival differential reveals that some compositional effects favour Muslims but that, overall, differences in characteristics between the communities and especially the Muslim deficit in parental education predict a Hindu advantage. Alternative outcomes and specifications support our finding of a Muslim fixed effect that favours survival. The results of this study contribute to a recent literature that debates the importance of socioeconomic status (SES) in determining health and survival. They augment a growing literature on the role of religion or culture as encapsulating important unobservable behaviours or endowments that influence health, indeed, enough to reverse the SES gradient that is commonly observed.religion;caste;gender;child survival;anthropometrics;Hindu;Muslim;India

Universal dissipation scaling for non-equilibrium turbulence

It is experimentally shown that the non-classical high Reynolds number energy dissipation behaviour, $C_{\epsilon} \equiv \epsilon L/u^3 = f(Re_M)/Re_L$, observed during the decay of fractal square grid-generated turbulence is also manifested in decaying turbulence originating from various regular grids. For sufficiently high values of the global Reynolds numbers $Re_M$, $f(Re_M)\sim Re_M$.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Polarization squeezing of light by single passage through an atomic vapor

We have studied relative-intensity fluctuations for a variable set of orthogonal elliptic polarization components of a linearly polarized laser beam traversing a resonant $^{87}$Rb vapor cell. Significant polarization squeezing at the threshold level (-3dB) required for the implementation of several continuous variables quantum protocols was observed. The extreme simplicity of the setup, based on standard polarization components, makes it particularly convenient for quantum information applications.Comment: Revised version. Minor changes. four pages, three figure

Rediscovery and redescription of Centrodora damoni (Girault) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) from Australia, an egg parasitoid of Gonipterus spp (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), after nearly a century

Background Centrodora is a relatively common and widespread genus of morphologically diverse species, and is the most polyphagous genus known within the Aphelinidae, attacking eggs of insects in addition to pupae of Diptera and Hymenoptera, and nymphs of Hemiptera (Polaszek 1991). There are currently about 60 valid species in the genus, but given its morphological and biological diversity, some elevation of species-groups and subgenera to genus-level might be useful in future. Centrodora is represented in Australia by twelve species (Noyes 2015). New information Centrodora damoni (Girault) is redescribed and diagnosed from recently collected specimens reared from the eucalyptus weevil Gonipterus sp. near scutellatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) from Tasmania, Australia. A lectotype is designated from a syntype specimen.© Ward S et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.NHM Repositor

Análise experimental do comportamento até à rotura de vigas de betão armado

O presente artigo incide sobre a análise experimental do comportamento de um conjunto de vigas de betão armado, ensaiadas até rotura no Laboratório de Estruturas da Universidade do Minho (LEST-UM). Estas foram construídas e betonadas em simultâneo, apresentando diferentes distribuições de armadura longitudinal, recobrimento e espaçamento de armadura transversal. Procedeu-se ao ensaio de um total de 36 vigas simplesmente apoiadas, e 32 vigas apoiadas num dos extremos e encastradas no outro. O carregamento aplicado correspondeu a duas cargas concentradas, aplicadas a 1/3 e 2/3 do vão. Algumas das vigas apresentaram roturas típicas de flexão e, outras, de corte. Apresentam-se os principais resultados experimentais e os resultados obtidos com uma análise de sensibilidade, que permitiu aferir a relação existente entre armaduras utilizadas, valores de recobrimento e condições de apoio, com os diferentes modos de rotura.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Uncertainty evaluation of civil engineering structures behavior

All decisions that concern the development and management of existent infrastructure are of extremely importance for society. However, it is verified that these decisions are influenced by a huge source of uncertainties that must be taken into account. A methodology that consider this, and, which objective, is to support such decisions, is developed within this research. In order to support such methodology, a numerical model is developed. Such model is then calibrated using backanalysis procedures, so that, given results, could best fit obtained experimental data. The developed model is continuously updated with collected data, by using inference processes. Then, a full probabilistic analysis is performed in order to evaluate the respective structure behavior. This paper describes such methodology, and the respective application with a batch of reinforced concrete beams, tested at laboratory, till failure. The developed methodology is applied with success and obtained results revealed the respective importance in future decisions concerning the societal infrastructure. Further steps consider the application of such methodology with a real structure.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Advanced evaluation of civil engineering structures behaviour

The development, maintenance and operation of infrastructures are central tasks on continued success of society. The decision processes involved in these tasks concern all aspects of managing. The main objective from a societal perspective is to improve the quality of life of individuals both for present and future generations. On the other hand, from the owner point of view, the main objective is to maximize the economic return of investments. If all aspects of decision problem would be known with certainty, the identification of optimal decisions would be straightforward by means of traditional cost-benefit analysis. However, our understanding of problems involved in decision analysis is often far less than perfect. In fact, the decision problem in engineering is subject to significant uncertainty. Infrastructures are constituted by civil engineering structures disposed in a series system. Accordingly, in any time instant, to decide about the optimal decision, the operator should evaluate each structural behavior. A structural analysis based in a probabilistic model is always preferable than in a deterministic one, as all possibilities of structural behavior are considered. Accordingly, within this research project, a methodology for advanced civil engineering structures evaluation, was developed.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BD/10705/2002

Non linear probabilistic analysis of reinforced concrete structures

The behaviour of reinforced concrete bridges is doted of uncertainty as main parameters, like the ones related to material properties, are variable and not deterministic. In order to take this into consideration, a non linear probabilistic analysis should be developed. This paper presents an application of it on the evaluation of the structural behaviour of two batches of reinforced concrete beams, which were loaded, in laboratory, up to failure. However, when performing it, a previous attention must be paid to the intervenient parameters. In fact, on the one hand it is important to consider the highest number of parameters as possible but, on the other hand, this implies higher computational costs. In order to avoid this, it is essential to identify, by developing a sensitivity analysis, all critical parameters. A comparison of numerical results with obtained experimental data is executed, being, the advantages of such kind of analysis, pointed out.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT