Sampling from the Hardcore Process

Partially Recursive Acceptance Rejection (PRAR) and bounding chains used in conjunction with coupling from the past (CFTP) are two perfect simulation protocols which can be used to sample from a variety of unnormalized target distributions. This paper first examines and then implements these two protocols to sample from the hardcore gas process. We empirically determine the subset of the hardcore process\u27s parameters for which these two algorithms run in polynomial time. Comparing the efficiency of these two algorithms, we find that PRAR runs much faster for small values of the hardcore process\u27s parameter whereas the bounding chain approach is vastly superior for large values of the process\u27s parameter

Human Rights and Extraordinary Rendition: the International Responsibility of European States

This paper considers the extent to which European States were involved in the CIA extraordinary rendition programme, either passively or actively. It opens with an account of the evolution of the programme from the largely lawful practice of rendition, through to extraordinary rendition. There is a consideration of a number of reported cases in order to place the practice in context, including those of Binyam Mohammed and Abu Omar. Chapter Two provides an overview of the evidence presented with regard to European States, with attention given to publications from human rights organisations such as Amnesty International, information gathered by the Council of Europe, and opinions offered by organisations such as the Eminent Jurists Panel and the Venice Commission. The focus then shifts to a number of international legal instruments which provide evidence for the illegality of extraordinary rendition, including the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention against Torture and the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Customary international law is also considered. Chapter Four draws the previous two chapters together, beginning with a consideration of the rules put forward in the International Law Commission’s Articles on State Responsibility regarding how international responsibility will attach to the actions of States. It is argued that in most instances, European States have acted in a way which was contrary to their obligations

Differential Effects of Tort Reform Across Medical Specialties

This paper utilizes data on physician malpractice insurance premiums and state tort law to analyze how physicians in various medical specialties are differentially affected by caps on noneconomic damages. As higher premiums put pressure on legislators to enact damage caps, I instrument caps on noneconomic damages with enactment of tort reform measures that do not affect malpractice premiums to uncover the effect of caps on noneconomic damages on such premiums. I find evidence to support that, in terms of dollars saved, physicians in high risk specialties benefit more from noneconomic damage caps than physicians in low risk specialties. However, in percentage terms, I find that physicians in all specialties essentially benefit equally from caps on noneconomic damages

Legend Airlines: American Airlines Worst Nightmare?

This case reviews the air battles American Airlines (AA) and Legend Airlines (LA) engaged in over the right to fly out of Love Field in Dallas, Texas, the home of American Airlines based at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.Legend Airlines was attacking the industry with a value proposition of quality flights and superior customer service with a laser focus on passengers who traveled frequently and paid top fares.The case is designed for classroom discussion and application to understand the economic consequences American Airlines faced with the up-scale entry of Legend Airlines into the heart of American Airlines market

Shoulder Strength and Range of Motion Between Collegiate Pitchers and Position Players in Baseball

International Journal of Exercise Science 13(6): 123-130, 2020. Baseball is a sport that places excessive strain on the shoulder complex caused from repetitive overhead throws. In the sport of baseball, shoulder strength and range of motion (ROM) are paramount for success on the field. The purpose of this study was to determine strength and ROM differences between collegiate baseball pitchers and position players. It was hypothesized that pitchers would have higher strength and ROM values, due to the volume of throwing a pitcher performs.A total of nine collegiate baseball pitchers and position players (n= 18) volunteered for the study (age = 20.94 ± 1.21 years, height = 183.42 ± 4.74 cm, and mass = 89.56 ± 10.76 kg). Shoulder strength was measured using a Humac Norm isokinetic dynamometer at 180ºsec-1 and 300ºsec-1and ROM was measured using a goniometer. All participants completed a five-minute warm-up at 50 rpm on an upper body ergometer. Following the warm-up, passive internal and external ROM were measured for the throwing (dominant) arm. No statistical differences were found in external ROM (p = 0.319), internal ROM (p= 0.258), external peak torque @180ºsec-1(p= 0.467), internal peak torque @180ºsec-1(p= 0.156), external peak torque @300ºsec-1(p= 0.225), or internal peak torque @300ºsec-1(p= 0.137). The findings indicate similar isokinetic strength and flexibility in the throwing shoulder of collegiate athletes who perform repeated overhead throwing motions. Thus, in this study the player’s baseball position (pitchers vs. position player) did not influence throwing shoulder strength and ROM characteristics

Thresholds, breakpoints, and nonlinearity in freshwaters as related to management.

Nonlinear ecological responses to anthropogenic forcing are common, and in some cases, the ecosystem responds by assuming a new stable state. This article is an overview and serves as the introduction to several articles in this BRIDGES cluster that are directed toward managers interested in dealing with nonlinear responses in freshwaters, particularly streams. A threshold or breakpoint occurs where the system responds rapidly to a relatively small change in a driver. The existence of a threshold can signal a change in system configuration to an alternative stable state, although such a change does not occur with all thresholds. In general, a mechanistic understanding of ecological dynamics is required to predict thresholds, where they will occur, and if they are associated with the occurrence of alternative stable states. Thresholds are difficult to predict, although a variety of univariate methods has been used to indicate thresholds in ecological data. When we applied several methods to one type of response variable, the resulting threshold values varied 3-fold, indicating that more research on detection methods is necessary. Numerous case studies suggest that the threshold concept is important in all ecosystems. Managers should be aware that human actions might result in undesirable rapid changes and potentially an unwanted alternative stable state, and that recovery from that state might require far more resources and time than avoiding entering the state in the first place would have required. Given the difficulties in predicting thresholds and alternative states, the precautionary approach to ecosystem management is probably the most prudent

Relationship of dissociation and repression considered from the point of view of medical psychology

The object of this thesis is to consider the conceptions of Dissociation and Repression with a view to determining in what way, if any, the processes are related to one another. These two conceptions have played a part of unrivalled importance in modern psycho-pathology, but no satisfactory attempt seams to have bean made to determine the exact nature of their relationship to one another. The conclusions reached in this thesis regarding their relationship constitute, so far as the writer is aware, an original contribution to the subject

Combining continuous flow oscillatory baffled reactors and microwave heating: Process intensification and accelerated synthesis of metal-organic frameworks

We have constructed a continuous flow oscillatory baffled reactor (CF-OBR) equipped with a homogeneous and controllable microwave applicator in an entirely novel design. This affords a new route to chemical production incorporating many of the principles of process intensification and allows, for the first time, investigation of the synergistic benefits of microwave heating and CF-OBRs such as; faster and continuous processing; improved product properties and purity; improved control over the processing parameters; and reduced energy consumption. The process is demonstrated by the production of a metal-organic framework (MOF), HKUST-1, a highly porous crystalline material with potential applications in gas storage and separation, catalysis, and sensing. Our reactor enabled the production of HKUST-1 at the 97.42 g/h scale, with a space time yield (STY) of 6.32 × 105 kg/m3/day and surface area production rate (SAPR) of 1.12 × 1012 m2/m3/day. This represents the highest reported STY and fastest reported synthesis (2.2 seconds) for any MOF produced via any method to-date and is an improvement on the current SAPR for HKUST-1 by two orders of magnitude owing to the superior porosity exhibited by HKUST-1 produced using our rig (Langmuir surface area of 1772 compared to 600 m2/g)

Can uptake length in strams be determined by nutrient addition experiments? Results from an interbiome comparison study

Nutrient uptake length is an important parnmeter tor quantifying nutrient cycling in streams. Although nutrient tracer additions are the preierred method for measuring uptake length under ambient nutrient concentrations, short-term nutrient addition experiments have more irequently been used to estimate uptake length in streams. Theoretical analysis of the relationship between uptake length determined by nutrient addition experiments (Sw\u27) and uptake length determined by tracer additions (Sw)predicted that Sw\u27 should be consistently longer than 5, , and that the overestimate of uptake length by Sw( should be related to the level of nutrient addition above ambient concentrations and the degree of nutrient limitation. To test these predictions, we used data irom an interbiorne study of NH,- uptake length in which 15NH,- tracer and short-term NH,-a ddition experiments were performed in 10 streams using a uniform experimental approach. The experimental results largely contirmed the theoretical predictions: sw\u27 was consistently longer than Sw and Sw\u27:Sw ratios were directly related to the level of NH,- addition and to indicatvrs of N limitation. The experimentally derived Sw\u27:Sw, ratios were used with the theoretical results to infer the N limitation status of each stream. Together, the theoretical and experimental results showed the tracer experiments should be used whenever possible to determine nutrient uptake length in streams. Nutrient addition experiments may be useful for comparing uptake lengths between different streams or cliiferent times in the same stream. however, provided that nutrient additions are kept as low as possible and of similar miagnitude