Resource-based industries and development of the AANZFTA

Often sensitive industries such as those dependent on agricultural resources are left out of FTAs. On the other hand, FTAs can bring in specific non-WTO aspects like competition policy to facilitate trade. In this paper, the development of the AANZFTA is analysed within a framework characterising "good" FTAs, and in terms what it may deliver with respect to resource-based industries. Past FTAs involving partner countries, changes over time, interviews with and submissions from relevant parties are analysed. The analysis suggests that the AANZFTA will be a more difficult agreement to develop to fruition than have bilateral agreements between the parties.Free Trade Agreements, sensitive sectors, rules of origin, International Relations/Trade, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Poultry sector support and protection, structural change and disease risk

Poultry sectors’ domestic support and trade protection, or assistance, influences the way they develop, in particular their structure, trade, investments, and aspects of disease risk. Nominal Rates of Assistance (NRAs) measuring adjusted gaps between international and domestic prices were used in analysis of relationships between these factors. Structural data took the form of average chickens per holding as well as the predominant FAO Sector (I Industrial - IV Traditional). General “bird flu” incidence was obtained from an official website. Assistance constrains efficient trade, encourages smuggling/informal trade, diminishing the incentives for good management, leading to greater disease risk. It also constrains efficient investment, leading to greater disease risk through weaker SPS, research and other relevant institutions. Assistance can also constrain structural change, hindering development of efficient industrial production systems, or maintaining larger traditional sectors, resulting in greater disease risks. The research illustrates that “true” (unassisted) exporters tended to have low NRAs and “true” importers high NRAs. Negligible trading countries mainly had low NRAs apart from those with strong self-sufficiency policies. Structurally, all countries experienced concentration with relative growth in industrial sector holdings. The NRA and structure scatter plot illustrated that the “true” exporters and “true” importers fell into two groups of mixed structures; low (high) NRAs, more (lower) market incentives and lower (higher) HPAI incidences. HPAI experiences also appeared to be regionally based. A clear conclusion is that assistance does not determine structure – some countries had strong enough political economy objectives to be willing to pay the high cost of over-riding open market forces on their structures. However, assistance did determine whether structures were distorted and not economically efficient. Technically efficient developed structures in conjunction with (export) market incentives driving economic efficiency and encouraging better risk management, appear to positively impact on HPAI risk. High assistance levels hinder open markets’ role in the demise of inefficient, poorly managed productions systems, whether they be traditional or not, and creates greater disease risk

Sepsis-Awareness and Recognition

Sepsis has a significant presence in emergency departments and intensive care units, representing 10% of all ICU admissions. Due to varying causes of infection that progress from local sites to systemic effects, sepsis has long been a mystifying illness with no one cure. The objective of this study is to examine the major causes and symptoms associated with sepsis in order to understand and evaluate current treatment approaches and research methods. In addition, this project is aimed at evaluating local sepsis awareness and prevention techniques in the local community. It is a continuation of a group project started in the class “Biomedical Ethics” provided by the FIU Honors College during the 2015 spring semester. Methods to carry out this research project include literature searches through online databases (journal articles, periodicals, current and past studies) to gather information regarding the nature of sepsis, success rates of prevention techniques, documented mortality rates, and current awareness efforts in the general public. Literature searches focus on sepsis epidemiology, mortality, and survival. Local data will be obtained through available statistics and potential surveys, likely through internet sources as well. This project may help understand the difficulties surrounding current sepsis research and the intricacies of possible treatment plans. The use of more successful techniques lowers the overall mortality rate due to sepsis and improves patient outcomes. Awareness is limited, perhaps because sepsis usually begins as a primary infection that starts out locally and becomes systemic, leading to a variety of symptoms depending on the location of the original infection. Sepsis is ultimately related to many other health drawbacks, including most healthcare-associated infections and HIV/AIDS. Increased awareness and implementation of early detection guidelines should be promoted with the goal to decrease the cases of sepsis which progress to septic shock and fatalities. This project affects the field of medicine and society as it is part of a larger, global effort to increase awareness of sepsis and evaluate treatment methods

Towards intelligent, adaptive input devices for users with physical disabilities

This thesis presents a novel application of user modelling, the domain of interest being the physical abilities of the user of a computer input device. Specifically, it describes a model which identifies aspects of keyboard use with which the user has difficulty. The model is based on data gathered in an empirical study of keyboard and mouse use by people with and without motor disabilities. In this study, many common input errors due to physical inaccuracies in using keyboards and mice were observed. For the majority of these errors, there exist keyboard or mouse configuration facilities intended to reduce or eliminate them. While such facilities are now integrated into the majority of modem operating systems, there is little published data describing their effect on keyboard or mouse usability. This thesis offers evidence that they can be extremely useful, even essential, but that further research and interface development are required. This thesis presents a user model which focuses on four of the most commonly observed keyboard difficulties. The model also makes recommendations for settings for three keyboard configuration facilities, each of which tackle one of these specific difficulties. As a user modelling task, this application presents a number of interesting challenges. Different users will have very different configuration requirements, and the requirements of individual users may also change over long or short periods of time. Some users will have cognitive impairments. Users may have very limited time and energy to devote to computer use. In response, this research has investigated the extent to which it is possible to model users without interrupting the task for which they are using a computer in the first place. This approach is appealing because it does not require users to spend time participating in model instantiation. This focus on inference rather than explicit testing or questioning also allows the model to dynamically track an individual user's changing requirements. This thesis shows that within the context of the keyboard difficulties studied, such an approach is feasible. The implemented model records users' keyboard input unintrusiveiy as they perform their own input tasks. This input is examined for evidence of certain types of input error or indications of difficulties in using the keyboard. In the model presented, conclusions are based on the assumption that the user is typing English text in a word processing application. However, the design of the model allows any other textual language to be used. A second empirical study, evaluating the model, is described. The model is shown to be very accurate in identifying users having difficulties in each of the areas tackled, the only exception being those who find a given operation awkward, but are able to perform it accurately. Where it is also possible to evaluate the configuration recommendations made by the model, the chosen settings are effective in reducing input errors and increasing user satisfaction with the keyboard. The model is also able to draw conclusions quickly for users with higher error rates, and shows good overall stability. In the light of this successful identification of keyboard difficulties, potential applications of the model are suggested. It could be used to help occupational therapists and assistive technologists to assess the keyboard configuration requirements of a new user. It could also be made available to users themselves - many people are currently unaware of facilities they may find useful, and how to activate them. The model could be extended to other areas of keyboard use, and to other input devices. This would allow systems to provide automatic, dynamic support for configuration, which would go some way towards improving the accessibility of computer systems for people with motor disabilities

Book Review: The Mills on the Floss

“George Eliot seems to be fashionable at the moment. I gather that Silas Marner is planned for television. Now Margaret Wolfit, Sir Donald\u27s actress daughter, has managed to get her single-handed stage version of The Mill On The Floss into two hours. For some it is the most immediately appealing of all the books; and it is good to see its problems yield to so direct an approach. Margaret Wolfit has the right kind of modesty. She does not approach her protean task as if she were launching a battleship, but talks her way quietly into the narrative, establishing everyone firmly without superfluous histrionics, and keeping the line clear and straight. It is a lot to ask; still she answers it in both drama and performance. We are never at odds with the tale of that sister and brother, Tom and Maggie Tulliver, that ends in the famous tragedy on the flooded river. The actress\u27s speaking lifts the scene from the text without loss; The house was rightly still in those closing moments. The boat reappeared - but brother and sister had gone down in an embrace never to be parted

Australian-Indonesian Live Cattle Trade-What Future?

Australian live cattle exports were a growing $1 billion trade from northern Australia to Indonesia for finishing and slaughter for Indonesian consumers. This all changed in recent years with the trade being disrupted by a series of constraints which have shrunk the trade and raised uncertainty. Will it ever get back on trend or continue to shrink and disappear? Greater integration between Australia�s live cattle trade and Indonesia�s cattle feeding and processing industries through investment and technological transfer offers the potential of not only better meeting Indonesia�s beef security but also strong processed meat opportunities in rich neighbours to the benefit of both countries. A continuation of the recent volatile and uncertain trade will be detrimental to both countries, with Indonesia losing a food-secure, reliable livestock supply to which value was added, and Australia a significant industry for one more dependent on costlier markets

THE CHANGING CLIMATE FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT INTO JAPAN

Japans prolonged recession over the last five years has provided the impetus for regulatory reform and industry restructuring. Historically, the flow of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Japan has been small for an economy of its size. The high degree of vertical integration and relatively closed business networks that characterised the corporate system made it hard for newcomers to gain access, while the tradition of lifetime employment limited the ability of foreign firms to recruit quality staff. Dramatic declines in the price of Japanese equities and land since the collapse of the bubble economy of the early nineties has been accompanied by a sharp increase in foreign participation in the Japanese economy. Traditional business relationships are opening up, regulations are being dismantled or revised and increased foreign involvement is now accepted as inevitable, even through mergers and acquisitions (M&A). Potentially profitable openings created by restructuring and reform is likely to see the trend towards greater foreign investment in Japan maintained over the next decade, especially in non-manufacturing.FDI, Japan, Vertical Integration

Book reviews

Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,