Climigration? Population and climate change in Arctic Alaska

Residents of towns and villages in Arctic Alaska live on “the front line of climate change.” Some communities face immediate threats from erosion and flooding associated with thawing permafrost, increasing river flows, and reduced sea ice protection of shorelines. The term climigration, referring to migration caused by climate change, originally was coined for these places. Although initial applications emphasized the need for government relocation policies, it has elsewhere been applied more broadly to encompass unplanned migration as well. Some historical movements have been attributed to climate change, but closer study tends to find multiple causes, making it difficult to quantify the climate contribution. Clearer attribution might come from comparisons of migration rates among places that are similar in most respects, apart from known climatic impacts. We apply this approach using annual 1990–2014 time series on 43 Arctic Alaska towns and villages. Within-community time plots show no indication of enhanced out-migration from the most at-risk communities. More formally, there is no significant difference between net migration rates of at-risk and other places, testing several alternative classifications. Although climigration is not detectable to date, growing risks make either planned or unplanned movements unavoidable in the near future

Corporate restructuring: empirical evidence on the approval of the reorganization plan

Quando uma empresa apresenta um plano de recuperação judicial, espera-se que o plano seja aprovado por seus credores. Neste artigo, apresenta-se a evidência empírica sobre a votação dos credores trabalhistas, com garantia real e quirografário e a probabilidade de aprovação do plano de recuperação judicial no Brasil. O estudo aborda uma análise descritiva das principais características dos planos de recuperação judicial por classe de voto. Utilizando uma amostra de 120 planos de recuperação judicial apresentados por empresas entre 2005 e 2014, os resultados sugerem que: credores trabalhistas estão propensos a aprovar o plano de recuperação mesmo quando o plano é rejeitado pelas demais classes; planos com propostas de pagamento mais heterogêneas para as três classes de credores possuem menor chance de serem aceitos; a chance de aprovação do plano diminui nos casos em que mais credores quirografários participam da votação; e planos com proposta de venda de ativos possuem maior chance de serem aprovados. Finalmente, maior concentração da dívida na classe com garantia real diminui a chance de aprovação do plano, e o contrário ocorre na classe quirografária.When a corporation presents a reorganization plan, it expects its creditors to approve the plan. This paper provides empirical evidence regarding the likelihood of approval based on reorganization plans for creditors in Brazil that require approval by employees; and by secure and unsecure debtholders. This paper involves a descriptive analysis of the main characteristics of reorganization plans by type of vote. Using a sample of 120 reorganization plans proposed by corporations from 2005 to 2014, we find that the labor class of creditors is likely to approve the reorganization plan even when the plan is rejected; plans with more heterogeneous payment for classes are less likely to be accepted; plans are less likely to be accepted when there are more unsecure creditors; and plans with divestment proposals are more likely to be accepted. Finally, as expected given the seniority position of secured debt, plans are less likely to be accepted when the portion of secured debt is higher, and the reverse is true for unsecured debt

The Relevance of Tag along Rights and Identity of Controlling Shareholders for the Price Spreads between Dual-Class Shares: the Brazilian Case

This paper analyzes the determinants of the differential pricing of equity classes (the so-called dual-class premium [DCP]) in Brazil from 1995 to 2006 with a focus on two specific corporate governance aspects: i) the granting of tag along rights, a mandatory bid rule that extends to minority shareholders the right to sell their shares in case of a control transfer; and ii) the identity of the controlling shareholders, with an emphasis on family control. We examined 87 Brazilian listed firms throughout the period, resulting in a sample of 3,287 observations. We found empirical evidence that changes in Corporate Law decreased (increased) the advantage of voting shares in terms of tag along rights reduced (incremented) DCP. However, we did not find empirical evidence that the voluntary granting of tag along rights altered DCP. We also found evidence suggesting that family control is positively associated with DCP level. Overall, our results indicate that regulations regarding shareholders’ rights and the identity of controlling shareholders are the two relevant corporate governance variables for DCP level in environments characterized by concentrated ownership structures

Asymptotic behavior of age-structured and delayed Lotka-Volterra models

In this work we investigate some asymptotic properties of an age-structured Lotka-Volterra model, where a specific choice of the functional parameters allows us to formulate it as a delayed problem, for which we prove the existence of a unique coexistence equilibrium and characterize the existence of a periodic solution. We also exhibit a Lyapunov functional that enables us to reduce the attractive set to either the nontrivial equilibrium or to a periodic solution. We then prove the asymptotic stability of the nontrivial equilibrium where, depending on the existence of the periodic trajectory, we make explicit the basin of attraction of the equilibrium. Finally, we prove that these results can be extended to the initial PDE problem.Comment: 29 page

The epidemiology of irritable bowel syndrome in North America: a systematic review 1

The aim of this study was to systematically review published literature about the prevalence, incidence, and natural history of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in North America. Methods : A computer-assisted search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Current Contents/Science Edition databases was performed independently by two investigators. Study selection criteria included: 1) North American population-based sample of adults; 2) objective diagnostic criteria for IBS ( i.e. , Rome or Manning criteria); and 3) publication in full manuscript form in English. Eligible articles were reviewed in a duplicate and independent manner. Data extracted were converted into individual tables and presented in descriptive form. Results : The prevalence of IBS in North America ranges from 3% to 20%, with most prevalence estimates ranging from 10% to 15%. The prevalences of diarrhea-predominant and constipation-predominant IBS are both approximately 5%. Published prevalence estimates by gender range from 2:1 female predominance to a ratio of 1:1. Constipation-predominant IBS is more common in female individuals. The prevalence of IBS varies minimally with age. No true population-based incidence studies or natural history studies were found. In one cohort surveyed on two occasions 1 yr apart, 9% of subjects who were free of IBS at baseline reported IBS at follow-up producing an onset rate of 67 per 1000 person-years. In all, 38% of patients meeting criteria for IBS did not meet IBS criteria at 1-yr follow-up. Conclusion : Approximately 30 million people in North America meet the diagnostic criteria for IBS. However, data about the natural history of IBS is quite sparse and renewed efforts should be focused at developing appropriately designed trials of the epidemiology of IBS.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72339/1/j.1572-0241.2002.05913.x.pd

SAR-DiskSat for Mega-Constellation

We have developed and demonstrated in 2021 small SAR satellites of 1-m ground resolution with novel deployable slot array antennas. This paper newly proposes a novel concept of quasi-two-dimensional SAR satellites, SAR-DiskSats with this deployable passive slot array antenna. The deployable slot array antennas can be compactly folded in the quasi-two-dimensional satellite body. Also, it is possible to install flexible solar cell sheets on the back side of the antenna because the antennas do not dissipate heat. This quasi-two-dimensional satellite configuration is suitable to for stacking in a rocket faring for mega-constellation launching. Another advantage of the SAR-DiskSat is the possibility of VELEO (very low Earth orbit) operation. A thin edge cross-section makes aero drag small and there is an advantage of short range in terms of signal-to-noise ratio. This advantage of RF power makes it easier to improve its ground resolution. We are developing a new corporate feed slot array antenna with very wide-band (1.2-GHz bandwidth in X band) for 0.25-m ground resolution. The final goal of this SAR-DiskSat would be a mega- constellation of 0.25-m ground resolution in VLEO

Device and Methods for Atomizing Fluids

One embodiment of the invention is directed to an apparatus for atomizing a fluid. This apparatus includes an atomizing nozzle assembly. The atomizing nozzle assembly includes: a spray applicator enclosure having a fluid entry zone, a flow shape profiler region, a transducer, and a cavitation enhancer module, wherein the cavitation enhancer module includes a residence modulation zone and the residence modulation zone includes a backward facing step region. The apparatus is configured such that fluid can enter the fluid entry zone to the nozzle profiler, the transducer and the cavitation enhancer module. Other embodiments relate to methods for atomizing fluids

Ultra-fast aqueous polymerisation of acrylamides by high power visible light direct photoactivation RAFT polymerisation

The effect of visible LED power (λmax = 402 nm, 451 nm) on kinetics and control of direct photoactivation RAFT polymerisations of acrylamide and dimethylacrylamide are investigated. By increasing power supplied to the LEDs from 6 to 208 W, the polymerisation time required to reach >85% conversion is reduced from 12 hours to 11 minutes for acrylamide. Similar conversions are shown to be obtainable in 5 minutes for dimethylacrylamide, all without any exogenous photoinitiator or catalyst. This increase in polymerisation rate is attributed to an increase in both photon flux and a coincident increase in polymerisation temperature at higher light intensities. With both 402 nm and 451 nm LEDs exciting the same n → π* electronic transition, little difference in rate of polymerisation is seen between the two light sources. Minimal reduction in polymerisation control is observed at high irradiation intensity for acrylamide, while an increased production of low molecular weight dead chains is observed for dimethylacrylamide. This is shown to be mitigated by controlling the polymerisation temperature to 17 °C which caused both a reduction in low molecular weight tailing and an increased polymerisation time. Visible light direct photoactivation RAFT is also shown to have application in the synthesis of ultra-high molecular weight acrylamide polymers (Mn > 1 000 000 g mol−1)

Cleavage of macromolecular RAFT chain transfer agents by sodium azide during characterization by aqueous GPC

Accurate and reliable analysis of polymers by GPC is vital in the field of controlled radical polymerisation. Often, water-soluble polymers are analysed by aqueous gel permeation chromatography (GPC) in a solvent containing dilute sodium azide as an anti-microbial agent. Previous reports have shown that sodium azide at high concentration is able to remove terminal CTA groups from polymer chains, producing thiol-terminated polymers. This study demonstrates that GPC sample preparation of RAFT polymers in aqueous solvents containing dilute (200 ppm) sodium azide can cause significant changes in the measured molecular weight distribution. These changes occur within hours of dissolving the polymer sample and are shown to be due to cleavage of the CTA in the polymer chain together with disulfide coupling of the resulting polymeric thiols. The extent to which this occurs is strongly dependent on the CTA attached to the polymer; an almost 10-fold difference in the rate of CTA removal is observed between different RAFT agents. The by-product of the reaction between sodium azide and RAFT polymers is also investigated and shown to be an unstable thiatriazole-functionalised Z group. The thiatriazole then degrades further to form a nitrile-functionalised Z group, N2 and elemental sulfur