Prediction Markets: Alternative Mechanisms for Complex Environments with Few Traders

Double auction prediction markets have proven successful in large-scale applications such as elections and sporting events. Consequently, several large corporations have adopted these markets for smaller-scale internal applications where information may be complex and the number of traders is small. Using laboratory experiments, we test the performance of the double auction in complex environments with few traders and compare it to three alternative mechanisms. When information is complex we find that an iterated poll (or Delphi method) outperforms the double auction mechanism. We present five behavioral observations that may explain why the poll performs better in these settings

Use of Costas arrays in subpixel metrology

Subpixel methods increase the accuracy and efficiency of image detectors, processing units, and algorithms and provide very cost-effective systems for object tracking. A recently proposed method permits micropixel and submicropixel accuracies providing certain design constraints on the target are met. In this paper, we explore the use of Costas arrays - permutation matrices with ideal auto-ambiguity properties - for the design of such targets.JJH acknowledges the support of the National University of Ireland (NUI) Post-doctoral Fellowship in the Sciences. DM acknowledges the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through the project BIA2011-22704, the Generalitat Valenciana through the project PROMETEO/2011/021, and the University of Alicante through the project GRE10-09. The authors also would like to acknowledge the support of Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland under the National Development Plan

Primary splenic lymphoma presenting with ascites

An 84 year-old gentleman presented with abdominal distension, anorexia and occasional epigastric pain over a four-week period. Blood parameters revealed a hypochromic microcytic anaemia. Both CT and US scan identified ascites and a mass in the left upper quadrant. An ascitic tap was performed identifying bloody ascites and the presence of reactive mesothelial cells on cytology. A subsequent laparotomy and splenectomy was performed. Histology of the resected spleen revealed a Grade 2 follicular lymphoma (Figure 2). The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery and was well at 6 months follow up. The spleen is an organ with an important immunological function. Primary splenic involvement occurs in less than 1% of non-hodgkin’s lymphoma. Symptoms of primary splenic lymphoma (PSL) include pyrexia, weight-loss, night sweats, generalised weakness and left upper quadrant pain secondary to spleno - megaly. Ascites is a rare presenting feature of PSL. This report illustrates a case of primary splenic lymphoma which poses diagnostic challenges for the pathologist and clinician and ultimately requires definitive splenectomy to confirm a diagnosis

Domestic energy e$ciency in Ireland: correcting market failure

Abstract If the bene"ts of domestic energy eciency are so great, why are they not reaped in actuality and what can be done about it? This paper deals with these crucial questions. It is based on the "ndings of a recent comprehensive study evaluating the costs (labour and materials) and bene"ts (energy cost savings, environmental bene"ts, including reductions in emissions of CO , NO V , SO and PM , comfort gains and mortality and morbidity impacts) to Irish society of bringing the entire housing stock up to the latest Building Regulations. The reasons for the lack of take-up of energy-conservation measures are discussed. The paper formulates policy proposals to address the impediments to e!ective action in the market for domestic energy eciency. The various policy instruments available to overcome these barriers are outlined. Past performance, citing speci"c exemplars, both from abroad and from experience in Ireland, is reported. The "nal section suggests a mix of policy instruments to assist the realisation of the potential bene"ts of the energy-conservation programme. The principal initiatives recommended include the provision of a combination of grants to low-income households and a clear State-led information campaign explaining the bene"ts of conserving energy to the householder

The 3D Facies Architecture and Petrophysical Properties of Hyaloclastite Delta Deposits : An Integrated Photogrammetry and Petrophysical Study from southern Iceland

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dougal Jerram is partly funded through a Norwegian Research Council Centres of Excellence project (project number 223272, CEED). Adam Soule, Kirstie Wright and an anonymous reviewer are thanked for their extensive comments which helped to improve the final manuscript. We thank Cynthia Ebinger for clear editorial guidance and handing of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPostprin

A Multi-Epoch HST Study of the Herbig-Haro Flow from XZ Tauri

We present nine epochs of Hubble Space Telescope optical imaging of the bipolar outflow from the pre-main sequence binary XZ Tauri. Our data monitors the system from 1995-2005 and includes emission line images of the flow. The northern lobe appears to be a succession of bubbles, the outermost of which expanded ballistically from 1995-1999 but in 2000 began to deform and decelerate along its forward edge. It reached an extent of 6" from the binary in 2005. A larger and fainter southern counterbubble was detected for the first time in deep ACS images from 2004. Traces of shocked emission are seen as far as 20" south of the binary. The bubble emission nebulosity has a low excitation overall, as traced by the [S II]/H-alpha line ratio, requiring a nearly comoving surrounding medium that has been accelerated by previous ejections or stellar winds. Within the broad bubbles there are compact emission knots whose alignments and proper motions indicate that collimated jets are ejected from each binary component. The jet from the southern component, XZ Tau A, is aligned with the outflow axis of the bubbles and has tangential knot velocities of 70-200 km/s. Knots in the northern flow are seen to slow and brighten as they approach the forward edge of the outermost bubble. The knots in the jet from the other star, XZ Tau B, have lower velocities of ~100 km/s

Associations of sitting accumulation patterns with cardio-metabolic risk biomarkers in Australian adults

Backgroun

Low loss tapered polysilicon core fibers

We have fabricated small core polysilicon waveguides by tapering bulk, as-drawn silicon optical fibers. The taper process acts to improve the local crystallinity of the core, resulting in a significant reduction in the material los