The model validator’s manifesto

Victory Idowu proposes a model validator’s manifesto— principles for model validation that enshrine best practice for actuarial models

Convergence of the multigroup approximations for subcritical slab media with applications to shielding calculations

AbstractThe stability, convergence, and consistency properties of the steady-state multigroup model are investigated for subcritical slab media. These concepts are defined in a Banach space setting in which the norm of the angular flux yields the maximum value, over the position and angular variables, of the energy-integrated angular flux. It is shown that the multigroup approximations are stable, and are both consistent with, and convergent to, the transport equation under the conditions that the maximum fluctuations in the total cross section, and in the number of secondary particles arising from each energy level, tend to zero as the energy mesh becomes finer. These results in this particular Banach space setting extend to slab transport those results obtained by P. Nelson in a shielding norm setting for multigroup transport in submultiplying rod media

KAJIAN YURIDIS TENTANG UPAYA PEMBERANTASAN PERDAGANGAN PEREMPUAN

Tujuan penelitian ini yakni untuk mengetahui bagaimanakah  bentuk-bentuk  perdagangan  perempuan  di  Indonesia dan bagaimanakah  upaya pemberantasan perdagangan  perempuan menurut perspektif hukum pidana  di mana dengan metode penelitian hukum normatif disimpulkan bahwa: 1. Perdagangan  perempuan  merupakan  bentuk  kejahatan  terutama  terhadap  kehormatan  mental  maupun  fisik  yang  akan  dideritanya  selama  hidup,  yang  merupakan  pelanggaran  tidak  saja  terhadap  hak  azasi  manusia  secara  hukum,  tetapi  juga  terhadap  pelanggaran  norma-norma  sosial  dan  budaya  bangsa.  Perdagangan  perempuan  yang  dilakukan  dengan  tujuan  dijadikan  pemuasan  seksual  dan  pekerjaan  yang  tidak  manusiawi  seperti  kerja  paksa,  perbudakan  dan  pengambilan  organ  tubuh,  merupakan  kejahatan  terhadap  kehormatan  dan  eksploitasi  serta  perbudakan. 2. Sejumlah  upaya  harus  dilakukan  untuk  mencegah  dan  menanggulangi  terjadinya  perdagangan  perempuan  misalnya  :  pemberlakuan  ketentuan  hukum  yang  memberi  perlindungan  khusus  terhadap  perempuan  yang  menjadi  korban.  Pembentukan  lembaga  yang  berskala  nasional  sudah  sangat  mendesak  untuk  diadakan,  dalam  rangka  menampung  kaum  perempuan  yang  menjadi  korban  tindakan  semacam  ini,  mengingat  viktimisasi  yang  terjadi  di  Indonesia  pada  beberapa  tahun  terakhir  ini  sudah  sangat  memprihatinkan.Kata kunci: perdagangan perempuan; perempuan

Development of low-pressure ion chromatography for the separation of anions

Ion chromatography on short permanently coated monolithic columns has been investigated with the aim of developing a low-pressure chromatographic method for the separation of inorganic anions. Both lon-chromatography and anion-exchange chromatography were studied as were three modes of detection namely, direct UVVis using a post-column reaction method, indirect UV-Vis and suppressed conductivity detection. Initially, the investigation of different monolithic columns with the later application of these to low-pressure anion-exchange separations was considered. Traditional analytical columns used m chromatographic separations have high backpressures associated with them. The introduction of commercial polymeric and silica based has effectively reduced the backpressure restriction associated with the traditional chromatographic stationary phase. Hence, the use of short monolithic silica based anion exchange columns (25 mm and 10 mm column lengths) for the low-pressure separation of inorganic anions (fluoride, chloride, nitrite, bromide, mtrate and sulphate) was investigated. The instrumental set-up consisted of a basic FIA manifold using simple peristaltic pumps, but incorporated a short low pressure anion exchanger. The use of direct conductivity and indirect UV detection was examined for the determination of these inorganic anions using various concentrations of phthalate and /?-hydroxybenzoate eluents. Suppressed conductivity was also possible within the FIA/IC system by incorporation of a second low-pressure cation exchange column in the acid form after the short monolithic analytical column. This approach significantly reduced the background conductance of the /?-hydroxybenzoate eluent, resulting in improved detection. limits for the above inorganic anions. A two peristaltic pump system was then developed which allowed gradient separations to be carried out with suppressed conductivity detection. The potential significance and advantages of this work in relation to low cost portable ion chromatography was evident. Finally, the development of another low-pressure ion chromatographic system (LPIC) using monolithic columns coated with DDMAU surfactant (N-dodecyl-N, N- (dimethylammomo) undecanoate) was also considered The column coating showed excellent retention time reproducibility, even at elevated temperatures, over an approximate 17,200 column volumes Using a combination of low-pressure pumps and short 1 cm monolithic columns, it was possible to separate and detect both silicate and phosphate in surface water samples using post-column reaction (PCR) and UV/Vis detection at 840 nm Linear range was established between 1 and lOmg/L phosphate with this PCR method Total backpressures associated with this system were < 100 psi. The possibility of using a near infrared LED device as the detection mode was also investigated for further miniaturisation of system components