1,653 research outputs found
Targeting assistance to the poor using household survey data
No full textIt is important that limited government resources be channeled to the poor, but it is not always easy to identify the poor. Which households should be given tranfers when reliable information on incomes is difficult to obtain? The authors of this paper present a simple method for targeting when income is not observable but other characteristics that are correlated with income can be observed. Using survey data taken from Cote d'Ivoire, they predict incomes based on observable characteristics and distribute transfers on the basis of those predictions. It appears that significant reductions in poverty can be achieved using this method.Environmental Economics&Policies,Rural Poverty Reduction,Services&Transfers to Poor,Safety Nets and Transfers,Poverty Assessment
Effects of dietary components on diet consumption, reproductive allocation and larval development of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis
No full textTypescript (photocopy).The effects of varying dietary nitrogen, lipid and sucrose on diet consumption, nutrient utilization and reproductive allocation were studied in the female boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis (Coleoptera:Curculionidae). Additionally, the role of dietary components on larval development was investigated. Artificial diets were employed containing cottonseed flour (CSF) as the amino acid nitrogen source, sucrose as the carbohydrate source and wheatgerm oil as the source of dietary lipid. The content of dietary nitrogen was the primary diet component that influenced fecundity. Egg production was optimal with a diet containing high nitrogen (10% CSF). Moderate nitrogen reduction (5% CSF) initially delayed the onset of egg production, but eventually, daily egg production equalled, then surpassed the rate for females fed the high N diet (10% CSF). This was achieved by increased diet consumption and increasing the percentage of the absorbed diet that is dedicated to egg formation. Drastic nitrogen reduction (2.5% CSF) resulted in both a delay and a reduction in daily egg production. Short days (10:14, L/D) and cool scotophase temperatures (27(DEGREES)C:15(DEGREES)C, L/D) accentuated the reduced rate of egg production by females fed the 2.5% CSF diet. Under this photoperiod and temperature regimen, egg production was depressed by 50% relative to females fed the 2.5% CSF diet under a long day (13:11, L/D) photoperiod at a constant temperature of 27(DEGREES)C. Females fed the 10% CSF diet containing 3- and 5-fold increases in sucrose maintained equal or greater rates of egg production compared to 10% CSF controls. A 3- to 4-fold increase in diet consumption was observed between days 2-6 post-eclosion by females fed the high carbohydrate diets. Larval development was dependent on the concentration of dietary nitrogen. The rate of larval development was reduced as dietary nitrogen was reduced. Neither lipid nor carbohydrate content of the diet affected development rate, weight at pupation or the duration of the pupal stag
Understanding and predicting transient material behaviors associated with mechanical resonance in cementitious composites
No full textCementitious composite materials provide a foundation for civilized life, from underlying structural bedrock to the tallest concrete structures in the world. These infrastructure materials (e.g., concrete and rock) are challenging to inspect and characterize, in part because of their heterogeneous and multi-scale compositions. Recently, nonlinear transient dynamic mechanical resonance behaviors, also known as “slow dynamic” behaviors, have been observed in damaged cementitious composite materials, yet the physical mechanisms underlying these behaviors are not understood. These phenomena hold potential to offer new insight and improved performance for monitoring the degradation of infrastructure materials.
In this dissertation, I study the potential of slow dynamic behaviors for practical application as a nondestructive inspection method for infrastructure materials. The study includes experimental tests and analytical modeling. Most experiments were carried out on neat cement paste samples, which represent porous composite infrastructure materials in general. The study was divided into three components: observing the behavior at the global (macro) and micro-scales, modeling the behavior in terms of a physical or mechanistic basis, and applying the behavior to monitor degradation through a practical application.
A repeatable nondestructive testing approach that uses a sequential impact device was designed to extract consistent global slow dynamic conditioning observations and characteristics from prismatic cement samples. The occurrence and existence of slow dynamic behaviors depended on the extent of damage and moisture states of a specimen. A small-scale disc vibration experiment was designed to enable imaging, using an environmental scanning electron microscope during vibration excitation in a controlled environment. Moisture migration within the paste microstructure was observed at the micron scale before and after resonance vibration of the disc. A new Mechanistic Diffusion Model (MDM) was developed to explain observed global- and micro-scale experimental results. The MDM unifies the moisture state, damage extent, and time dependence of slow dynamic behaviors. The MDM was verified through further experimentation. Finally, the slow dynamic characteristics of drying cement paste prisms with varying amounts of shrinkage reducing admixture were studied and compared to linear measurements performed on the same samples. The slow dynamic behaviors provided a measure of the bulk relative material damage at a single point in time, whereas the linear methods required measurements at two different points in time, before and after damage, in order to characterize the material.
This dissertation provides a deeper understanding of slow dynamic behavior, offers a new mechanistic explanation based on moisture migration for slow dynamic behaviors in porous composite materials, and presents the basis for a single-test nondestructive approach to evaluate degradation levels in cementitious materials in a sensitive and reliable manner. The improved understanding of these dynamic behaviors will improve the design, application, and evaluation of infrastructure materials, from understanding underlying bedrock seismicity to improving structural assessments of concrete.Submission published under a 24 month embargo labeled 'Closed Access', the embargo will last until 2020-12-01The student, James Bittner, accepted the attached license on 2018-11-28 at 18:33.The student, James Bittner, submitted this Dissertation for approval on 2018-11-28 at 18:38.This Dissertation was approved for publication on 2018-11-29 at 14:01.DSpace SAF Submission Ingestion Package generated from Vireo submission #13137 on 2019-02-08 at 11:40:21Made available in DSpace on 2019-02-08T18:39:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 5
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Cold cracking in DC-cast high strength aluminum alloy ingots: An intrinsic problem intensified by casting process parameters
No full textFor almost half a century the catastrophic failure of direct chill (DC) cast high strength aluminum alloys has been challenging the production of sound ingots. To overcome this problem, a criterion is required that can assist the researchers in predicting the critical conditions which facilitate the catastrophic failure of the ingots. This could be achieved at first glance by application of computer simulations to assess the level and distribution of residual thermal stresses. However, the simulation results are only able to show the critical locations and conditions where and when high stresses may appear in the ingots. The prediction of critical void/crack size requires simultaneous application of fracture mechanics. In this paper, we present the thermo-mechanical simulation results that indicate the critical crack size distribution in several DC-cast billets cast at various casting conditions. The simulation results were validated upon experimental DC-casting trials and revealed that the existence of voids/cracks with a considerable size is required for cold cracking to occur.Materials Science & EngineeringMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin
Determinação do nível crítico de fósforo do solo com auxílio do P32 (nota prévia)
No full textNa presente nota o autor apresenta os resultados obtidos em um estudo para a determinação do nivel crítico relativo ao fósforo em solos acima do qual nao se deve esperar resposta a adubação fosfatada. O processo utilizado foi o de CATE & NELSON (1965), avaliando-se, porém, o teor de fósforo disponível pela técnica do valor L de LARSEN (1952), modificada, ora considerando a parcela do fosforo do fertilizante padrão fixada pelo solo, ora não.In this paper the author presents a preliminary study carried out in order to determinate the phosphorus critical level in soil using the CATE & NELSON\u27S (1965) sistem but evalúating the content of that nutrient be the LARSEN\u27S (1952) L value. It was found that the critical level sought is about 30-35 ppm of phosphorus
The Gap: women’s and men’s perspectives on parenting in the context of domestic violence
No full textDomestic violence is a significant issue within New Zealand society. The purpose of this research was to explore parenting within the context of domestic violence, through men’s perspectives, as perpetrators of domestic violence, and women’s perspectives, as victims of domestic violence. The participants were recruited through their association with the Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project (HAIP), a coordinated community response to violence. The study aimed to gain understanding of the impact of violence on children, women, mothering and the batterer as parent; provide reflection on the men’s stopping violence programme at HAIP in relation to abusive men’s parenting; and examine the role of children in abusive men’s motivation to change. Nine semi-structured interviews with men attending HAIP’s stopping violence programmes were conducted, and two focus groups were held with ten women associated with HAIP. The key findings suggest that domestic violence has significant detrimental outcomes for children and women and significantly constrains women’s ability to be an effective mother. The men were found to use negative parenting practices but to have limited understanding of the impact of their behaviour on either mother or child. The women reported various ways in which they were able to work around the abuser to protect their children and to be effective as a mother, at least some of the time. Although women generally supported the continuing involvement of the fathers in the lives of their children, such involvement often served to disrupt the process of healing from the violence for both children and women. This study provides recommendations for policy and practice with regard to fathering interventions for abusive men
The Social Relations and Interactions of a First Person Shooter (FPS) Gamer
No full textVideo games have been part of society for over 40 years. During this period, a stereotypical image of a person who plays videogames has formed. Influenced by the stereotypical image (young, loner males, pale, socially inept, overweight, and possibly aggressive or violent), psychological research has focused on the possible negative effects of playing first person shooter video games. Contrary to the stereotype, first person shooter video games can be a medium in which social relationships are formed and maintained. This study aims to explored the social relationships and interactions of players of first person shooter video games in all locations of play, and how these relationships and interactions influenced the game experience, and how players managed these relationships and interactions. This research was done using qualitative interviews with 12 current first person shooter gamers. The study found that between non-persistent game worlds, technological advancements, and the potentially persistent social relationships, a large diversity of social relationships and interactions occur in and emerge from first person shooter video games. These social relationships and interactions play a central role in the enjoyment of playing first person shooter video games. The study found the interactions that are possible, happen in many different forms. The relationships found in the study developed from several different settings with playing together and friends’ friend being the most common start of a relationship. As well, the participants’ reported a level structure for the relationships that are part of their first person shooter gaming. The study also describes the interactions of players while gaming as being seen as mostly good, with a few antisocial acts committed. These findings are discussed in comparison with literature from other game genres on the social interactions and relationships of players. The seemingly “unsocial” and virtually violent first person shooter game world has been shown to encompass surprisingly rich and diverse social relationships
The lordship of Galloway c. 1000 to c. 1250
No full textThe recorded history of the lordship under the House of Fergus
lasted from only e. 1130 to 1231, but its origins lie in the fusion of
the various peoples settled there by c. 1000. A blend of Celtic and
Germanic groups created a hybrid culture that had more in common with
Man and the Isles than mainland Scotland. Galwegian attitudes to and
relationship with Scotland before c. 1130 are unclear, but ties with
York and Man had greater value than Scottish claims to overlordship.
The emergence of a powerful line of rulers kept the ambitions of the
Crown in check, but any divisions in their ranks were exploited by the
Scots. Close family links with the Plantagenet kings provided a
counterbalance to Scottish interference, but brought English
overlordship instead. This had the side-effect of securing the
separation of the see of Whithorn from the Scottish Church.
Marriage and kinship ties brought the lords political power in
Scotland, England and Man, and control of estates outwith the
lordship. This in turn led to the closer integration of Galloway into
Scotland as its rulers gained high office in the kingdom. Thus the
lords developed a dual character as Anglo-Scottish baron and Celtic
chieftain. Introduction of Normanised colonists and the development
of 'feudal' military tenures fostered this transition and eroded
regional particularism. Integration was accelerated by elimination of
the male line and partition between heiresses married into
Anglo-Norman families. Division broke the power of Galloway, weakened
the influence of its new rulers over the Galwegians and gave the Crown
the control for which it had long striven
Mental Health Service Provision for the People of Cambridge: Are services facilitating recovery?
No full textThe purpose of the present research was to investigate consumer perspectives of mental health service provision in Cambridge and whether services were helpful in facilitating recovery. Cambridge is a small township in the Waikato region, approximately twenty-five kilometers south-east of Hamilton. The study aimed to: gain an understanding of consumers’ interpretations of recovery; identify consumer perspectives of service delivery in Cambridge; assess whether services in Cambridge are working from a recovery ethos; and determine how consumers’ think service delivery could be improved. Interviews with 14 consumers of mental health services were completed. The key findings of this study suggest that the mental health needs of Cambridge consumer’s were not being met. More specifically, consumers’ who had severe or mild mental illness were reasonably happy with service delivery. However, consumers whose mental illness impacted their life considerably, yet their symptoms were not deemed severe enough to access public services, identified significant discrepancies between service provision and recovery facilitation
Pharmacogenetics of ophthalmic topical β-blockers
No full textGlaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide. The primary glaucoma risk factor is elevated intraocular pressure. Topical β-blockers are affordable and widely used to lower intraocular pressure. Genetic variability has been postulated to contribute to interpersonal differences in efficacy and safety of topical β-blockers. This review summarizes clinically significant polymorphisms that have been identified in the β-adrenergic receptors (ADRB1, ADRB2 and ADRB3). The implications of polymorphisms in CYP2D6 are also discussed. Although the candidate-gene approach has facilitated significant progress in our understanding of the genetic basis of glaucoma treatment response, most drug responses involve a large number of genes, each containing multiple polymorphisms. Genome-wide association studies may yield a more comprehensive set of polymorphisms associated with glaucoma outcomes. An understanding of the genetic mechanisms associated with variability in individual responses to topical β-blockers may advance individualized treatment at a lower cost
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