Hunger Incidence in the Philippines: Facts, Determinants and Challenges

The high level of hunger incidence in the country is perhaps one of the most pressing issues that need to be addressed by our policy makers. Official government statistics and data from self-rated hunger surveys show an increasing trend in hunger incidence among Filipino households. Data from National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) show that the percentage of subsistence poor in the country increased to 14.6 percent in 2006 from 13.5 percent in 2003. The Social Weather Stations (SWS) quarterly surveys on hunger incidence also show an increasing trend in the percentage of families that experienced hunger, reaching an alarming level of 24 percent in December 2009, representing about 4.4 million households. One probable cause of the increasing trend in hunger is the rising food prices akin to what the country experienced in 2008. This paper aims to determine the impact of food inflation and underemployment on hunger incidence in the Philippines, using the hunger incidence data from the SWS quarterly surveys on hunger. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model is used to determine the effect of a shock or increase to food inflation and underemployment on total involuntary hunger. Results from the model show that an increase in food prices at the current quarter will increase hunger incidence for a period of five quarters, starting with immediate quarter after the shock occurred. Shocks to underemployment will also increase hunger incidence but the effects last for only two quarters, also starting with immediate quarter after the shock. The results of this study provide relevant information that will be useful in crafting policies related to the Hunger Mitigation Program of the government.hunger; food inflation; underemployment; vector autoregressive models

Hunger Incidence in the Philippines: Facts, Determinants and Challenges

The high level of hunger incidence in the country is perhaps one of the most pressing issues that need to be addressed by our policy makers. Official government statistics and data from self-rated hunger surveys show an increasing trend in hunger incidence among Filipino households. Data from National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) show that the percentage of subsistence poor in the country increased to 14.6 percent in 2006 from 13.5 percent in 2003. The Social Weather Stations (SWS) quarterly surveys on hunger incidence also show an increasing trend in the percentage of families that experienced hunger, reaching an alarming level of 24 percent in December 2009, representing about 4.4 million households. One probable cause of the increasing trend in hunger is the rising food prices akin to what the country experienced in 2008. This paper aims to determine the impact of food inflation and underemployment on hunger incidence in the Philippines, using the hunger incidence data from the SWS quarterly surveys on hunger. A vector autoregressive (VAR) model is used to determine the effect of a shock or increase to food inflation and underemployment on total involuntary hunger. Results from the model show that an increase in food prices at the current quarter will increase hunger incidence for a period of five quarters, starting with immediate quarter after the shock occurred. Shocks to underemployment will also increase hunger incidence but the effects last for only two quarters, also starting with immediate quarter after the shock. The results of this study provide relevant information that will be useful in crafting policies related to the Hunger Mitigation Program of the government.Hunger, food inflation, underemployment, vector autoregressive models.

Fishing for difference: A case study of singularity and sensibility in critical literary life writing

This paper draws upon a two-year study that examined how critical literary life writing helped a group of lesbian seniors negotiate identity. As we consider the notions of difference and singularity, building upon the earlier work of one of the authors, we analyze the work of one participant - an ex nun whose life’s work has made her remarkable in the eyes of the world. However, as oral historians (Portelli, 1981; Thompson, 2009) have found, epic stories of celebration and achievement can serve to limit the scope of life narratives. This can hold especially true for marginalized individuals (Boyd, 2008). We suggest that in this instance, structured practices of close writing opened up our participant’s narrative to lyric possibility, rather than the “grammars of consequence” (Zwicky, 2006)

Modeling of Flexible Beam Networks and Morphing Structures by Geometrically Exact Discrete Beams

Abstract We demonstrate how a geometrically exact formulation of discrete slender beams can be generalized for the efficient simulation of complex networks of flexible beams by introducing rigid connections through special junction elements. The numerical framework, which is based on discrete differential geometry of framed curves in a time-discrete setting for time- and history-dependent constitutive models, is applicable to elastic and inelastic beams undergoing large rotations with and without natural curvature and actuation. Especially, the latter two aspects make our approach a versatile and efficient alternative to higher-dimensional finite element techniques frequently used, e.g., for the simulation of active, shape-morphing, and reconfigurable structures, as demonstrated by a suite of examples.</jats:p

Multinational AGI Consortium (MAGIC): A Proposal for International Coordination on AI

This paper proposes a Multinational Artificial General Intelligence Consortium (MAGIC) to mitigate existential risks from advanced artificial intelligence (AI). MAGIC would be the only institution in the world permitted to develop advanced AI, enforced through a global moratorium by its signatory members on all other advanced AI development. MAGIC would be exclusive, safety-focused, highly secure, and collectively supported by member states, with benefits distributed equitably among signatories. MAGIC would allow narrow AI models to flourish while significantly reducing the possibility of misaligned, rogue, breakout, or runaway outcomes of general-purpose systems. We do not address the political feasibility of implementing a moratorium or address the specific legislative strategies and rules needed to enforce a ban on high-capacity AGI training runs. Instead, we propose one positive vision of the future, where MAGIC, as a global governance regime, can lay the groundwork for long-term, safe regulation of advanced AI

Preprocessing Among the Infalling Galaxy Population of EDisCS Clusters

We present results from a low-resolution spectroscopic survey for 21 galaxy clusters at $0.4 < z < 0.8$ selected from the ESO Distant Cluster Survey. We measured spectra using the low-dispersion prism in IMACS on the Magellan Baade telescope and calculate redshifts with an accuracy of $\sigma_z = 0.007$. We find 1763 galaxies that are brighter than $R = 22.9$ in the large-scale cluster environs. We identify the galaxies expected to be accreted by the clusters as they evolve to $z = 0$ using spherical infall models and find that $\sim30\%$ to $\sim70\%$ of the $z = 0$ cluster population lies outside the virial radius at $z \sim 0.6$. For analogous clusters at $z = 0$, we calculate that the ratio of galaxies that have fallen into the clusters since $z \sim 0.6$ to those that were already in the core at that redshift is typically between $\sim0.3$ and $1.5$. This wide range of ratios is due to intrinsic scatter and is not a function of velocity dispersion, so a variety of infall histories is to be expected for clusters with current velocity dispersions of $300 \lesssim\sigma\lesssim 1200$ km s$^{-1}$. Within the infall regions of $z \sim 0.6$ clusters, we find a larger red fraction of galaxies than in the field and greater clustering among red galaxies than blue. We interpret these findings as evidence of "preprocessing", where galaxies in denser local environments have their star formation rates affected prior to their aggregation into massive clusters, although the possibility of backsplash galaxies complicates the interpretation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap

Halpha-Derived Star-Formation Rates For Three z ~ 0.75 EDisCS Galaxy Clusters

We present Halpha-derived star-formation rates (SFRs) for three z ~ 0.75 galaxy clusters. Our 1 sigma flux limit corresponds to a star-formation rate of 0.10-0.24 solar mass per year, and our minimum reliable Halpha + [N II] rest-frame equivalent width is 10\AA. We show that Halpha narrowband imaging is an efficient method for measuring star formation in distant clusters. In two out of three clusters, we find that the fraction of star-forming galaxies increases with projected distance from the cluster center. We also find that the fraction of star-forming galaxies decreases with increasing local galaxy surface density in the same two clusters. We compare the median rate of star formation among star-forming cluster galaxies to a small sample of star-forming field galaxies from the literature and find that the median cluster SFRs are \~50% less than the median field SFR. We characterize cluster evolution in terms of the mass-normalized integrated cluster SFR and find that the z ~ 0.75 clusters have more SFR per cluster mass on average than the z <= 0.4 clusters from the literature. The interpretation of this result is complicated by the dependence of the mass-normalized SFR on cluster mass and the lack of sufficient overlap in the mass ranges covered by the low and high redshift samples. We find that the fraction and luminosities of the brightest starburst galaxies at z ~ 0.75 are consistent with their being progenitors of the post-starburst galaxies at z ~ 0.45 if the post-starburst phase lasts several (~5) times longer than the starburst phase.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 20 pages, 24 figure

Decisional support for young people who self-harm: protocol for a feasibility trial

Introduction: Self-harm is common in adolescents and it is the strongest predictor of suicide. Young people who self-harm are often unsure of how and where to get help. Decision aids (DA) have been shown to help with decisional conflict where there is uncertainty around different options. We have developed an online DA to support young people in help-seeking for self-harm. A feasibility trial will examine the acceptability of the online intervention, and the ability to recruit and follow-up participants within a school setting. Methods and Analysis: In this parallel arm, single blind feasibility trial, 60 participants aged 12-18 years who have self-harmed in the past 12 months, will be randomised to either: 1) a group receiving the online DA or 2) a control group receiving general information about feelings and emotions. Both groups will complete measures assessing decision-making and help-seeking behaviour. The school counsellor will be notified of any participants who have been randomised to ensure safeguarding for the young person. Participants in both groups will be followed up at 4-weeks and the measures will be repeated. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with a subset of participants to explore their views and experiences of the DA and of participation in the study. Ethics and Dissemination: Ethical approval was granted by King’s College London (KCL) College Research Ethics Committee. Results of this study will help to clarify if we can recruit and administer an online decisional support intervention within a school setting for young people who self-harm. The study will inform the design and implementation of a larger randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of the DA. Dissemination of the study findings will target publication in peer-reviewed journals of general and special interest. The funder will be sent a report outlining the major findings of the study

Upper White River Watershed Integrated Economic and Environmental Management Project

This report outlines enhanced existing local cooperative water quality efforts, sumarizes economic and physical data, and discusses how that information was used to develop analytical models.This project was partially funded by the US EPA Region 7, through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (subgrant #G05-NPS-09), under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act