Paul in Acts

Author: Porter, Stanley E Title: Paul in Acts. Publisher: Tubingen: Hendrickson Pubs, 1999

Trends in Issuance: Underlying Factors and Implications

Trends in debt issuance have changed significantly over the past decade, both prior to the financial crisis and subsequently. This article provides an update on these trends in Canada relative to those in other capital markets and, where possible, analyzes the impact of the crisis on Canadian corporate issuance. The author examines trends in capital markets in Canada and other regions over the past ten years, focusing on three areas: the issuance of financial and non-financial corporate bonds, the issuance of financial and non-financial corporate equity, and securitization. The increased use of innovative and riskier financing prior to the crisis was less pronounced in Canada, and future refinancing needs are more in line with historical issuance levels.

Computer program for transient response of structural rings subjected to fragment impact

Mathematical optimization of containment/deflection system would save time, effort, and material as well as afford designer greater opportunity to investigate new ideas and variety of materials

Sparsest Cut on Bounded Treewidth Graphs: Algorithms and Hardness Results

We give a 2-approximation algorithm for Non-Uniform Sparsest Cut that runs in time $n^{O(k)}$, where $k$ is the treewidth of the graph. This improves on the previous $2^{2^k}$-approximation in time \poly(n) 2^{O(k)} due to Chlamt\'a\v{c} et al. To complement this algorithm, we show the following hardness results: If the Non-Uniform Sparsest Cut problem has a $\rho$-approximation for series-parallel graphs (where $\rho \geq 1$), then the Max Cut problem has an algorithm with approximation factor arbitrarily close to $1/\rho$. Hence, even for such restricted graphs (which have treewidth 2), the Sparsest Cut problem is NP-hard to approximate better than $17/16 - \epsilon$ for $\epsilon > 0$; assuming the Unique Games Conjecture the hardness becomes $1/\alpha_{GW} - \epsilon$. For graphs with large (but constant) treewidth, we show a hardness result of $2 - \epsilon$ assuming the Unique Games Conjecture. Our algorithm rounds a linear program based on (a subset of) the Sherali-Adams lift of the standard Sparsest Cut LP. We show that even for treewidth-2 graphs, the LP has an integrality gap close to 2 even after polynomially many rounds of Sherali-Adams. Hence our approach cannot be improved even on such restricted graphs without using a stronger relaxation

The national land use data program of the US Geological Survey

The Land Use Data and Analysis (LUDA) Program which provides a systematic and comprehensive collection and analysis of land use and land cover data on a nationwide basis is described. Maps are compiled at about 1:125,000 scale showing present land use/cover at Level II of a land use/cover classification system developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in conjunction with other Federal and state agencies and other users. For each of the land use/cover maps produced at 1:125,000 scale, overlays are also compiled showing Federal land ownership, river basins and subbasins, counties, and census county subdivisions. The program utilizes the advanced technology of the Special Mapping Center of the U.S. Geological Survey, high altitude NASA photographs, aerial photographs acquired for the USGS Topographic Division's mapping program, and LANDSAT data in complementary ways

Simulating Future Global Deforestation Using Geographically Explicit Mode

What might the spatial distribution of forests look like in 2100? Global deforestation continues to be a significant component of human activity affecting both the terrestrial and atmospheric environments. This work models the relationship between people and forests using two approaches. Initially, a brief global scale analysis of recent historical trends is conducted. The remainder of the paper then focuses on current population densities as determinants of cumulative historical deforestation. Spatially explicit models are generated and used to generate two possible scenarios of future deforestation. The results suggest that future deforestation in tropical Africa may be considerably worse than deforestation in Amazonia

The changing role of rodenticides and their alternatives in the management of commensal rodents

Rodents cause substantial damage and losses of foodstuffs around the world. They also transmit many diseases to humans and livestock. While various methods are used to reduce damage caused by rodents, rodenticides remain an important tool in the toolbox. However, like all tools, rodenticides have advantages and disadvantages. Several considerations are shaping the future of rodenticide use, including manufacturing and registration costs, concern about toxicity levels and nontarget animal hazards, potential hazards to children, reduced effectiveness of some formulations, and humaneness to the targeted rodents. Many of these disadvantages apply to anticoagulant rodenticides, and their use is being more restricted in numerous settings. This paper discusses rodenticide use but also alternative control methods such as traps, exclusion, habitat management, repellents, and fertility control. While there have been relatively few new developments in rodenticides and other rodent control methods in the last several decades, new formulations and active ingredients are being investigated so that these concerns can be addressed. Some of these new developments and research results are also discussed

Efficiency of water management, key to sustainable food production

We cannot expect mankind to change its eating habits overnight or "deny" them a balanced diet, sot it is evident that the agriculture and water sector have to join forces and drastically reduce the use of water to produce our future food requirements by at least 50 % dieticians, food industry, higher education and restaurants have to join forces and change the way we prepare food and eat