The Myxomycetes

The classification, life cycle, morphology, and physiology of the class Myxomycetes (slime molds) are reported. Myoxomytes culture, maintenance, and storage are discussed

Tractability of Theory Patching

In this paper we consider the problem of `theory patching', in which we are given a domain theory, some of whose components are indicated to be possibly flawed, and a set of labeled training examples for the domain concept. The theory patching problem is to revise only the indicated components of the theory, such that the resulting theory correctly classifies all the training examples. Theory patching is thus a type of theory revision in which revisions are made to individual components of the theory. Our concern in this paper is to determine for which classes of logical domain theories the theory patching problem is tractable. We consider both propositional and first-order domain theories, and show that the theory patching problem is equivalent to that of determining what information contained in a theory is `stable' regardless of what revisions might be performed to the theory. We show that determining stability is tractable if the input theory satisfies two conditions: that revisions to each theory component have monotonic effects on the classification of examples, and that theory components act independently in the classification of examples in the theory. We also show how the concepts introduced can be used to determine the soundness and completeness of particular theory patching algorithms.Comment: See http://www.jair.org/ for any accompanying file

Impact Assessment and Project Development: An Overview

This paper provides a background for the reports produced on a nine-month training and application program designed to encourage the institutionalization of broad-scoped project impact evaluation skills and strategies. The training has been through the initiative of the micro component of the Economic and Social Impact Analysis/Women in Development (ESIA/WID) and the Food Systems Program of the East-West Center Resource Systems Institute (RSI). It reviews the micro component of the ESIA/WID that provides the context for other articles in this journal, the significance of the efforts in the reports and the relationship of the training program to the micro component.impact analysis

Corporate Social Responsibility in the work place - Experimental evidence on CSR from a gift-exchange game

We analyze the effect of investments in corporate social responsibility (CSR) on workers' motivation. In our experiment, a gift exchange game variant, CSR is captured by donating a certain share of profits to a charity. We are testing for CSR effects by varying the possible share of profits given away. Additionally, we investigate the effect of a mission match, i.e., a worker prefering the same charity the firm is actually donating to. Our results show that on average workers reciprocate investments into CSR with increased effort. A mission match does result in higher effort, but only when investment into CSR is high.Corporate Social Responsibility, gift-exchange game, experiment, labor market, incentives, moral hazard, principal agent

First, Do Less Harm: Confronting the Inconvenient Problems of Patient Safety

[Excerpt] This book is an exploration of why patient safety is advancing at what seems to be an almost glacial pace, despite the often vast and determined efforts of health care workers and managers. A collection of essays from prominent researchers, scholars, and even patients, this book aims to identify some of the gaps in the patient safety movement, the disconnected dots that do not coalesce despite decades of hard work and billions of dollars. It also identifies concerns that have not been integrated into the patient safety discourse or agenda of more established groups

A morphological study of the external granular layer of the postnatal rat cerebellum

Imperial Users onl

Impact Assessment and Project Development: An Overview

This paper provides a background for the reports produced on a nine-month training and application program designed to encourage the institutionalization of broad-scoped project impact evaluation skills and strategies. The training has been through the initiative of the micro component of the Economic and Social Impact Analysis/Women in Development (ESIA/WID) and the Food Systems Program of the East-West Center Resource Systems Institute (RSI). It reviews the micro component of the ESIA/WID that provides the context for other articles in this journal, the significance of the efforts in the reports and the relationship of the training program to the micro component.impact analysis