Divided attention years after severe closed head injury : The effect of dependencies between the subtasks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, W; Verzendaal, M; van der Naalt, J; Smit, J; van Zomeren, E

2001-01-01

Lesions of white matter which connects distant brain areas are characteristic for closed head injury (CHI). It was predicted that this impairs divided attention only if dependent subtasks are used which require communication between corresponding brain processes. Fourteen chronic severe CHI patients

Subtask 3.11 - Production of CBTL-Based Jet Fuels from Biomass-Based Feedstocks and Montana Coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sharma, Ramesh

2014-06-01

interchangeably without any special requirements and thus provides a pathway to energy security to the U.S. military and the entire nation. This subtask was funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26- 08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by Accelergy Corporation.

Artificial Immune Algorithm for Subtask Industrial Robot Scheduling in Cloud Manufacturing

Science.gov (United States)

Suma, T.; Murugesan, R.

2018-04-01

The current generation of manufacturing industry requires an intelligent scheduling model to achieve an effective utilization of distributed manufacturing resources, which motivated us to work on an Artificial Immune Algorithm for subtask robot scheduling in cloud manufacturing. This scheduling model enables a collaborative work between the industrial robots in different manufacturing centers. This paper discussed two optimizing objectives which includes minimizing the cost and load balance of industrial robots through scheduling. To solve these scheduling problems, we used the algorithm based on Artificial Immune system. The parameters are simulated with MATLAB and the results compared with the existing algorithms. The result shows better performance than existing.

Stability of cracked pipe under inertial stresses. Subtask 1.1 final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, P.; Wilson, M.; Olson, R.; Marschall, C.; Schmidt, R.; Wilkowski, G.

1994-08-01

This report presents the results of the pipe fracture experiments, analyses, and material characterization efforts performed within Subtask 1.1 of the IPIRG Program. The objective of Subtask 1.1 was to experimentally verify the analysis methodologies for circumferentially cracked pipe subjected primarily to inertial stresses. Eight cracked-pipe experiments were conducted on 6-inch nominal diameter TP304 and A106B pipe. The experimental procedure was developed using nonlinear time-history finite element analyses which included the nonlinear behavior due to the crack. The model did an excellent job of predicting the displacements, forces, and times to maximum moment. The comparison of the experimental loads to the predicted loads by the Net-Section-Collapse (NSC), Dimensionless Plastic-Zone Parameter, J-estimation schemes, R6, and ASME Section XI in-service flaw assessment criteria tended to underpredict the measured bending moments except for the NSC analysis of the A106B pipe. The effects of flaw geometry and loading history on toughness were evaluated by calculating the toughness from the pipe tests and comparing these results to C(l) values. These effects were found to be variable. The surface-crack geometry tended to increase the toughness (relative to CM results), whereas a negative load-ratio significantly decreased the TP304 stainless steel surface-cracked pipe apparent toughness. The inertial experiments tended to achieve complete failure within a few cycles after reaching maximum load in these relatively small diameter pipe experiments. Hence, a load-controlled fracture mechanics analysis may be more appropriate than a displacement-controlled analysis for these tests

ALLIANCE: An architecture for fault tolerant multi-robot cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parker, L.E.

1995-02-01

ALLIANCE is a software architecture that facilitates the fault tolerant cooperative control of teams of heterogeneous mobile robots performing missions composed of loosely coupled, largely independent subtasks. ALLIANCE allows teams of robots, each of which possesses a variety of high-level functions that it can perform during a mission, to individually select appropriate actions throughout the mission based on the requirements of the mission, the activities of other robots, the current environmental conditions, and the robot`s own internal states. ALLIANCE is a fully distributed, behavior-based architecture that incorporates the use of mathematically modeled motivations (such as impatience and acquiescence) within each robot to achieve adaptive action selection. Since cooperative robotic teams usually work in dynamic and unpredictable environments, this software architecture allows the robot team members to respond robustly, reliably, flexibly, and coherently to unexpected environmental changes and modifications in the robot team that may occur due to mechanical failure, the learning of new skills, or the addition or removal of robots from the team by human intervention. The feasibility of this architecture is demonstrated in an implementation on a team of mobile robots performing a laboratory version of hazardous waste cleanup.

ALLIANCE: An architecture for fault tolerant multi-robot cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, L.E.

1995-02-01

ALLIANCE is a software architecture that facilitates the fault tolerant cooperative control of teams of heterogeneous mobile robots performing missions composed of loosely coupled, largely independent subtasks. ALLIANCE allows teams of robots, each of which possesses a variety of high-level functions that it can perform during a mission, to individually select appropriate actions throughout the mission based on the requirements of the mission, the activities of other robots, the current environmental conditions, and the robot's own internal states. ALLIANCE is a fully distributed, behavior-based architecture that incorporates the use of mathematically modeled motivations (such as impatience and acquiescence) within each robot to achieve adaptive action selection. Since cooperative robotic teams usually work in dynamic and unpredictable environments, this software architecture allows the robot team members to respond robustly, reliably, flexibly, and coherently to unexpected environmental changes and modifications in the robot team that may occur due to mechanical failure, the learning of new skills, or the addition or removal of robots from the team by human intervention. The feasibility of this architecture is demonstrated in an implementation on a team of mobile robots performing a laboratory version of hazardous waste cleanup

Subseabed Disposal Program Plan. Volume II. FY80 budget and subtask work plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

This volume of the Subseabed Disposal Program Plan presents a breakdown of the master program structure by major activity. Each activity is described and accompanied by a specific cost plan schedule and a milestone plan. The costs have been compiled in the Cost Plan Schedules attached to each Subtask Work Plan. The FY 1980 budget for the Subseabed Disposal Program is summarized at the second level of the Work Breakdown Structure. The milestone plans for FY 80 are presented. The milestones can be changed only with the concurrence of the Sandia Subseabed Program Manager

Human-Multi-Robot Teleoperation for Cooperative Manipulation Tasks using Wearable Haptic Devices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chinello, Francesco

2017-01-01

. Control inputs for both subtasks are provided by the human. The inputs are projected onto the space of subtasks using a forward mapping strategy. Measured wrenches are projected onto the feedback signals provided to the human via wearable fingertip haptic devices through a feedback mapping strategy...

IEA Wind Task 23, offshore wind technology and deployment. Subtask 1: Experience with critical deployment issues. Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lemming, J

2010-10-15

The final report for IEA Wind Task 23, Offshore Wind Energy Technology and Deployment, is made up of two separate reports: Subtask 1: Experience with Critical Deployment Issues and Subtask 2: Offshore Code Comparison Collaborative (OC3). The Subtask 1 report included here provides background information and objectives of Task 23. It specifically discusses ecological issues and regulation, electrical system integration and offshore wind, external conditions, and key conclusions for Subtask 1. A comprehensive approach to planning is needed that integrates impacts on ecology, the effects of electrical infrastructure, and the layout of wind farms. Governments, which usually finance ecological research, should disclose results for wide dissemination as they become available. As example the workshop held suggested that documents covering the issues like offshore wind energy legislation, Guidelines for EIAs and SEAs and best practices need to be produced and distributed on a regular basis, as ecological research progresses and experience from the planning and operation of existing wind farms emerges. Research should help strike the balance between optimum regulation and the need to get projects up and running. Such research is needed to increase understanding of offshore wind metrology and its impact on electrical power fluctuations. More work is needed to develop special grid code and standards for offshore. The transient behavior of large cable installations (switching / harmonic/ Behavior and modeling of large HV cable systems) must be better understood. Connection and control systems must be developed for large offshore wind farms. Work is needed to develop the technical architecture of offshore wind grid systems. Public access to measurements (e.g., turbine power output, meteorological masts, buoys) is important, especially for model validation. Determining wake effects is currently the most important challenge in wind engineering. Emphasis should be put into

Subtask 3.9 - Direct Coal Liquefaction Process Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aulich, Ted; Sharma, Ramesh

2012-07-01

The Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and Accelergy Corporation, an advanced fuels developer with technologies exclusively licensed from ExxonMobil, undertook Subtask 3.9 to design, build, and preliminarily operate a bench-scale direct coal liquefaction (DCL) system capable of converting 45 pounds/hour of pulverized, dried coal to a liquid suitable for upgrading to fuels and/or chemicals. Fabrication and installation of the DCL system and an accompanying distillation system for off-line fractionation of raw coal liquids into 1) a naphtha middle distillate stream for upgrading and 2) a recycle stream was completed in May 2012. Shakedown of the system was initiated in July 2012. In addition to completing fabrication of the DCL system, the project also produced a 500-milliliter sample of jet fuel derived in part from direct liquefaction of Illinois No. 6 coal, and submitted the sample to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, for evaluation. The sample was confirmed by AFRL to be in compliance with all U.S. Air Force-prescribed alternative aviation fuel initial screening criteria.

Cooperatives between truth and validity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Krueger

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The current declaration of the International Cooperative Alliance on cooperative identity since its 1995 Centennial Conference (which was held in Manchester makes no distinction between cooperation and cooperative. The lack of distinction between cooperation and cooperative has caused the Decennial Cooperative Action Plan to define cooperatives as a form, while their materiality is regarded as managerial: a business (activity under a cooperative form. An identity that is close to us cannot be reduced to form, without this being a problem. Therefore, the value underlying this identity —cooperation— must have a substantial basis, even if it is idealised, if it is to affect us.Received: 27.03.2014Accepted: 12.05.2014

'Shared-rhythm cooperation' in cooperative team meetings in acute psychiatric inpatient care.

Science.gov (United States)

Vuokila-Oikkonen, P; Janhonen, S; Vaisanen, L

2004-04-01

The cooperative team meeting is one of the most important interventions in psychiatric care. The purpose of this study was to describe the participation of patients and significant others in cooperative team meetings in terms of unspoken stories. The narrative approach focused on storytelling. The data consisted of videotaped cooperative team meetings (n = 11) in two acute closed psychiatric wards. The QRS NVivo computer program and the Holistic Content Reading method were used. During the process of analysis, the spoken and unspoken stories were analysed at the same time. According to the results, while there was some evident shared-rhythm cooperation (the topics of discussion were shared and the participants had eye contact), there were many instances where the interaction was controlled and defined by health care professionals. This lack of shared rhythm in cooperation, as defined in terms of storytelling, was manifested as monologue and the following practices: the health care professionals controlled the storytelling by sticking to their opinions, by giving the floor or by pointing with a finger and visually scanning the participants, by interrupting the speaker or by allowing the other experts to sit passively. Implications for mental health nursing practice are discussed.

Fiscal 1996 achievement report. International Clean Energy Network Using Hydrogen Conversion (WE-NET) technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Research and development was performed for the WE-NET (World Energy Network) project which aims to carry out hydrogen production, transportation, and supply to consumers, by the use of renewable energy. Under subtask 1, the whole WE-NET project was subjected to evaluation, which included coordination between the respective tasks. Under subtask 2, information exchange and research cooperation were carried out with research institutes overseas. Under subtask 3, a conceptual design was prepared of a total system using ammonia as the medium for hydrogen transportation, accident data were collected and screened, and safety measures and evaluation techniques were developed and improved. Under subtask 4, the hot press method and the electroless plating method were selected as better electrode bonding methods. Under subtask 5, hydrogen liquefaction cycle processes, liquid hydrogen tankers, storage facilities, etc., were studied. Under subtasks 6-9, furthermore, investigations were conducted about low-temperature substance technology, hydrogen energy, hydrogen combustion turbine, etc. (NEDO)

Case Studies of integrated hydrogen systems. International Energy Agency Hydrogen Implementing Agreement, Final report for Subtask A of task 11 - Integrated Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schucan, T. [Paul Scherrer Inst., Villigen PSI (Switzerland)

1999-12-31

Within the framework of the International Energy Agency Hydrogen Implementing Agreement, Task 11 was undertaken to develop tools to assist in the design and evaluation of existing and potential hydrogen demonstration projects. Emphasis was placed on integrated systems, from input energy to hydrogen end use. Included in the PDF document are the Executive Summary of the final report and the various case studies. The activities of task 11 were focused on near- and mid-term applications, with consideration for the transition from fossil-based systems to sustainable hydrogen energy systems. The participating countries were Canada, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and the United States. In order for hydrogen to become a competitive energy carrier, experience and operating data need to be generated and collected through demonstration projects. A framework of scientific principles, technical expertise, and analytical evaluation and assessment needed to be developed to aid in the design and optimization of hydrogen demonstration projects to promote implementation. The task participants undertook research within the framework of three highly coordinated subtasks that focused on the collection and critical evaluation of data from existing demonstration projects around the world, the development and testing of computer models of hydrogen components and integrated systems, and the evaluation and comparison of hydrogen systems. While the Executive Summary reflects work on all three subtasks, this collection of chapters refers only to the work performed under Subtask A. Ten projects were analyzed and evaluated in detail as part of Subtask A, Case Studies. The projects and the project partners were: Solar Hydrogen Demonstration Project, Solar-Wasserstoff-Bayern, Bayernwerk, BMW, Linde, Siemens (Germany); Solar Hydrogen Plant on Residential House, M. Friedli (Switzerland); A.T. Stuart Renewable Energy Test Site; Stuart Energy Systems (Canada); PHOEBUS Juelich

International Clean Energy System Using Hydrogen Conversion (WE-NET). subtask 2. Research study on promotion of international cooperation; Suiso riyo kokusai clean energy system gijutsu (WE-NET). subtask 2. Kokusai kyoryoku suishin no tame no chosa kento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This paper describes the research result on promotion of international cooperation in the WE-NET project in fiscal 1996. The WE-NET project aims at development of the total system for hydrogen production, transport, storage and utilization, and construction of the earth-friendly innovative global clean energy network integrating elemental technologies. Since the standpoint is different between latent resource supplying countries and technology supplying countries, the WE-NET project should be constantly promoted under international understanding and cooperation. The committee distributed the annual summary report prepared by NEDO to overseas organizations, and made positive PR activities in the 11th World Conference and others. The committee made the evaluation on the improvement effect of air pollution by introducing a hydrogen vehicle in combination with Stanford University, and preparation of PR video tapes for hydrogen energy. Preliminary arrangement of Internet home pages, establishment of a long-term vision for international cooperation, and proposal toward the practical WE-NET are also made. 9 figs., 13 tabs.

Standardisation of defined approaches for skin sensitisation testing to support regulatory use and international adoption: position of the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Casati, S; Aschberger, K; Barroso, J; Casey, W; Delgado, I; Kim, T S; Kleinstreuer, N; Kojima, H; Lee, J K; Lowit, A; Park, H K; Régimbald-Krnel, M J; Strickland, J; Whelan, M; Yang, Y; Zuang, Valérie

2018-02-01

Skin sensitisation is the regulatory endpoint that has been at the centre of concerted efforts to replace animal testing in recent years, as demonstrated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) adoption of five non-animal methods addressing mechanisms under the first three key events of the skin sensitisation adverse outcome pathway. Nevertheless, the currently adopted methods, when used in isolation, are not sufficient to fulfil regulatory requirements on the skin sensitisation potential and potency of chemicals comparable to that provided by the regulatory animal tests. For this reason, a number of defined approaches integrating data from these methods with other relevant information have been proposed and documented by the OECD. With the aim to further enhance regulatory consideration and adoption of defined approaches, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal testing in collaboration with the International Cooperation on Alternative Test Methods hosted, on 4-5 October 2016, a workshop on the international regulatory applicability and acceptance of alternative non-animal approaches, i.e., defined approaches, to skin sensitisation assessment of chemicals used in a variety of sectors. The workshop convened representatives from more than 20 regulatory authorities from the European Union, United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and China. There was a general consensus among the workshop participants that to maximise global regulatory acceptance of data generated with defined approaches, international harmonisation and standardisation are needed. Potential assessment criteria were defined for a systematic evaluation of existing defined approaches that would facilitate their translation into international standards, e.g., into a performance-based Test Guideline. Informed by the discussions at the workshop, the ICATM members propose practical ways to further promote the regulatory use and facilitate

Autonomic computing enabled cooperative networked design

CERN Document Server

Wodczak, Michal

2014-01-01

This book introduces the concept of autonomic computing driven cooperative networked system design from an architectural perspective. As such it leverages and capitalises on the relevant advancements in both the realms of autonomic computing and networking by welding them closely together. In particular, a multi-faceted Autonomic Cooperative System Architectural Model is defined which incorporates the notion of Autonomic Cooperative Behaviour being orchestrated by the Autonomic Cooperative Networking Protocol of a cross-layer nature. The overall proposed solution not only advocates for the inc

26 CFR 1.199-6 - Agricultural and horticultural cooperatives.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Agricultural and horticultural cooperatives. 1....199-6 Agricultural and horticultural cooperatives. (a) In general. A patron who receives a qualified... cooperative (cooperative) (as defined in paragraph (f) of this section) is allowed a deduction under § 1.199-1...

International Clean Energy System Using Hydrogen Conversion (WE-NET). subtask 2. Research study on promotion of international cooperation (standardization of hydrogen energy technology); Suiso riyo kokusai clean energy system gijutsu (WE-NET). subtask 2. Kokusai kyoryoku suishin no tame no chosa kento (suiso energy gijutsu hyojunka ni kansuru chosa kento)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This paper describes the basic study on standardization of hydrogen energy technology, and the research study on ISO/TC197 in fiscal 1996. As a part of the WE-NET project, the subtask 2 aims at preparation of standards necessary for practical use and promotion. Developmental states in every field of hydrogen energy technologies, current states of domestic/overseas related standards and laws, and needs and issues of standardization were surveyed. In particular, the needs and issues were clarified in relation to existing standards and laws from the viewpoint of specific hydrogen property. ISO/TC197 was established in 1989 for standardization of the systems and equipment for production, storage, transport, measurement and utilization of hydrogen energy. Four working groups are in action for the supply system and tank of liquid hydrogen fuel for automobiles, the container and ship for complex transport of liquid hydrogen, the specifications of hydrogen products for energy, and the hydrogen supply facility for airports. The draft international standards were proposed to the international conference in 1996. 16 refs., 21 figs., 41 tabs.

Crack stability in a representative piping system under combined inertial and seismic/dynamic displacement-controlled stresses. Subtask 1.3 final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, P.; Olson, R.; Wilkowski, O.G.; Marschall, C.; Schmidt, R.

1997-06-01

This report presents the results from Subtask 1.3 of the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) program. The objective of Subtask 1.3 is to develop data to assess analysis methodologies for characterizing the fracture behavior of circumferentially cracked pipe in a representative piping system under combined inertial and displacement-controlled stresses. A unique experimental facility was designed and constructed. The piping system evaluated is an expansion loop with over 30 meters of 16-inch diameter Schedule 100 pipe. The experimental facility is equipped with special hardware to ensure system boundary conditions could be appropriately modeled. The test matrix involved one uncracked and five cracked dynamic pipe-system experiments. The uncracked experiment was conducted to evaluate piping system damping and natural frequency characteristics. The cracked-pipe experiments evaluated the fracture behavior, pipe system response, and stability characteristics of five different materials. All cracked-pipe experiments were conducted at PWR conditions. Material characterization efforts provided tensile and fracture toughness properties of the different pipe materials at various strain rates and temperatures. Results from all pipe-system experiments and material characterization efforts are presented. Results of fracture mechanics analyses, dynamic finite element stress analyses, and stability analyses are presented and compared with experimental results

Crack stability in a representative piping system under combined inertial and seismic/dynamic displacement-controlled stresses. Subtask 1.3 final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Scott, P.; Olson, R.; Wilkowski, O.G.; Marschall, C.; Schmidt, R.

1997-06-01

This report presents the results from Subtask 1.3 of the International Piping Integrity Research Group (IPIRG) program. The objective of Subtask 1.3 is to develop data to assess analysis methodologies for characterizing the fracture behavior of circumferentially cracked pipe in a representative piping system under combined inertial and displacement-controlled stresses. A unique experimental facility was designed and constructed. The piping system evaluated is an expansion loop with over 30 meters of 16-inch diameter Schedule 100 pipe. The experimental facility is equipped with special hardware to ensure system boundary conditions could be appropriately modeled. The test matrix involved one uncracked and five cracked dynamic pipe-system experiments. The uncracked experiment was conducted to evaluate piping system damping and natural frequency characteristics. The cracked-pipe experiments evaluated the fracture behavior, pipe system response, and stability characteristics of five different materials. All cracked-pipe experiments were conducted at PWR conditions. Material characterization efforts provided tensile and fracture toughness properties of the different pipe materials at various strain rates and temperatures. Results from all pipe-system experiments and material characterization efforts are presented. Results of fracture mechanics analyses, dynamic finite element stress analyses, and stability analyses are presented and compared with experimental results.

The standard set game of a cooperative game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bumb, A.F.; Hoede, C.

2003-01-01

We show that for every cooperative game a corresponding set game can be defined, called the standard set game. Values for set games can be applied to this standard game and determine allocations for the cooperative game. On the other hand, notions for cooperative games, like the Shapley value, the

Soft cooperation systems and games

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández, J. R.; Gallego, I.; Jiménez-Losada, A.; Ordóñez, M.

2018-04-01

A cooperative game for a set of agents establishes a fair allocation of the profit obtained for their cooperation. In order to obtain this allocation, a characteristic function is known. It establishes the profit of each coalition of agents if this coalition decides to act alone. Originally players are considered symmetric and then the allocation only depends on the characteristic function; this paper is about cooperative games with an asymmetric set of agents. We introduced cooperative games with a soft set of agents which explains those parameters determining the asymmetry among them in the cooperation. Now the characteristic function is defined not over the coalitions but over the soft coalitions, namely the profit depends not only on the formed coalition but also on the attributes considered for the players in the coalition. The best known of the allocation rules for cooperative games is the Shapley value. We propose a Shapley kind solution for soft games.

You Can Be in a Group and Still Not Cooperate. Collaborative Approaches and Cooperative Learning Activities for Adult Learners.

Science.gov (United States)

Parma City School District, OH.

This handbook defines and describes the benefits of both collaborative approaches and cooperative techniques. An introduction uses watercolor marbling as a metaphor for collaborative approaches and cooperative activities. Section I provides research results regarding problems of adult literacy programs, skills employers want, and Bloom's taxonomy.…

Conceptual Considerations for Reducing the Computational Complexity in Software Defined Radio using Cooperative Wireless Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Jesper Michael; Fitzek, Frank H. P.; Koch, Peter

2005-01-01

the expected increase in complexity leading to a decrease in energy efficiency, cooperative wireless networks are introduced. Cooperative wireless networks enables the concept of resource sharing. Resource sharing is interpreted as collaborative signal processing. This interpretation leads to the concept...... of a distributed signal processor. OFDM and the principle of FFT is described as an example of collaborative signal processing....

Attribution models and the Cooperative Game Theory

OpenAIRE

Cano Berlanga, Sebastian; Vilella, Cori

2017-01-01

The current paper studies the attribution model used by Google Analytics. Precisely, we use the Cooperative Game Theory to propose a fair distribution of the revenues among the considered channels, in order to facilitate the cooperation and to guarantee stability. We define a transferable utility convex cooperative game from the observed frequencies and we use the Shapley value to allocate the revenues among the di erent channels. Furthermore, we evaluate the impact of an advertising...

Final technical report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, C.; Long, S.; Li, Binsheng; Lamke, A.J.

1994-07-01

The overall goal of the contract is to provide general support and advice to the DOE, Office of Fossil Energy (DOE/EF) on the opportunities for coal and Clean Coal Technology trade in the Asia-Pacific region. The report which follows is divided into six subsections, each pertaining to separate subtasks the U.S. Department of Energy requested. Subtask A includes two reports, one which outlines important coal and clean coal technology news events which occurred during the second half of 1993, and another which outlines the potential for Clean Coal Technology in the Asia-Pacific Region. Subtask B and the first paper in Subtask C contain advisories and briefing papers that present and explain the coal, electricity and Clean Coal Technology situation in China. The second paper in Subtask C is an overview of the coal supply, demand and trade situation in the Asian region with coal projections to the year 2010. Subtask D is an overview of meetings with Asian energy and policy representatives which were carried out to (1) gather key information relevant to this contract, and (2) examine areas for closer cooperation on important coal/CCT-related energy issues. The tasks listed in the contract proposal as Subtasks E and F are summarized in respective sections of this report. Subtask E specifies the activities carried out under the APEC Experts` Group on Clean Coal Technologies, and Subtask F explains the work done by the Coal Project in building contacts and working relationships with key energy and technology planners in China (including The State Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Electric Power and Tsinghua University, and the State Planning Commission). The Subtask E section also includes activities to develop and strengthen the role of the APEC Experts Group on Clean Coal Activities.

Problem-Solving Methods for the Prospective Development of Urban Power Distribution Network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. P. Karpenko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This article succeeds the former A. P. K nko’ and A. I. Kuzmina’ ubl t on titled "A mathematical model of urban distribution electro-network considering its future development" (electronic scientific and technical magazine "Science and education" No. 5, 2014.The article offers a model of urban power distribution network as a set of transformer and distribution substations and cable lines. All elements of the network and new consumers are determined owing to vectors of parameters consistent with them.A problem of the urban power distribution network design, taking into account a prospective development of the city, is presented as a problem of discrete programming. It is in deciding on the optimal option to connect new consumers to the power supply network, on the number and sites to build new substations, and on the option to include them in the power supply network.Two methods, namely a reduction method for a set the nested tasks of global minimization and a decomposition method are offered to solve the problem.In reduction method the problem of prospective development of power supply network breaks into three subtasks of smaller dimension: a subtask to define the number and sites of new transformer and distribution substations, a subtask to define the option to connect new consumers to the power supply network, and a subtask to include new substations in the power supply network. The vector of the varied parameters is broken into three subvectors consistent with the subtasks. Each subtask is solved using an area of admissible vector values of the varied parameters at the fixed components of the subvectors obtained when solving the higher subtasks.In decomposition method the task is presented as a set of three, similar to reduction method, reductions of subtasks and a problem of coordination. The problem of coordination specifies a sequence of the subtasks solution, defines the moment of calculation termination. Coordination is realized by

Solutions for cooperative games with and without transferable utility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suzuki, T.

2015-01-01

When individuals generate benefits from their cooperation, allocation problems may occur regarding how much of the benefit from the cooperation each individual should take. In many economic situations, defining the contribution of each individual in a fair way is essential. This thesis is on

Cooperative learning as an approach to pedagogy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nolinske, T; Millis, B

1999-01-01

Lecture-based pedagogical approaches cannot adequately prepare students in professional and technical occupational therapy programs. Faculty members in other disciplines are turning to a well-known and well-researched teaching approach called cooperative learning, which is more carefully structured and defined than most other forms of small group learning. Cooperative learning includes several key principles: positive interdependence, individual responsibility, appropriate grouping, group maintenance, cooperative skills, and promotive (interaction) time. This article provides ideas for managing the classroom with cooperative learning activities and describes eight of them: Three-Step Interview, Roundtable, Think-Pair-Share, Structured Problem Solving, Send/Pass-a-Problem, Generic Question Stems, Double Entry Journal, and Dyadic Essay Confrontation. Each activity is applied to content embedded in professional and technical occupational therapy curricula. A cooperative learning approach to evaluating learning is also presented.

Individual muscle contributions to push and recovery subtasks during wheelchair propulsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, Jeffery W; Richter, W Mark; Neptune, Richard R

2011-04-29

Manual wheelchair propulsion places considerable physical demand on the upper extremity and is one of the primary activities associated with the high prevalence of upper extremity overuse injuries and pain among wheelchair users. As a result, recent effort has focused on determining how various propulsion techniques influence upper extremity demand during wheelchair propulsion. However, an important prerequisite for identifying the relationships between propulsion techniques and upper extremity demand is to understand how individual muscles contribute to the mechanical energetics of wheelchair propulsion. The purpose of this study was to use a forward dynamics simulation of wheelchair propulsion to quantify how individual muscles deliver, absorb and/or transfer mechanical power during propulsion. The analysis showed that muscles contribute to either push (i.e., deliver mechanical power to the handrim) or recovery (i.e., reposition the arm) subtasks, with the shoulder flexors being the primary contributors to the push and the shoulder extensors being the primary contributors to the recovery. In addition, significant activity from the shoulder muscles was required during the transition between push and recovery, which resulted in increased co-contraction and upper extremity demand. Thus, strengthening the shoulder flexors and promoting propulsion techniques that improve transition mechanics have much potential to reduce upper extremity demand and improve rehabilitation outcomes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subtask 2.17 - CO₂ Storage Efficiency in Deep Saline Formations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorecki, Charles D. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Liu, Guoxiang [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Braunberger, Jason R. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Klenner, Robert C. L. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Ayash, Scott C. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Dotzenrod, Neil W. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Steadman, Edward N. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Harju, John A. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

2014-02-01

asymptotically approaches the volumetric CO₂ storage resource potential over very long periods of time in the two systems that were evaluated. These results indicate that the volumetric assessments can be used as long as the appropriate storage efficiency terms are used and it is understood that it will take many wells over very long periods of time to fully realize the storage potential of a target formation. This subtask was funded through the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)– U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme.

The hard problem of cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimmo Eriksson

Full Text Available Based on individual variation in cooperative inclinations, we define the "hard problem of cooperation" as that of achieving high levels of cooperation in a group of non-cooperative types. Can the hard problem be solved by institutions with monitoring and sanctions? In a laboratory experiment we find that the answer is affirmative if the institution is imposed on the group but negative if development of the institution is left to the group to vote on. In the experiment, participants were divided into groups of either cooperative types or non-cooperative types depending on their behavior in a public goods game. In these homogeneous groups they repeatedly played a public goods game regulated by an institution that incorporated several of the key properties identified by Ostrom: operational rules, monitoring, rewards, punishments, and (in one condition change of rules. When change of rules was not possible and punishments were set to be high, groups of both types generally abided by operational rules demanding high contributions to the common good, and thereby achieved high levels of payoffs. Under less severe rules, both types of groups did worse but non-cooperative types did worst. Thus, non-cooperative groups profited the most from being governed by an institution demanding high contributions and employing high punishments. Nevertheless, in a condition where change of rules through voting was made possible, development of the institution in this direction was more often voted down in groups of non-cooperative types. We discuss the relevance of the hard problem and fit our results into a bigger picture of institutional and individual determinants of cooperative behavior.

The hard problem of cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Kimmo; Strimling, Pontus

2012-01-01

Based on individual variation in cooperative inclinations, we define the "hard problem of cooperation" as that of achieving high levels of cooperation in a group of non-cooperative types. Can the hard problem be solved by institutions with monitoring and sanctions? In a laboratory experiment we find that the answer is affirmative if the institution is imposed on the group but negative if development of the institution is left to the group to vote on. In the experiment, participants were divided into groups of either cooperative types or non-cooperative types depending on their behavior in a public goods game. In these homogeneous groups they repeatedly played a public goods game regulated by an institution that incorporated several of the key properties identified by Ostrom: operational rules, monitoring, rewards, punishments, and (in one condition) change of rules. When change of rules was not possible and punishments were set to be high, groups of both types generally abided by operational rules demanding high contributions to the common good, and thereby achieved high levels of payoffs. Under less severe rules, both types of groups did worse but non-cooperative types did worst. Thus, non-cooperative groups profited the most from being governed by an institution demanding high contributions and employing high punishments. Nevertheless, in a condition where change of rules through voting was made possible, development of the institution in this direction was more often voted down in groups of non-cooperative types. We discuss the relevance of the hard problem and fit our results into a bigger picture of institutional and individual determinants of cooperative behavior.

Regional cooperation based on multilateral international agreements in nuclear field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valcic, I.

1996-01-01

Multilateral international agreements have defined the framework of behavior and cooperation in various fields and aspects of peaceful use of nuclear energy. Thus, obligations have been defined in the following areas: nonproliferation of nuclear weapons, physical protection of nuclear material, liability for nuclear damage, nuclear safety, early notification about a nuclear accident and assistance in case of nuclear accident. Obligations regarding radioactive waste management should be defined soon. This paper gives a review of obligations from particular agreements with a special emphasis on those which are being realized through mutual cooperation of concerned countries and are important for safe use of nuclear energy. (author)

Subtask 4.8 - Fate and Control of Mercury and Trace Elements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlish, John; Lentz, Nicholas; Martin, Christopher; Ralston, Nicholas; Zhuang, Ye; Hamre, Lucinda

2011-12-31

-conditioning methods, to understand mercury interactions, develop better control strategies and, in some cases, prevent mercury from being reemitted. This research also addressed stakeholder concerns and questions related to sampling and analytical methods for mercury, especially for continuous mercury monitors and sorbent trap methods for future compliance. Advancements were made toward the development of a much simpler dry-based method for measurement of halogens and trace metals. Finally, this research resulted in significant outcomes related to mercury and selenium concentrations in freshwater fish and how it is associated with other elements, thereby potentially impacting health; this has greatly enhanced the understanding of the second-order mechanism of mercury toxicity. The outcomes of this research have been shared with stakeholders in various domestic and international forums, working groups, conferences, educational settings, and published documents, with information available and accessible to those most impacted or interested in timely and current results on toxic metals. This subtask was funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291.

Conseil de la Cooperation Culturelle et Fonds Culturel. Rapport Annuel 1972. (Council for Cultural Co-operation and Cultural Fund. Annual Report 1972.)

Science.gov (United States)

Council for Cultural Cooperation, Strasbourg (France).

This document is a report on the activities of the Council for Cultural Co-Operation (CCC) and Cultural Fund for 1972. The CCC is briefly defined as being designed to reinforce educational and cultural cooperation among the 21 countries of the CCC, especially in matters of research, information, and documentation. The document is composed of…

Assessment of the RELAP4/MOD6 thermal-hydraulic transient code for PWR experimental applications. Addendum. Analyses completed and reported in FY 1979. Interim report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-09-01

The results of three subtasks that complete the assessment of the RELAP4/MOD6 computer code are reported. These subtasks constitute the remainder of a broadly scoped assessment matrix defined and described in detail in a previously published document. The specific subtasks provide comparisons of code calculations with experimental results from core blowdown and critical-flow separate-effects experiments and from an integral systems-effects loss-of-coolant experiment. The basic emphasis of the comparisons is in the presentation of the study results in error form suitable for statistical analysis

Comparing Performance of Public and Cooperative Health Centers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mostafa Farahbakhsh

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Health cooperatives in similar structure of health network in Iran, give primary health cares to defined population with supervisory of public sector. Materials and method: This study compares health system performance between public (PHC and cooperative (CHC health centers. Results: Client's satisfaction was 4.14 in CHC and 3.9 in PHC in 5 point Likert scale. The mean for daily health services of CHC and PHC were 110.8 and 85 respectively. Conclusion: Health cooperatives are appropriate strategy for downsizing of government in health sector

Cooperation and defection at the crossroads.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramson, Guillermo; Semeshenko, Viktoriya; Iglesias, José Roberto

2013-01-01

We study a simple traffic model with a non-signalized road intersection. In this model the car arriving from the right has precedence. The vehicle dynamics far from the crossing are governed by the rules introduced by Nagel and Paczuski, which define how drivers behave when braking or accelerating. We measure the average velocity of the ensemble of cars and its flow as a function of the density of cars on the roadway. An additional set of rules is defined to describe the dynamics at the intersection assuming a fraction of drivers that do not obey the rule of precedence. This problem is treated within a game-theory framework, where the drivers that obey the rule are cooperators and those who ignore it are defectors. We study the consequences of these behaviors as a function of the fraction of cooperators and defectors. The results show that cooperation is the best strategy because it maximizes the flow of vehicles and minimizes the number of accidents. A rather paradoxical effect is observed: for any percentage of defectors the number of accidents is larger when the density of cars is low because of the higher average velocity.

THE IMPACT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN INSURERS AND BANKS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSURANCE SYSTEM

OpenAIRE

Nataliya Prikazyuk; Ganna Oliynik

2017-01-01

The article highlights how the cooperation of insurance companies and banks affects the insurance system. Defined the concept of bancassurance, provided a brief description of the main bancassurance models in the context of their impact on the insurance system. Defined the main benefits and risks that accompany cooperation of insurance companies and banks within different models of association. It is noted that despite the generally accepted benefits of cooperation between insurers and banks,...

The facilitation of groups and networks: capabilities to shape creative cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Lauge Baungaard

2003-01-01

The facilitator, defined as a process guide of creative cooperation, is becoming more and more in focus to assist groups,teams and networks to meet these challenges. The author defines and exemplifies different levels of creative coorperation. Core capabilities of facilitation are defined...

Report on achievements in fiscal 1998. Development of technologies to put photovoltaic power generation systems into practical use (International cooperation project - collection of information on IEA photovoltaic power generation program); 1998 nendo taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Kokusai kyoryoku jigyo (IEA taiyoko hatsuden program ni kansuru joho shushu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Research and development, verification, analysis and information exchange have been performed based on the 'Treaty to Execute the Research and Cooperation Program on Photovoltaic Power Generation System'. The IEA/REWP/PVPS activities in fiscal 1999 include the participation to the two executive committee meetings (Valencia and Sydney), and the subcommittee activities. The subcommittee activities are as follows: Task I: information exchange on and proliferation of the photovoltaic power generation systems, Task II: operation performance and design of the photovoltaic power generation systems, Task III: design and operation of the independent type and the island use power plants, Task VII: Building integrated photovoltaic power generation systems, Task VI, Sub-task 5: investigations and researches on possibility for photovoltaic power generation systems utilizing unutilized lands including deserts, and Task IX: technical cooperation to expand photovoltaic power generation system markets. (NEDO)

Report on achievements in fiscal 1998. Development of technologies to put photovoltaic power generation systems into practical use (International cooperation project - collection of information on IEA photovoltaic power generation program); 1998 nendo taiyoko hatsuden system jitsuyoka gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Kokusai kyoryoku jigyo (IEA taiyoko hatsuden program ni kansuru joho shushu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1999-03-01

Research and development, verification, analysis and information exchange have been performed based on the 'Treaty to Execute the Research and Cooperation Program on Photovoltaic Power Generation System'. The IEA/REWP/PVPS activities in fiscal 1999 include the participation to the two executive committee meetings (Valencia and Sydney), and the subcommittee activities. The subcommittee activities are as follows: Task I: information exchange on and proliferation of the photovoltaic power generation systems, Task II: operation performance and design of the photovoltaic power generation systems, Task III: design and operation of the independent type and the island use power plants, Task VII: Building integrated photovoltaic power generation systems, Task VI, Sub-task 5: investigations and researches on possibility for photovoltaic power generation systems utilizing unutilized lands including deserts, and Task IX: technical cooperation to expand photovoltaic power generation system markets. (NEDO)

Computational Aspects of Cooperative Game Theory

CERN Document Server

Chalkiadakis, Georgios; Wooldridge, Michael

2011-01-01

Cooperative game theory is a branch of (micro-)economics that studies the behavior of self-interested agents in strategic settings where binding agreements among agents are possible. Our aim in this book is to present a survey of work on the computational aspects of cooperative game theory. We begin by formally defining transferable utility games in characteristic function form, and introducing key solution concepts such as the core and the Shapley value. We then discuss two major issues that arise when considering such games from a computational perspective: identifying compact representation

Economic assessment of advanced flue gas desulfurization processes. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bierman, G. R.; May, E. H.; Mirabelli, R. E.; Pow, C. N.; Scardino, C.; Wan, E. I.

1981-09-01

This report presents the results of a project sponsored by the Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC). The purpose of the study was to perform an economic and market assessment of advanced flue gas desulfurization (FGD) processes for application to coal-fired electric utility plants. The time period considered in the study is 1981 through 1990, and costs are reported in 1980 dollars. The task was divided into the following four subtasks: (1) determine the factors affecting FGD cost evaluations; (2) select FGD processes to be cost-analyzed; (3) define the future electric utility FGD system market; and (4) perform cost analyses for the selected FGD processes. The study was initiated in September 1979, and separate reports were prepared for the first two subtasks. The results of the latter two subtasks appear only in this final reprot, since the end-date of those subtasks coincided with the end-date of the overall task. The Subtask 1 report, Criteria and Methods for Performing FGD Cost Evaluations, was completed in October 1980. A slightly modified and condensed version of that report appears as appendix B to this report. The Subtask 2 report, FGD Candidate Process Selection, was completed in January 1981, and the principal outputs of that subtask appear in Appendices C and D to this report.

Discover new cooperation forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2000-01-01

In spite of the good forecasts concerning the supply and demand, the gas market is full of uncertainties because of the competition and the industrial reorganizing. Producers and operators try to define new forms of cooperation allowing the attainments protection and at the same time allowing to take advantage of the market opportunities with a shared risk. (A.L.B.)

Cooperative business models in steel enterprises in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W. Sroka

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the concept of cooperative business models in steel enterprises in Poland. The starting point is the presentation of the concept of business models, which is defined as a way of doing business based on cooperation between enterprises. This paper presents two collaborative business models, namely outsourcing and alliance networks, comparing the theoretical assumptions with the results of research carried out in steel enterprises in Poland.

Risk Informed Assessment of Regulatory and Design Requirements for Future Nuclear Power Plants (Cooperative Agreement DE-FC03-99SF21902, Am. M004) Final Technical Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ritterbusch, Stanley E.

2003-01-01

accidents would be an inherent part of the Probabilistic Safety Assessment for the plant and their evaluation would be probabilistic. Other first year accomplishments include (1) the conversion of an NRC database for cross-referencing NRC criteria and industry codes and standards to Microsoft 2000 software, (2) an assessment of the NRC's hearing process which concluded that the normal cross-examination during public hearings is not actually required by the U.S. Administrative Procedures Act, (3) the identification and listing of reliability data sources, and (4) interfacing with other industry groups (e.g., NEI and IAEA) and NRC at workshops for risk-informing regulations. The major accomplishments during the second year consisted of (1) issuance of the final report for Subtask 1.1, ''Identify Current Applicable Regulatory Requirements [and Industry Standards],'' (2) issuance of the final report for Subtask 1.2,'' Identify Structures, Systems, and Components and Their Associate d Costs for a Typical Plant,'' (3) extension of the new, highly risk-informed design and regulatory framework to non-light-water-reactor technology, (4) completion of more detailed thermal-hydraulic and probabilistic analyses of advanced conceptual reactor system/component designs, (6) initial evaluation and recommendations for improvement of the NRC design review process, and (7) initial development of the software format, procedures and statistical routines needed to store, analyze and retrieve the available reliability data. Final reports for Subtasks 1.1 (regulatory and design criteria) and 1.2 (costs for structures, systems, and components) were prepared and issued. A final report for Subtask 1.3 (Regulatory Framework) was drafted with the aim to issue it in Phase 3 (Year 3). One technical report was produced for Subtask 1.4 (methods development) and two technical reports were produced for Subtask 1.6 (sample problem analysis). An interim report on the NRC design review process (Subtask 1.7) was

Financial problems and cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izquierdo, J.

1994-12-31

For a Bank, an usual way to attract new clients is by offering better interest rates depending on the amount of money that the client deposits in an account: {open_quotes}The more money you have the higher interest rate you get{close_quotes}. For a company is also a common practice to offer their clients discounts connected with the number of units of the product they order: {open_quotes}The more you order, the lower price per unit you pay{close_quotes}. From these situations arises the possibility to take profit if the clients cooperate and join their money or their orders. Hence, we define a new class of cooperative games called Financial Games. We study basic properties and necessary conditions for a game to belong to this class of games and we define the concept of duality for Financial games. The core is always non-empty and, moreover, Financial games are always totally balanced. We look at some special amputations lying in the Core and we study the reduced game on the j{sup th} player at {rvec x} where x{sub j} = b{sub j} = v(N) {minus} v(N {minus} j).

The cooperative identity as a justification for a different tax treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Atxabal Rada

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The cooperatives are based on different operating principles that rules in limited companies, such as the subordination of capital to labor, the economic fact integrated in the social and their democratic management. Those principles and the special rules of operating of the cooperatives make it difficult to apply to cooperatives the model planned for general taxation of limited companies, and may explain the need for a differentiated taxation for cooperatives. I propose to search for the identity values of cooperatives, ie, among the characteristics that define and, at the same time, differentiate cooperatives from other corporate forms. And try to find one value to justify a differentiated taxation for cooperatives, such as self-help or mutualism and democracy.Received: 30.05.2016Accepted: 05.09.2016

Cooperative activity and its potential for learning in tertiary education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cirila Peklaj

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A learning situation can be structured in different ways, as an individual, competitive, or cooperative activity. Each of these structures can be used for different purposes and can lead to different learning outcomes. This paper focuses on cooperative activity and its potential for learning in tertiary education. After defining cooperative activity (or, in a broader sense, learning in interaction and introducing the CAMS theoretical framework to analyse cooperative activity, the main discussion focuses on the theoretical reasons for the usefulness of group learning and on the research of effects of cooperative learning on cognitive (metacognitive, affective-motivational and social processes in university students. The key elements that should be established for successful cooperation are also discussed. At the end, a new direction in using cooperative activity in learning—computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL, which emerged with rapid technology development in the last two decades—is presented and discussed.

Co-operation and Competition in Regional Economic Development Associated with Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webler, Thomas

2009-01-01

Competition and co-operation appear in many different social venues. The author gives a variety of examples of co-operative behaviour in economics, politics, research, and everyday life activities such as sports. These four diverse examples illustrate the variety of forms that co-operation may take such as tacit co-operation, incremental co-operation, deep co-operation, etc. The links with the form of democracy (adversary democracy or consensual democracy) are also pointed. However, as with so many other things in life, the key is to the question of co-operation or competition is balance. Co-operation and competition are dialectical opposites. They create and maintain and define each other; they each are incomplete without the other

Multisensors Cooperative Detection Task Scheduling Algorithm Based on Hybrid Task Decomposition and MBPSO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Changyun Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A multisensor scheduling algorithm based on the hybrid task decomposition and modified binary particle swarm optimization (MBPSO is proposed. Firstly, aiming at the complex relationship between sensor resources and tasks, a hybrid task decomposition method is presented, and the resource scheduling problem is decomposed into subtasks; then the sensor resource scheduling problem is changed into the match problem of sensors and subtasks. Secondly, the resource match optimization model based on the sensor resources and tasks is established, which considers several factors, such as the target priority, detecting benefit, handover times, and resource load. Finally, MBPSO algorithm is proposed to solve the match optimization model effectively, which is based on the improved updating means of particle’s velocity and position through the doubt factor and modified Sigmoid function. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is better in terms of convergence velocity, searching capability, solution accuracy, and efficiency.

Cooperative Telerobotic Retrieval system Phase 1 technology evaluation report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyde, R.A.; Croft, K.M.

1995-03-01

This document describes the results from the Cooperative Telerobotic Retrieval demonstration and testing conducted at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory during December 1994 and January 1995. The purpose of the demonstration was to ascertain the feasibility of the system for deploying tools both independently and cooperatively for supporting remote characterization and removal of buried waste in a safe manner and in compliance with all regulatory requirements. The procedures and goals of the demonstration were previously defined in the Cooperative Telerobotic Retrieval System Test Plan for Fiscal Year 1994, which served as a guideline for evaluating the system.

Applications and markets for cooperating objects

CERN Document Server

Karnouskos, Stamatis; Fortino, Giancarlo; Mottola, Luca; Martínez-de Dios, José Ramiro

2014-01-01

This book provides an overview and an insight in cooperative objects and defines the classification of topics into the different areas. A significant number of researchers and industrial partners were contacted in order to prepare the roadmap. The book prosents of the main results provided by the corresponding European project "CONET".

Enresa International Cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez Beceiro, A.

1998-01-01

The Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos, S.A. (ENRESA) was set up in 1984 with the mandate to undertake responsibility for radioactive waste management in Spain. From the very beginning, ENRESA was fully aware of the fact that international cooperation plays a very important role in the development of national programmes. Aspects such as the setting up of international databases, the development and validation of models or site characterization technique such enormous efforts and amounts of resources that they could hardly be undertaken individually. Furthermore, joint participation in research, development and demonstration projects reinforces the level of confidence, not only in the decision-making process but also in the technologies, techniques and practices used. ENRESA's participation in the international contexts is largely defined, on the one hand, by the needs arising from its technical programme, as reflected in the General Radioactive Waste Plan and in the Research and Development Plan, and on the other by the need to support spanish governmental institutions in their participation in inter-governmental institutions in their participation in inter-governmental forums. The formula for cooperation varies according to needs, this cooperation generally being accomplished by means of bilateral agreements with other institutions having similar competence or by participating in the programmes of inter-governmental organizations. In particular, ENRESA has reached cooperation agreements with most of the agencies with similar responsibilities in other countries and participates very actively in the programmes of the European Union, the Nuclear energy Agency (NEA/OECD) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). (Author)

Forming the development program of industrial cooperation in the region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksandr Viktorovich Makarov

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The paper defines the role of industrial cooperation in the process of ensuring the competitiveness of the Russian economy. Economic nature of this form of long-term cooperation specified subjects and objects of cooperatives, the effects of its introduction is disclosed. Formed concept of the Programme of development of industrial cooperation in the region, taking into account the state gained in building industrial complex and the differentiation of state support measures at various stages of development cooperation. Forecast parameters on implementation of cooperation development in Sverdlovsk region for the period up to 2020 are formed. According to the reported characteristics and conducted author's calculations, based on realistic projections of engineering enterprises of Sverdlovsk region, a four-indicator sectorgram for the performance evaluation of the program for the development of industrial and technological cooperation in the field of engineering is presented. The described approach to the establishment of a development program for the industrial cooperation in the region can monitor the situation, timely adjust regional performance standards and policies in this field

Performance measurement of the agricultural marketing cooperatives : The gap between theory and practice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Soboh, R.A.M.E.; Oude Lansink, A.; Giesen, G.; Dijk, van G.

2009-01-01

The performance of agricultural cooperatives depends on their business objectives, which are defined in different ways in the literature. We review the theoretical literature on the performance of agricultural marketing cooperatives. Studies can be divided into two classes, those that assume a

Capturing cooperative interactions with the PSI-MI format.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Roey, Kim; Orchard, Sandra; Kerrien, Samuel; Dumousseau, Marine; Ricard-Blum, Sylvie; Hermjakob, Henning; Gibson, Toby J

2013-01-01

The complex biological processes that control cellular function are mediated by intricate networks of molecular interactions. Accumulating evidence indicates that these interactions are often interdependent, thus acting cooperatively. Cooperative interactions are prevalent in and indispensible for reliable and robust control of cell regulation, as they underlie the conditional decision-making capability of large regulatory complexes. Despite an increased focus on experimental elucidation of the molecular details of cooperative binding events, as evidenced by their growing occurrence in literature, they are currently lacking from the main bioinformatics resources. One of the contributing factors to this deficiency is the lack of a computer-readable standard representation and exchange format for cooperative interaction data. To tackle this shortcoming, we added functionality to the widely used PSI-MI interchange format for molecular interaction data by defining new controlled vocabulary terms that allow annotation of different aspects of cooperativity without making structural changes to the underlying XML schema. As a result, we are able to capture cooperative interaction data in a structured format that is backward compatible with PSI-MI-based data and applications. This will facilitate the storage, exchange and analysis of cooperative interaction data, which in turn will advance experimental research on this fundamental principle in biology.

Travelling wave solutions in delayed cooperative systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Bingtuan; Zhang, Liang

2011-01-01

We establish the existence of travelling wave solutions for delayed cooperative recursions that are allowed to have more than two equilibria. We define an important extended real number that is used to determine the speeds of travelling wave solutions. The results can be applied to a large class of delayed cooperative reaction–diffusion models. We show that for a delayed Lotka–Volterra reaction–diffusion competition model, there exists a finite positive number c * + that can be characterized as the slowest speed of travelling wave solutions connecting two mono-culture equilibria or connecting a mono-culture with the coexistence equilibrium

Social penalty promotes cooperation in a cooperative society.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Hiromu; Yoshimura, Jin

2015-08-04

Why cooperation is well developed in human society is an unsolved question in biological and human sciences. Vast studies in game theory have revealed that in non-cooperative games selfish behavior generally dominates over cooperation and cooperation can be evolved only under very limited conditions. These studies ask the origin of cooperation; whether cooperation can evolve in a group of selfish individuals. In this paper, instead of asking the origin of cooperation, we consider the enhancement of cooperation in a small already cooperative society. We ask whether cooperative behavior is further promoted in a small cooperative society in which social penalty is devised. We analyze hawk-dove game and prisoner's dilemma introducing social penalty. We then expand it for non-cooperative games in general. The results indicate that cooperation is universally favored if penalty is further imposed. We discuss the current result in terms of the moral, laws, rules and regulations in a society, e.g., criminology and traffic violation.

Cooperative mobility systems: The human factor challenges.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martens, Marieke; Kroon, Elisabeth

2014-01-01

This paper presents a vision on cooperative mobility systems from a human factors perspective. To create a common ground for future developments, it’s important to define the common research themes and knowledge gaps. This article presents what steps need to be taken in order to come to proper

The influence of national culture on cooperative attitudes in high-technology start-ups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ulijn, J.M.; Frankort, J.T.W.; Uhlaner, L.M.; Ulijn, J.M.; Drillon, D; Lasch, F

2007-01-01

The main focus of this chapter is the concept of cooperation by hightechnology start-ups or HTSUs and in particular, the influence that culture may have upon attitudes that may predict cooperative behaviour. HTSUs are defined in this chapter as young companies whose aim is to produce technologically

Results of IEA SHC Task 45: Large Scale Solar Heating and Cooling Systems. Subtask A: “Collectors and Collector Loop”

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bava, Federico; Nielsen, Jan Erik; Knabl, Samuel

2016-01-01

. Within this project, subtask A had the more specific objectives of investigating ways to evaluate the influence that different operating conditions can have on the collector performance, assure proper and safe installation of large solar collector fields, and guarantee their performance and yearly energy......The IEA SHC Task 45 Large Scale Solar Heating and Cooling Systems, carried out between January 2011 and December 2014, had the main objective to assist in the development of a strong and sustainable market of large solar heating systems by focusing on high performance and reliability of systems...... output. The results of the different investigations are presented, with a particular focus on how different parameters such as tilt, flow rate and fluid type, can affect the collector efficiency. Other presented results include methods to guarantee and check the thermal performance of a solar collector...

Evolution of Cooperation in Social Dilemmas on Complex Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Iyer, Swami; Killingback, Timothy

2016-01-01

Cooperation in social dilemmas is essential for the functioning of systems at multiple levels of complexity, from the simplest biological organisms to the most sophisticated human societies. Cooperation, although widespread, is fundamentally challenging to explain evolutionarily, since natural selection typically favors selfish behavior which is not socially optimal. Here we study the evolution of cooperation in three exemplars of key social dilemmas, representing the prisoner’s dilemma, hawk-dove and coordination classes of games, in structured populations defined by complex networks. Using individual-based simulations of the games on model and empirical networks, we give a detailed comparative study of the effects of the structural properties of a network, such as its average degree, variance in degree distribution, clustering coefficient, and assortativity coefficient, on the promotion of cooperative behavior in all three classes of games. PMID:26928428

Fashion, Cooperation, and Social Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Zhigang; Gao, Haoyu; Qu, Xinglong; Yang, Mingmin; Yang, Xiaoguang

2013-01-01

Fashion plays such a crucial rule in the evolution of culture and society that it is regarded as a second nature to the human being. Also, its impact on economy is quite nontrivial. On what is fashionable, interestingly, there are two viewpoints that are both extremely widespread but almost opposite: conformists think that what is popular is fashionable, while rebels believe that being different is the essence. Fashion color is fashionable in the first sense, and Lady Gaga in the second. We investigate a model where the population consists of the afore-mentioned two groups of people that are located on social networks (a spatial cellular automata network and small-world networks). This model captures two fundamental kinds of social interactions (coordination and anti-coordination) simultaneously, and also has its own interest to game theory: it is a hybrid model of pure competition and pure cooperation. This is true because when a conformist meets a rebel, they play the zero sum matching pennies game, which is pure competition. When two conformists (rebels) meet, they play the (anti-) coordination game, which is pure cooperation. Simulation shows that simple social interactions greatly promote cooperation: in most cases people can reach an extraordinarily high level of cooperation, through a selfish, myopic, naive, and local interacting dynamic (the best response dynamic). We find that degree of synchronization also plays a critical role, but mostly on the negative side. Four indices, namely cooperation degree, average satisfaction degree, equilibrium ratio and complete ratio, are defined and applied to measure people’s cooperation levels from various angles. Phase transition, as well as emergence of many interesting geographic patterns in the cellular automata network, is also observed. PMID:23382799

Stability of cracked pipe under seismic/dynamic displacement-controlled stresses. Subtask 1.2 final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kramer, G.; Veith, P.; Marschall, C.

1997-06-01

Results of displacement-controlled pipe fracture experiments, analyses, and material characterization efforts performed within the International Piping Integrity Research Group, IPIRG, Program Subtask 1.2 are discussed. Effects of dynamic versus quasi-static and monotonic versus cyclic loading were evaluated for ductile tearing of two materials, A106 Grade B ferritic steel and TP304 austenitic steel. Twelve through-wall-cracked pipe experiments were conducted on 6-inch diameter Schedule 120 pipe at 288 C (550 F). The results indicated dynamic loading at seismic strain rates marginally increased the load-carrying capacity of austenitic steel. The ferritic steel tested was sensitive to dynamic strain-aging, and consequently, its load-carrying capacity decreased at dynamic strain rates. Two parameters were found to affect the apparent ductile crack growth resistance during cyclic loading, load ratio (R) and incremental plastic displacement that occurs in a cycle. Cyclic (R = 0) loading had minimal effect on ductile tearing for both materials. However, fully reversed loading decreased the load-carrying capacity and toughness for both materials. The incremental plastic displacement can be as important as the load ratio; however, it is harder to quantify from design stress reports. Large plastic displacements will minimize the effect of negative load ratios

Theoretical and experimental evaluation of waste transport in selected rocks: 1977 annual report of LBL Contract No. 45901AK. Waste Isolation Safety Assessment Program: collection and generation of transport data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Apps, J.A.; Benson, L.V.; Lucas, J.; Mathur, A.K.; Tsao, L.

1977-09-01

During fiscal year 1977, the following subtasks were performed. (1) Thermodynamic data were tabulated for those aqueous complexes and solid phases of plutonium, neptunium, americium, and curium likely to form in the environment. (2) Eh-pH diagrams were computed and drafted for plutonium, neptunium, americium and curium at 25 0 C and one atmosphere. (3) The literature on distribution coefficients of plutonium, neptunium, americium, and curium was reviewed. (4) Preliminary considerations were determined for an experimental method of measuring radionuclide transport in water-saturated rocks. (5) The transport mechanisms of radionuclides in water-saturated rocks were reviewed. (6) A computer simulation was attempted of mass transfer involving actinides in water-saturated rocks. Progress in these tasks is reported. Subtasks 1, 2, 3, and 4 are complete. The progress made in subtask 5 is represented by an initial theoretical survey to define the conditions needed to characterize the transport of radionuclides in rocks. Subtask 6 has begun but is not complete

ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

1995-02-01

The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. Volume 3 is a compilation of appendices giving detailed results of the study

ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

1995-02-01

The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. 6 refs

A User Cooperation Stimulating Strategy Based on Cooperative Game Theory in Cooperative Relay Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Zhang

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a user cooperation stimulating strategy among rational users. The strategy is based on cooperative game theory and enacted in the context of cooperative relay networks. Using the pricing-based mechanism, the system is modeled initially with two nodes and a Base Station (BS. Within this framework, each node is treated as a rational decision maker. To this end, each node can decide whether to cooperate and how to cooperate. Cooperative game theory assists in providing an optimal system utility and provides fairness among users. Under different cooperative forwarding modes, certain questions are carefully investigated, including “what is each node's best reaction to maximize its utility?” and “what is the optimal reimbursement to encourage cooperation?” Simulation results show that the nodes benefit from the proposed cooperation stimulating strategy in terms of utility and thus justify the fairness between each user.

A User Cooperation Stimulating Strategy Based on Cooperative Game Theory in Cooperative Relay Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiang Fan

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a user cooperation stimulating strategy among rational users. The strategy is based on cooperative game theory and enacted in the context of cooperative relay networks. Using the pricing-based mechanism, the system is modeled initially with two nodes and a Base Station (BS. Within this framework, each node is treated as a rational decision maker. To this end, each node can decide whether to cooperate and how to cooperate. Cooperative game theory assists in providing an optimal system utility and provides fairness among users. Under different cooperative forwarding modes, certain questions are carefully investigated, including "what is each node's best reaction to maximize its utility?" and "what is the optimal reimbursement to encourage cooperation?" Simulation results show that the nodes benefit from the proposed cooperation stimulating strategy in terms of utility and thus justify the fairness between each user.

Percolation and cooperation with mobile agents: geometric and strategy clusters.

Science.gov (United States)

Vainstein, Mendeli H; Brito, Carolina; Arenzon, Jeferson J

2014-08-01

We study the conditions for persistent cooperation in an off-lattice model of mobile agents playing the Prisoner's Dilemma game with pure, unconditional strategies. Each agent has an exclusion radius r(P), which accounts for the population viscosity, and an interaction radius r(int), which defines the instantaneous contact network for the game dynamics. We show that, differently from the r(P)=0 case, the model with finite-sized agents presents a coexistence phase with both cooperators and defectors, besides the two absorbing phases, in which either cooperators or defectors dominate. We provide, in addition, a geometric interpretation of the transitions between phases. In analogy with lattice models, the geometric percolation of the contact network (i.e., irrespective of the strategy) enhances cooperation. More importantly, we show that the percolation of defectors is an essential condition for their survival. Differently from compact clusters of cooperators, isolated groups of defectors will eventually become extinct if not percolating, independently of their size.

Ulysses - An ESA/NASA cooperative programme

Science.gov (United States)

Meeks, W.; Eaton, D.

1990-01-01

Cooperation between ESA and NASA is discussed, noting that the Memorandum of Understanding lays the framework for this relationship, defining the responsibilities of ESA and NASA and providing for appointment of leadership and managers for the project. Members of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and ESA's ESTEC staff have been appointed to leadership positions within the project and ultimate control of the project rests with the Joint Working Group consisting of two project managers and two project scientists, equally representing both organizations. Coordination of time scales and overall mission design is discussed, including launch cooperation, public relations, and funding of scientific investigations such as Ulysses. Practical difficulties of managing an international project are discussed such as differing documentation requirements and communication techniques, and assurance of equality on projects.

What Are the Perceptions of Lecturers towards Using Cooperative Learning in Civil Engineering?

Science.gov (United States)

Ahern, Aoife

2007-01-01

The objective of the current paper is to examine how group learning and cooperative learning are used in civil engineering courses. The paper defines group learning and cooperative learning in the first section. It is hypothesized that group learning is used in civil engineering courses to build teamwork skills and communication skills among civil…

A Study on Governance and Human Resources for Cooperative Road Facilities Management

Science.gov (United States)

Ohno, Sachiko; Takagi, Akiyoshi; Kurauchi, Fumitaka; Demura, Yoshifumi

Within today's infrastructure management, Asset Management systems are becoming a mainstream feature. For region where the risk is low, it is necessary to create a "cooperative road facilities management system". This research both examined and suggested what kind of cooperative road facilities management system should be promoted by the regional society. Concretely, this study defines the operational realities of a previous case. It discusses the problem of the road facilities management as a governance. Furthermore, its realization depends on "the cooperation between municipalities", "the private-sector initiative", and "residents participation" .Also, it discusses the problem of human resources for governance. Its realization depends on "the engineers' promotion", and "creation of a voluntary activity of the resident" as a human resources. Moreover, it defines that the intermediary is important because the human resources tied to the governance. As a result, the prospect of the road facilities management is shown by the role of the player and the relation among player.

Membrane-based separation technologies for cesium, strontium, and technetium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kafka, T.

1996-01-01

This work is one of two parallel projects that are part of an ESP task to develop high-capacity, selective, solid extractants for cesium, strontium, and technetium from nuclear wastes. In this subtask, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is collaborating with 3M, St. Paul, Minnesota, working in cooperation with IBC Advanced Technologies, American Fork, Utah

To cooperate or not to cooperate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wessels, Josepha Ivanka

To Cooperate or not to Cooperate...? discusses results of a research project to study the rehabilitation of 1500-year old water tunnels, so called "qanats", in Syria. Communities all over the world are using traditional technologies to extract drinkingwater, irrigate their lands and feed...... their livestock. But these often sustainable and ancient ways to make use of groundwater are in rapid decline worldwide. A research project started in 1999 to study the rehabilitation of 1500-year old water tunnels called "qanats"in Syria. To Cooperate or not to Cooperate...? discusses results and outcomes...

Fiscal 1997 survey report. Subtask 2 (hydrogen utilization worldwide clean energy system technology) (WE-NET) (survey/study for the promotion of international cooperation); 1997 nendo seika hokokusho. Suiso riyo kokusai clean energy system gijutsu (WE-NET) subtask 2 (kokusai kyoryoku suishin no tame no choa kento)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

The survey was aimed at developing the WE-NET as a joint project worldwide by taking concrete measures such PR activities to obtain international understanding and cooperation of WE-NET based on the survey/grasp of researches of research institutes in each country and the developmental trend of hydrogen energy in each of the main countries. Implementing a `long-term vision for the WE-NET international cooperation,` the following measures were taken in fiscal 1997. PR activities were positively developed which coped with the worldwide increasing interest in WE-NET such as delivery to overseas institutions of the fiscal 1996 survey report in English summarized by NEDO and information exchanges, and participation in international conferences and presentation of the research results. From a standpoint of positively proceeding with the international technical information exchange, the following were conducted following fiscal 1996: 1) the evaluation study jointly made with Stanford University of effects of reducing air pollution by introducing hydrogen cars, 2) survey on the U.S. hydrogen project, and 3) preparation for opening of the WE-NET internet home pages. 17 figs., 18 tabs.

Intergroup Cooperation in Common Pool Resource Dilemmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadowski, Jathan; Spierre, Susan G; Selinger, Evan; Seager, Thomas P; Adams, Elizabeth A; Berardy, Andrew

2015-10-01

Fundamental problems of environmental sustainability, including climate change and fisheries management, require collective action on a scale that transcends the political and cultural boundaries of the nation-state. Rational, self-interested neoclassical economic theories of human behavior predict tragedy in the absence of third party enforcement of agreements and practical difficulties that prevent privatization. Evolutionary biology offers a theory of cooperation, but more often than not in a context of discrimination against other groups. That is, in-group boundaries are necessarily defined by those excluded as members of out-groups. However, in some settings human's exhibit behavior that is inconsistent with both rational economic and group driven cooperation of evolutionary biological theory. This paper reports the results of a non-cooperative game-theoretic exercise that models a tragedy of the commons problem in which groups of players may advance their own positions only at the expense of other groups. Students enrolled from multiple universities and assigned to different multi-university identity groups participated in experiments that repeatedly resulted in cooperative outcomes despite intergroup conflicts and expressions of group identity. We offer three possible explanations: (1) students were cooperative because they were in an academic setting; (2) students may have viewed their instructors as the out-group; or (3) the emergence of a small number of influential, ethical leaders is sufficient to ensure cooperation amongst the larger groups. From our data and analysis, we draw out lessons that may help to inform approaches for institutional design and policy negotiations, particularly in climate change management.

75 FR 10319 - Cooper Tools-Sumter, Cooper Tools Divisions, a Subsidiary of Cooper Industries, Inc., Including...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-05

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-71,602] Cooper Tools--Sumter, Cooper Tools Divisions, a Subsidiary of Cooper Industries, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers From... January 26, 2010, applicable to workers of Cooper Tools--Sumter, Cooper Tools Division, a subsidiary of...

Scientific Meetings Database: A New Tool for CTBT-Related International Cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knapik, Jerzy F.; Girven, Mary L.

1999-08-20

The mission of international cooperation is defined in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Ways and means of implementation were the subject of discussion during the International Cooperation Workshop held in Vienna in November 1998, and during the Regional Workshop for CTBTO International Cooperation held in Cairo, Egypt in June 1999. In particular, a database of ''Scientific and Technical Meetings Directly or Indirectly Related to CTBT Verification-Related Technologies'' was developed by the CTBTO PrepCom/PTS/International Cooperation section and integrated into the organization's various web sites in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy CTBT Research and Development Program. This database, the structure and use of which is described in this paper/presentation is meant to assist the CTBT-related scientific community in identifying worldwide expertise in the CTBT verification-related technologies and should help experts, particularly those of less technologically advanced States Signatories, to strengthen contacts and to pursue international cooperation under the Tredy regime. Specific opportunities for international cooperation, in particular those provided by active participation in the use and further development of this database, are presented in this paper and/or presentation.

Investigating the cooperative strategies between China and North ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The interests of the riparian countries (North Korea and China) are defined in terms of the cooperative 2-person nonzero-sum game, and the Nash product is then calculated for various alternative strategies. The results reveal that the Kangkudong Dam and the Simpo Dam should be collaboratively constructed, and that the ...

Payoff-related migration enhances cooperation in the prisoner's dilemma game

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Hongyan; Dai Qionglin; Li Haihong; Zhu Yun; Yang Junzhong; Zhang Mei

2011-01-01

In reality, migration of an individual usually correlates with the individual's financial or social status. Here, we consider the situation where migration of a player depends on the player's payoff to an evolutionary prisoner's dilemma game. When the mobility of a player is positively correlated with the player's normalized payoff, P i , where the mobility of player i is defined as μ i =P i α , we found that cooperation could be promoted strongly in the case of a high density of players because of the introduction of this kind of migration. Moreover, the system could reach a state of complete cooperation in a large region on the given parameter space. Interestingly, enhancement of cooperation shows a non-monotonic behavior with an increase in α. We also found that the positive effects of this kind of migration on cooperation are robust in the face of changes to the network structure and the strategy-updating rule. In addition, we consider another situation where the mobility of a player is anti-correlated with the player's normalized payoff, and we observe that cooperation enhancement still exists.

The role of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) as strategic practice in the EU Policies and cooperation tools for 2014-2020

OpenAIRE

Lussi, Manoela

2014-01-01

2012/2013 There is an increasingly widespread acknowledgement among all active actors in the development co-operation sector that the Public Private Partnership (PPP) can be a new important tool, not only to build important infrastructure (public works) but also to provide services to the citizens at central and local level as well as to have a strategic value in the Cross-Border Co-operation (CBC) in the next future. The European Commission defines PPPs in a rather broad and general wa...

Communicating Cooperative Robots with Bluetooth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiøler, Henrik; Son, L.T.; Madsen, Ole Brun

2001-01-01

A generic architecture for system of cooperating communicating mobile robots is presented. An overall structure is defined from a modularity viewpoint, where a number of generic modules are identified; low level communication interface, network layer services such as initial and adaptive network...... structuring, routing and capacity management, overall behaviour which includes commitment to overall strategies as well as local behaviour like trajectory planning and navigation. Focus is kept on communication aspects and an example application of establishing a reliable wireless real-time communication...

We can work it out: An enactive look at cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina eFantasia

2014-08-01

Full Text Available The past years have seen an increasing debate on cooperation and its unique human character. Philosophers and psychologists have proposed that cooperative activities are characterized by shared goals to which participants are committed through the ability to understand each other’s intentions. Despite its popularity, some serious issues arise with this approach to cooperation. First, one may challenge the assumption that high-level mental processes are necessary for engaging in acting cooperatively. If they are, then how do agents that do not possess such ability (preverbal children, or children with autism who are often claimed to be mind-blind engage in cooperative exchanges, as the evidence suggests? Secondly, to define cooperation as the result of two de-contextualized minds reading each other’s intentions may fail to fully acknowledge the complexity of situated, interactional dynamics and the interplay of variables such as the participants’ relational and personal history and experience. In this paper we challenge such accounts of cooperation, calling for an embodied approach that sees cooperation not only as an individual attitude towards the other, but also as a property of interaction processes. Taking an enactive perspective, we argue that cooperation is an intrinsic part of any interaction, and that there can be cooperative interaction before complex communicative abilities are achieved. The issue then is not whether one is able or not to read the other’s intentions, but what it takes to participate in joint action. From this basic account, it should be possible to build up more complex forms of cooperation as needed. Addressing the study of cooperation in these terms may enhance our understanding of human social development, and foster our knowledge of different ways of engaging with others, as in the case of autism.

ITER Safety Task NID-5A, Subtask 1-1: Source terms and energies - initial tritium source terms. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fong, C.; Kalyanam, K.M.; Tanaka, M.R.; Sood, S.; Natalizio, A.; Delisle, M.

1995-02-01

The overall objective of the Early Safety and Environmental Characterization Study (ESECS) is to assess the environmental impact of tritium using appropriate assumptions on a hypothetical site for ITER, having the r eference s ite characteristics as proposed by the JCT. The objective of this work under the above subtask 1-1, NID-5a, is to determine environmental source terms (i.e., process source term x containment release fraction) for the fuel cycle and cooling systems. The work is based on inventories and process source terms (i.e., inventory x mobilization fraction), provided by others (under Task NID 3b). The results of this work form the basis for the determination, by others, of the off-site dose (i.e., environmental source term x dose/release ratio). For the determination of the environmental source terms, the TMAP4 code has been utilized (ref 1). This code is approved by ITER for safety assessment. Volume 2 is a compilation of appendices giving detailed results of the study. 5 figs

Subtask – CO₂ storage and enhanced bakken recovery research program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorensen, James [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Hawthorne, Steven [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Smith, Steven [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Braunberger, Jason [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Liu, Guoxiang [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Klenner, Robert [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Botnen, Lisa [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Steadman, Edward [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Harju, John [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Doll, Thomas [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

2014-05-31

₂. In particular, a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms controlling the interactions between CO₂, oil, and other reservoir fluids in these unique formations is necessary to develop accurate assessments of potential CO₂ storage and EOR in the Bakken. In addition, existing modeling and simulation software packages do not adequately address or incorporate the unique properties of these tight, unconventional reservoirs in terms of their impact on CO₂ behavior. These knowledge gaps can be filled by conducting scaled-up laboratory activities integrated with improved modeling and simulation techniques, the results of which will provide a robust foundation for pilot-scale field injection tests. Finally, field-based data on injection, fluid production, and long-term monitoring from pilot-scale CO₂ injection tests in the Bakken are necessary to verify and validate the findings of the laboratory- and modeling-based research efforts. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Marathon Oil Corporation, Continental Resources Inc., and TAQA North, Ltd.

Introduction to the theory of cooperative games

CERN Document Server

Peleg, Bezalel; Peleg, Bezalel

2007-01-01

This book systematically presents the main solutions of cooperative games: the core, bargaining set, kernel, nucleolus, and the Shapley value of TU games as well as the core, the Shapley value, and the ordinal bargaining set of NTU games. The authors devote a separate chapter to each solution, wherein they study its properties in full detail. In addition, important variants are defined or even intensively analyzed.

To Enable and Sustain: Pacific Air Forces’ Theater Security Cooperation as a Line of Operation

Science.gov (United States)

2015-02-01

security cooperation mechanisms already in place are evolving into a more sequenced and deliberate plan towards a defined cooperative end state. This...alignment of higher guidance and is designed to advise and guide the command’s activities in the region. Joint in its es- sence , it communicates and...face of crises, it is far better to prevent them from occurring in the first place , establish cooperative arrangements ahead of time, and reduce

Cooperative phenomena within organised bi-dimensional structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armand, Franck

2001-01-01

In this report produced for an Accreditation to Supervise Research, the author defines a cooperative phenomenon as a phenomenon occurring each time a cooperation between elementary entities results in a collective property which exceeds the simple addition of disorganised individual properties. He reports works and researches which show that such phenomena can be generated by molecular architectures developed in laboratory, but also requires an appropriate organisation of active elementary entities. This can be obtained by self-organisation in solution. However, many applications assume the use of solid phases, and notably thin layers. In this respect, the Langmuir-Blodgett technique and self-assembly are very interesting techniques to produce mono-molecular thin layers, without however controlling molecule in-plane orientation and organisation. The author propose an overview of his works which aimed at obtaining this control, and reports three examples of cooperative phenomena: the generation of a second harmonic, spin transition with hysteresis, and electron conduction (one-dimensional and bi-dimensional electron transfer). The report also contains articles published in various scientific publications, and contributions to congresses [fr

Evolution of cooperation under indirect reciprocity and arbitrary exploration rates

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Fernando P.; Pacheco, Jorge M.; Santos, Francisco C.

2016-11-01

Cooperation has been recognized as an evolutionary puzzle since Darwin, and remains identified as one of the biggest challenges of the XXIst century. Indirect Reciprocity (IR), a key mechanism that humans employ to cooperate with each other, establishes that individual behaviour depends on reputations, which in turn evolve depending on social norms that classify behaviours as good or bad. While it is well known that different social norms give rise to distinct cooperation levels, it remains unclear how the performance of each norm is influenced by the random exploration of new behaviours, often a key component of social dynamics where a plethora of stimuli may compel individuals to deviate from pre-defined behaviours. Here we study, for the first time, the impact of varying degrees of exploration rates - the likelihood of spontaneously adopting another strategy, akin to a mutation probability in evolutionary dynamics - in the emergence of cooperation under IR. We show that high exploration rates may either improve or harm cooperation, depending on the underlying social norm at work. Regarding some of the most popular social norms studied to date, we find that cooperation under Simple-standing and Image-score is enhanced by high exploration rates, whereas the opposite occurs for Stern-judging and Shunning.

The role of external partners in regional cooperation projects in the Middle East

OpenAIRE

Raphael Bar-El; Miki Malul

2008-01-01

This article analyzes the extent to which external partners contribute to the internalization of externalities arising from regional cooperation in the Middle East, that is, the degree to which they help increase welfare gains generated by the projects. This is classified by extent, intensity, and sectors of cooperation. Externalities are defined macroeconomically and sociopolitically. The results show that the international community does play a role in the internalization of externalities. ...

Genetic architecture promotes the evolution and maintenance of cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antoine Frénoy

Full Text Available When cooperation has a direct cost and an indirect benefit, a selfish behavior is more likely to be selected for than an altruistic one. Kin and group selection do provide evolutionary explanations for the stability of cooperation in nature, but we still lack the full understanding of the genomic mechanisms that can prevent cheater invasion. In our study we used Aevol, an agent-based, in silico genomic platform to evolve populations of digital organisms that compete, reproduce, and cooperate by secreting a public good for tens of thousands of generations. We found that cooperating individuals may share a phenotype, defined as the amount of public good produced, but have very different abilities to resist cheater invasion. To understand the underlying genetic differences between cooperator types, we performed bio-inspired genomics analyses of our digital organisms by recording and comparing the locations of metabolic and secretion genes, as well as the relevant promoters and terminators. Association between metabolic and secretion genes (promoter sharing, overlap via frame shift or sense-antisense encoding was characteristic for populations with robust cooperation and was more likely to evolve when secretion was costly. In mutational analysis experiments, we demonstrated the potential evolutionary consequences of the genetic association by performing a large number of mutations and measuring their phenotypic and fitness effects. The non-cooperating mutants arising from the individuals with genetic association were more likely to have metabolic deleterious mutations that eventually lead to selection eliminating such mutants from the population due to the accompanying fitness decrease. Effectively, cooperation evolved to be protected and robust to mutations through entangled genetic architecture. Our results confirm the importance of second-order selection on evolutionary outcomes, uncover an important genetic mechanism for the evolution and

International cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

In this chapter international cooperation of the Division for Radiation Safety, NPP Decommissioning and Radwaste Management of the VUJE, a. s. is presented. Very important is cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency. This cooperation has various forms - national and regional projects of technical cooperation, coordinated research activities, participation of our experts in preparation of the IAEA documentation etc.

Effects of Dimers on Cooperation in the Spatial Prisoner's Dilemma Game

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Haihong; Cheng Hongyan; Dai Qionglin; Ju Ping; Yang Junzhong; Zhang Mei

2011-01-01

We investigate the evolutionary prisoner's dilemma game in structured populations by introducing dimers, which are defined as that two players in each dimer always hold a same strategy. We find that influences of dimers on cooperation depend on the type of dimers and the population structure. For those dimers in which players interact with each other, the cooperation level increases with the number of dimers though the cooperation improvement level depends on the type of network structures. On the other hand, the dimers, in which there are not mutual interactions, will not do any good to the cooperation level in a single community, but interestingly, will improve the cooperation level in a population with two communities. We explore the relationship between dimers and self-interactions and find that the effects of dimers are similar to that of self-interactions. Also, we find that the dimers, which are established over two communities in a multi-community network, act as one type of interaction through which information between communities is communicated by the requirement that two players in a dimer hold a same strategy. (general)

Private Healthcare Institutions and Insurance Companies: from Cooperators to Market Competitors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Željko Jović

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The provision of adequate healthcare nowadays has a global character, so the implementation of efficient andwell-formulated health reforms has become of serious importance. Among many contemporary trends in this area, there is a tendency of privatization of health care institutions and growth in private insurance premiums. This raises the necessity of developing a cooperation between private healthcare institutions and insurance companies in order to provide services of an improved quality. This paper emphasizes the extremes of their cooperation, moving from fully integrated systems towards competition over the market. The findings indicate that, due to the insufficient development of Serbian healthcare sector, their cooperation is so far not at a highlevel, which brings many issues into question and that should be legally better defined.

Development and application of a new tool in driver task analysis; Entwicklung und Anwendung einer neuen Methodik zur Fahreraufgabenanalyse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fastenmeier, W.; Gstalter, H. [mensch-verkehr-umwelt Institut fuer Angewandte Psychologie, Muenchen (Germany)

2003-07-01

A framework for driver task analysis is derived from a model of the drivers information processing. The first step of the procedure (SAFE) is to divide a given driving task (e.g. left turning in a signalised intersection of a certain type) into subtasks. These subtasks are appointed to defined stretches of the road and the time structure of the subtasks is determined. For each subtask an analysis format is used, that organizes different requirements into perception, expectation, judgement, memory, decision and driver action. In a next step, typical driver errors are appointed to the subtasks. Afterwards the information gathered in the analysis procedure is compressed to ratings of the complexity and risk included in each subtask. After the crucial subtasks of a driving task have been determined, a list of those requirements that led to that rating can be compiled. These lists give the potential for aiding the driver e.g. by use of driver assistance systems. (orig.) [German] In den Verkehrswissenschaften existieren bislang keine verkehrsspezifischen Standardverfahren, die eine Anforderungsanalyse auf der Ebene der Fahraufgaben erlauben. Dieser Beitrag stellt die Grundzuege eines Verfahrens zur Fahraufgabenanalyse dar (SAFE: Situative Anforderungsanalyse von Fahraufgaben). Es basiert auf einer Modellvorstellung zu den Informationsverarbeitungsprozessen, die waehrend der Bewaeltigung der Fahraufgabe eine Rolle spielen. Der erste Schritt der Aufgabenanalyse besteht darin, eine ausgewaehlte Fahraufgabe (z.B. Linksabbiegen in einer ampelgeregelten Kreuzung bestimmten Typs) in Teilaufgaben zu zerlegen und eine zeitliche Strukturierung dieser Teilaufgaben vorzunehmen. Diese werden raeumlichen Segmenten zugeordnet, die nacheinander durchfahren werden muessen. Fuer jede Teilaufgabe erfolgt dann die eigentliche Anforderungsanalyse, die nach den Kapiteln Wahrnehmung, Erwartungsbildung, Beurteilung, Gedaechtnisprozesse, Entscheidung/Planung sowie Fahrzeugbedienung mit jeweils

Subtask 4.27 - Evaluation of the Multielement Sorbent Trap (MEST) Method at an Illinois Coal-Fired Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pavlish, John; Thompson, Jeffrey; Dunham, Grant

2014-09-30

that would interfere with accurate measurement at U.S. hazardous air pollutant emission limits for existing coal-fired power plant units. Longer sampling times employed during this test program did appear to improve comparative results for these metals. Although the sorbent contribution to the sample was reduced through improved trap design, additional research is still needed to explore lower-background materials before the MEST-M application can be considered as a potential alternative method for all of the trace metals. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the Electric Power Research Institute, the Illinois Clean Coal Institute, Southern Illinois Power Company, and the Center for Air Toxic Metals Affiliates Program.

Non-cooperative game theory in biology and cooperative reasoning in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kabalak, Alihan; Smirnova, Elena; Jost, Jürgen

2015-06-01

The readiness for spontaneous cooperation together with the assumptions that others share this cooperativity has been identified as a fundamental feature that distinguishes humans from other animals, including the great apes. At the same time, cooperativity presents an evolutionary puzzle because non-cooperators do better in a group of cooperators. We develop here an analysis of the process leading to cooperation in terms of rationality concepts, game theory and epistemic logic. We are, however, not attempting to reconstruct the actual evolutionary process. We rather want to provide the logical structure underlying cooperation in order to understand why cooperation is possible and what kind of reasoning and beliefs would lead to cooperative decision-making. Game theory depends on an underlying common belief in non-cooperative rationality of the players, and cooperativity similarly can utilize a common belief in cooperative rationality as its basis. We suggest a weaker concept of rational decision-making in games that encompasses both types of decision-making. We build this up in stages, starting from simple optimization, then using anticipation of the reaction of others, to finally arrive at reflexive and cooperative reasoning. While each stage is more difficult than the preceding, importantly, we also identify a reduction of complexity achieved by the consistent application of higher stage reasoning.

Designing for cooperation - cooperating in design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyng, Morten

1991-01-01

This article will discuss how to design computer applications that enhance the quality of work and products, and will relate the discussion to current themes in the field of Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW). Cooperation is a key element of computer use and work practice, yet here...... a specific "CSCW approach is not taken." Instead the focus is cooperation as an important aspect of work that should be integrated into most computer support efforts in order to develop successful computer support, however, other aspects such as power, conflict and control must also be considered....

Relationships between state owned enterprises and western oil companies : from contracts to cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeois, B.

1994-01-01

The ''cooperation'' term has become one of the most ambiguous in everyday life. A first step is to make a distinction between simple contractual agreements and more demanding cooperation relationships. On the history of relations between state owned enterprises and western oil companies, that leads us to the three following periods : 1) from 1970 to 1985 contractual agreements are defined under the nationalization requirements, 2) from 1982 to 1994 new contracts are tested, 3) in the end of the 1990's decade perspectives and stakes of cooperation are discussed in a world of a commercial growing interdependence. (Author). 23 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Intelligent cooperation: A framework of pedagogic practice in the operating room.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutkin, Gary; Littleton, Eliza B; Kanter, Steven L

2018-04-01

Surgeons who work with trainees must address their learning needs without compromising patient safety. We used a constructivist grounded theory approach to examine videos of five teaching surgeries. Attending surgeons were interviewed afterward while watching cued videos of their cases. Codes were iteratively refined into major themes, and then constructed into a larger framework. We present a novel framework, Intelligent Cooperation, which accounts for the highly adaptive, iterative features of surgical teaching in the operating room. Specifically, we define Intelligent Cooperation as a sequence of coordinated exchanges between attending and trainee that accomplishes small surgical steps while simultaneously uncovering the trainee's learning needs. Intelligent Cooperation requires the attending to accurately determine learning needs, perform real-time needs assessment, provide critical scaffolding, and work with the learner to accomplish the next step in the surgery. This is achieved through intense, coordinated verbal and physical cooperation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergence of super cooperation of prisoner's dilemma games on scale-free networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angsheng Li

Full Text Available Recently, the authors proposed a quantum prisoner's dilemma game based on the spatial game of Nowak and May, and showed that the game can be played classically. By using this idea, we proposed three generalized prisoner's dilemma (GPD, for short games based on the weak Prisoner's dilemma game, the full prisoner's dilemma game and the normalized Prisoner's dilemma game, written by GPDW, GPDF and GPDN respectively. Our games consist of two players, each of which has three strategies: cooperator (C, defector (D and super cooperator (denoted by Q, and have a parameter γ to measure the entangled relationship between the two players. We found that our generalised prisoner's dilemma games have new Nash equilibrium principles, that entanglement is the principle of emergence and convergence (i.e., guaranteed emergence of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner's dilemma games on scale-free networks, that entanglement provides a threshold for a phase transition of super cooperation in evolutions of our generalised prisoner's dilemma games on scale-free networks, that the role of heterogeneity of the scale-free networks in cooperations and super cooperations is very limited, and that well-defined structures of scale-free networks allow coexistence of cooperators and super cooperators in the evolutions of the weak version of our generalised prisoner's dilemma games.

Fiscal 1997 survey report. Subtask 4 (hydrogen utilization worldwide clean energy system technology) (WE-NET) (development of hydrogen production technology); 1997 nendo seika hokokusho. Suiso riyo kokusai clean energy system gijutsu (WE-NET) subtask 4 suiso seizo gijutsu no kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-03-01

As a WE-NET subtask, a study has been conducted of the solid polyelectrolyte water electrolysis method by which higher efficiency and lower cost hydrogen production is expected than in the conventional hydrogen production method. Production methods of electrode, electrolyte, etc. were studied. In the electroless plating method, the manufacturing process of membrane-electrode assemblies was realized in a large area of 2500 cm{sup 2} by the porous-surfaced method by studying manufacturing conditions for slurry membrane/membrane assembly/electroless plating processes. In the hot-press method, the refining degree and dispersibility of iridium dioxide powder were studied to improve characteristics of anode catalyst. A method was developed to form polyelectrolyte coatings homogeneously on the surface of electrode layer catalytic powder, and a large area of 2500 cm{sup 2} was realized. Beside the performance test using large single cells, FS was conducted to discuss optimum operating conditions and optimum structures of plants. Both methods indicated the performance exceeding the energy conversion efficiency of 90%, a WE-NET target, at current density of 1A/cm{sup 2} and electrolysis temperature of 80degC. A key was found to a bench-scale development (electrode area of 2500 cm{sup 2}, about 5 layers) to be planned in fiscal 1998. 136 figs., 50 tabs.

The cooperative identity in the cuban constitution. Currents challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Orestes Rodríguez Musa

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The work contribute with some valuations about the conception of the cooperative in the Cuban constitutionalism, with the purpose that the constitution can guide -like it corresponds- the legal implementation of the figure toward an integral perspective. To accomplish this goal, this article offers a characterization of the institution that illustrates about its identity. Then it analyzed the juridical dimension of the cooperative, pondering the different doctrinal postures that have tried to define its nature. Lastly, it argue that the current laws of the Cuban Constitution, influenced by a reduced conception of the institution, suffers some limitations that block the good use of the figure in a socioeconomic context in which it is called to transcend.

Impact of a Sustained Cooperative Learning Intervention on Student Motivation

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandez-Rio, Javier; Sanz, Naira; Fernandez-Cando, Judith; Santos, Luis

2017-01-01

Background: Cooperative Learning has been recently defined as a true pedagogical model. Moreover, in a recent review Casey and Goodyear reported that it can help physical education promote the four basic learning outcomes: physical, cognitive, social and affective. Purpose: The main goal was to investigate the impact of a sustained Cooperative…

Threshold Games and Cooperation on Multiplayer Graphs.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaare B Mikkelsen

Full Text Available The study investigates the effect on cooperation in multiplayer games, when the population from which all individuals are drawn is structured-i.e. when a given individual is only competing with a small subset of the entire population.To optimize the focus on multiplayer effects, a class of games were chosen for which the payoff depends nonlinearly on the number of cooperators-this ensures that the game cannot be represented as a sum of pair-wise interactions, and increases the likelihood of observing behaviour different from that seen in two-player games. The chosen class of games are named "threshold games", and are defined by a threshold, M > 0, which describes the minimal number of cooperators in a given match required for all the participants to receive a benefit. The model was studied primarily through numerical simulations of large populations of individuals, each with interaction neighbourhoods described by various classes of networks.When comparing the level of cooperation in a structured population to the mean-field model, we find that most types of structure lead to a decrease in cooperation. This is both interesting and novel, simply due to the generality and breadth of relevance of the model-it is likely that any model with similar payoff structure exhibits related behaviour. More importantly, we find that the details of the behaviour depends to a large extent on the size of the immediate neighbourhoods of the individuals, as dictated by the network structure. In effect, the players behave as if they are part of a much smaller, fully mixed, population, which we suggest an expression for.

European wind turbine testing procedure developments. Task 2: Power quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Poul Ejnar; Friis Pedersen, Troels; Gerdes, G.

2001-01-01

The present report describes the work done in the power quality subtask of the European Wind Turbine Testing Procedure Developments project funded by the EU SMT program. The objective of the power quality subtask has been to make recommendations andprovide background for new standards...... for measurement and testing of wind turbine power quality. The focus in the work has been to support the ongoing standardisation work in IEC with a new standard IEC61400-21 for measurement and assessment of powerquality characteristics of grid connected wind turbines. The work has also been based on the power...... quality measuremnet procedure in the Measnet cooperation of European test stations for wind turbines. The first working item of the project has been toverify the state of the art of the measurement procedures by analyses and comparisons of the measurements and data processing software of the participating...

Proposal of an Institutional Structure for the Cooperative Sector in Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iriadna Marín de León

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the Economic and Social Politics Guidelines of the CCP Congress, devoted to cooperative economic administration defined five specific guidelines that denote the intention and purpose of the country for recognizing the role of the cooperative as in the development way in the social Cuban socialist model and the necessity to extend to other economic sectors. There are different points of view about the function of the state in relation to cooperativism, which shows the necessity of a critical and realistic approaches about this topic that give the appropriate answer for contributing efficiently to the objectives and aspirations of the cooperative under new conditions.    In this article is presented the theoretical and methodological relationship bases between state and cooperatives, as well as the institutionalization process of this sector in different countries, including Cuba demonstrating the necessity and urgency of creating an institutional structure for the cooperative sector in Cuba that contributes to obtain a true autonomy and supervision, necessary administration support and advice. This proposal presupposes a series of premises, as well as strategic and administration elements such as: a logo, its mission, vision, structures, objectives and functions.

Design of a SIP device cooperation system on OSGi service platforms

Science.gov (United States)

Takayama, Youji; Koita, Takahiro; Sato, Kenya

2007-12-01

Home networks feature such various technologies as protocols, specifications, and middleware, including HTTP, UPnP, and Jini. A service platform is required to handle such technologies to enable them to cooperate with different devices. The OSGi service platform, which meets the requirements based on service-oriented architecture, is designed and standardized by OSGi Alliance and consists of two parts: one OSGi Framework and bundles. On the OSGi service platform, APIs are defined as services that can handle these technologies and are implemented in the bundle. By using the OSGi Framework with bundles, various technologies can cooperate with each other. On the other hand, in IP networks, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is often used in device cooperation services to resolve an IP address, control a session between two or more devices, and easily exchange the statuses of devices. However, since many existing devices do not correspond to SIP, it cannot be used for device cooperation services. A device that does not correspond to SIP is called an unSIP device. This paper proposes and implements a prototype system that enables unSIP devices to correspond to SIP. For unSIP devices, the proposed system provides device cooperation services with SIP.

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of eastern oil shales. [Estimation of the cost of beneficiating Alabama shale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, M.J.; Mensinger, M.C.; Rue, D.M.; Lau, F.S.

1992-12-01

This report presents the work performed during the program quarter from September 1, 1992 though November 30, 1992. The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) is the prime contractor for the program extension to develop the Pressurized Fluidized-Bed Hydroretorting II system technology. Four institutions are working with IGT as subcontractors. Task achievements are discussed for the following active tasks of the program: Subtask 3.7 innovative reactor concept testing; Subtask 3.9 catalytic hydroretorting; Subtask 3.10 autocatalysis in hydroretorting; Subtask 3.11 shale oil upgrading and evaluation; Subtask 4.1.3 stirred ball mill grinding; Subtask 4.1.5 alternative technology evaluation; Subtask 4.1.6 ultrafine size separation; Subtask 4.2.1 column flotation tests; Subtask 4.4 integrated grinding and flotation; Subtask 4.7 economic analysis; Subtask 6.2.2 wastewater treatability; Subtask 6.2.3 waste management facility conceptual design; and Subtask 8 project management and reporting.

Pressurized fluidized-bed hydroretorting of eastern oil shales. Progress report, September 1992--November 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, M.J.; Mensinger, M.C.; Rue, D.M.; Lau, F.S.

1992-12-01

This report presents the work performed during the program quarter from September 1, 1992 though November 30, 1992. The Institute of Gas Technology (IGT) is the prime contractor for the program extension to develop the Pressurized Fluidized-Bed Hydroretorting II system technology. Four institutions are working with IGT as subcontractors. Task achievements are discussed for the following active tasks of the program: Subtask 3.7 innovative reactor concept testing; Subtask 3.9 catalytic hydroretorting; Subtask 3.10 autocatalysis in hydroretorting; Subtask 3.11 shale oil upgrading and evaluation; Subtask 4.1.3 stirred ball mill grinding; Subtask 4.1.5 alternative technology evaluation; Subtask 4.1.6 ultrafine size separation; Subtask 4.2.1 column flotation tests; Subtask 4.4 integrated grinding and flotation; Subtask 4.7 economic analysis; Subtask 6.2.2 wastewater treatability; Subtask 6.2.3 waste management facility conceptual design; and Subtask 8 project management and reporting.

Defining man-machine cooperation within complex systems: an ergonomic view of automation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagrange, V.; Cara, F.

1997-01-01

Faced with the question of the optimal automation level in the operations of complex systems, ergonomists offer designers procedures, methods and criteria to take human factors into account. These means have been elaborated in the course of ergonomic interventions in projects at EDF. Based on knowledge of the operators' effective role they attempt to define, among the solutions that are technically possible, those that are desirable from the perspective of the whole man-machine system. (authors)

International cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

In 1995, Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (NRA SR) ensured foreign cooperation particularly in the frame of the Slovak Republic is membership in the IAEA, as well as cooperation with the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD NEA), cooperation with European Union in the frame of PHARE programmes, and intergovernmental cooperation and cooperation among nuclear regulatory authorities. With respect to an international importance, prestige and a wide-scope possibilities of a technical assistance , either a direct one (expert assessments, technology supplies, work placement, scientific trips, training courses) or indirect one (participation at various conferences, seminars, technical committees, etc), the most important cooperation with the IAEA in Vienna. In 1994, the Slovak Republic, was elected to the Board Governors, the represent the group of Eastern European countries. The Slovak Government entrusted the NRA SR's Chairman with representing the Slovak Republic in the Board of Governors. Owing to a good name of Slovakia was elected to the one of two Vice-Chairmen of the Board of Governors at the 882-nd session on the Board. IAEA approved and developed 8 national projects for Slovakia in 1995. Generally, IAEA is contracting scientific contracts with research institutes, nuclear power plants and other organizations. Slovak organizations used these contracts as complementary funding of their tasks. In 1995, there were 12 scientific contracts in progress, or approved respectively. Other international activities of the NRA SR, international co-operations as well as foreign affairs are reported

13 CFR 121.105 - How does SBA define “business concern or concern”?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... concern or concernâ? 121.105 Section 121.105 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION... Applicability § 121.105 How does SBA define “business concern or concern”? (a)(1) Except for small agricultural cooperatives, a business concern eligible for assistance from SBA as a small business is a business entity...

International cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieto, F.E.

1984-01-01

It looks doubtless that the need for an international cooperation to solve the worldwide energy problems is already a concern of individuals, institutions, and governments. This is an improvement. But there is something lacking. The author refers to the Atoms for Peace speech, the origin of the IAEA and of the subsequent spreading of the nuclear option. He also refers back to the call made by the Mexican government for a worldwide energy cooperation. He stresses the need for governments to cooperate, so that this international cooperation on energy can be put into operation for the benefit of mankind

The oil industry experience. Technology cooperation and capacity building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

Technology cooperation is defined as a process of constructive interaction with local, national and international partners to select and apply appropriate technology systems to achieve environmentally sound forms of economic development. Capacity building is the process of constructive interaction between countries and the private sector designed to develop the capability and skills to achieve environmentally sound forms of economic development through the use of modern technologies and management systems, a competent workforce and appropriate laws and regulations. Twelve case histories are presented which demonstrate the efforts of the oil industry to work in partnership with governments, contractors, suppliers and communities in technology cooperation and capacity building to achieve the goals of Agenda 21 which emerged as an action plan from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. (UK)

Conceptual approaches to international cooperation between higher education institutions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tetiana Obolenska

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The existing conceptual and technological approaches to the organization and implementation of international cooperation between higher education institutions with the performance of international accreditation based on education quality system have been characterized in complex, considering the key trends of internationalization of higher education. Priority strategies of higher education internationalization and types of international academic cooperation between universities regarding education services were defined. It has been substantiated that the most important manifestation of higher education internationalization is international cooperation between universities regarding rendering education services, while the highest level of internationalization of this service is joint educational programs. A complex analysis of international accreditation requirements to joint education programs was made on the basis of the system of education quality improvement, its advantages were proven and its distinct features that influence the choice and substantiation of international cooperation, marketing and branding of individual programs were characterized. Technology of international accreditation for joint programs was detailed. Special attention was paid to the practical component of launching joint degree programs between Ukrainian and foreign higher education institutions. The experience of joint master’s degree programs of Kyiv National Economic University named after Vadym Hetman and the University of Redlands Business School (California, USA was analyzed.

Cooperation for a competitive position: The impact of hospital cooperation behavior on organizational performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Büchner, Vera Antonia; Hinz, Vera; Schreyögg, Jonas

2015-01-01

Several public policy initiatives, particularly those involving managed care, aim to enhance cooperation between partners in the health care sector because it is expected that such cooperation will reduce costs and generate additional revenue. However, empirical evidence regarding the effects of cooperation on hospital performance is scarce, particularly with respect to creating a comprehensive measure of cooperation behavior. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of hospital cooperation behavior on organizational performance. We differentiate between horizontal and vertical cooperation using two alternative measures-cooperation depth and cooperation breadth-and include the interaction effects between both cooperation directions. Data are derived from a survey of German hospitals and combined with objective performance information from annual financial statements. Generalized linear regression models are used. The study findings provide insight into the nature of hospitals' cooperation behavior. In particular, we show that there are negative synergies between horizontal administrative cooperation behavior and vertical cooperation behavior. Whereas the depth and breadth of horizontal administrative cooperation positively affect financial performance (when there is no vertical cooperation), vertical cooperation positively affects financial performance (when there is no horizontal administrative cooperation) only when cooperation is broad (rather than deep). Horizontal cooperation is generally more effective than vertical cooperation at improving financial performance. Hospital managers should consider the negative interaction effect when making decisions about whether to recommend a cooperative relationship in a horizontal or vertical direction. In addition, managers should be aware of the limited financial benefit of cooperation behavior.

THE IMPACT OF COOPERATION BETWEEN INSURERS AND BANKS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE INSURANCE SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataliya Prikazyuk

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The article highlights how the cooperation of insurance companies and banks affects the insurance system. Defined the concept of bancassurance, provided a brief description of the main bancassurance models in the context of their impact on the insurance system. Defined the main benefits and risks that accompany cooperation of insurance companies and banks within different models of association. It is noted that despite the generally accepted benefits of cooperation between insurers and banks, financial intermediaries’ unions often carry significant risks. Benefits from the cooperation of insurance companies and banks are disclosed with operational, marketing and financial aspects. The purpose of the article is to study the forms of cooperation between financial intermediaries and their impact on the insurance system. Methodology. The study is based on theoretical methods to study this problem. The theoretical and methodological basis of the study is works of scientists on the models of cooperation between insurers and banks. The dialectical method of cognition as well as such methods as logical generalization, structural and systematic analysis are used to study the methodological foundations of banks’ impact on the insurance companies and insurance system. Results. Banking activity has a significant impact on the insurance system. This impact is noticeable at the micro-level: insurers and banks can be clients of each other as well as they can sign cooperation agreements. A significant positive impact of the bancassurance on the activities of both financial institutions within the synergy that appears during their cooperation is highlighted in the article. Respectively, the insurance company and the bank are experiencing the benefits of cooperation along with savings on fixed, variable costs and obtaining additional profits; simplifying and optimization of the process of collecting and processing information; savings on advertising and

Choosing the cooperative option

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

English, G. (National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (United States))

1999-06-01

Cooperatives do not ask to be exempted from the law. They do ask that laws and regulations be designed to allow them to meet the needs of their consumer-owners in accordance with cooperative principles, at a time that the marginal consumers being abandoned by for-profit utilities may be ready to gravitate toward cooperatives. The cooperative principles are worth reviewing because they explain the focus on the consumer and the cooperative concept of service: cooperatives are voluntary organizations, open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership; cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions, the elected representatives are accountable to the membership; members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative; cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members, if they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy; cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives, they inform the general public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation; cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strength the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional, and international structures; and while focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

International co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

In this part the are reviewed: Co-operation with IAEA; Participation of the Slovakia on the 41 st session of the General Conference; The comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization; Co-operation with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development; co-operation with the European Commission; Fulfillment of obligations resulting from the international contracting documents

Self-reliance through regional co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glubrecht, H.

1975-01-01

Article 52 of the Charter of the United Nations is concerned with the usefulness of Regional Arrangements which 'are appropriate for regional action'. Such arrangements need not be considered only with regard to their political aspects but also as organizational structures which can be helpful in the development of science and technology in less developed countries. The definition of a 'Region' can be difficult, but is easier if scientific rather than political co-operation is intended. The International Atomic Energy Agency has undertaken a first step in this direction through its Regional Co-operative Agreement for Research, Development and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology in South and Southeast Asia, the Pacific and the Far East (RCA) which has been signed by six countries so far. This Agreement leaves it to the Member States to initiate cooperative projects. The IAEA will take steps to establish the project if at least three Member States are willing to participate. The implementation of the project will be defined by negotiations with the Member States and the IAEA will only play the role of a co-ordinator. Annual meetings of representatives of those countries which are parties of the RCA and of others from the region which might be interested in joining the Agreement provide the possibility of a continuing exchange of new ideas. Regional activities are also undertaken by means of 'Co-ordinated Research Programmes', which mostly include some co-operation with LDCs. The RCA has initiated two new ideas, that of carrying out the projects exclusively by the countries of the region and that of taking the step from co-ordination to cooperation by means of continuous and intensive exchange of information as well as of personnel. Its main objective is to aim at a reasonable division of labour between the parties and to use expensive equipment jointly. It is to be hoped that this venture will lead to an increasing degree of self-reliance within the

Third-party punishment increases cooperation in children through (misaligned) expectations and conditional cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lergetporer, Philipp; Angerer, Silvia; Glätzle-Rützler, Daniela; Sutter, Matthias

2014-05-13

The human ability to establish cooperation, even in large groups of genetically unrelated strangers, depends upon the enforcement of cooperation norms. Third-party punishment is one important factor to explain high levels of cooperation among humans, although it is still somewhat disputed whether other animal species also use this mechanism for promoting cooperation. We study the effectiveness of third-party punishment to increase children's cooperative behavior in a large-scale cooperation game. Based on an experiment with 1,120 children, aged 7 to 11 y, we find that the threat of third-party punishment more than doubles cooperation rates, despite the fact that children are rarely willing to execute costly punishment. We can show that the higher cooperation levels with third-party punishment are driven by two components. First, cooperation is a rational (expected payoff-maximizing) response to incorrect beliefs about the punishment behavior of third parties. Second, cooperation is a conditionally cooperative reaction to correct beliefs that third party punishment will increase a partner's level of cooperation.

Aspiration-based coevolution of link weight promotes cooperation in the spatial prisoner's dilemma game

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Chen; Chu, Chen; Shi, Lei; Perc, Matjaž; Wang, Zhen

2018-05-01

In this article, we propose an aspiration-based coevolution of link weight, and explore how this set-up affects the evolution of cooperation in the spatial prisoner's dilemma game. In particular, an individual will increase the weight of its link to its neighbours only if the payoff received via this interaction exceeds a pre-defined aspiration. Conversely, if the received payoff is below this aspiration, the link weight with the corresponding neighbour will decrease. Our results show that an appropriate aspiration level leads to a high-cooperation plateau, whereas too high or too low aspiration will impede the evolution of cooperation. We explain these findings with a comprehensive analysis of transition points and with a systematic analysis of typical configuration patterns. The presented results provide further theoretical insights with regards to the impact of different aspiration levels on cooperation in human societies.

The principle of open and voluntary membership. Legal and enforcing economic consequences practice, in the Costa Rican cooperative movement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ligia Roxana Sánchez Boza

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The basis of the cooperative principle of free adhesion or voluntary adherence is found in the constitutional rules, which define the Right of Association. The legal and regulatory development of these rules is done through cooperative laws, acts of constitution and other rules of affiliation and disaffiliation of cooperatives. The application of the principle in the study must be interdependent with the rest of the Cooperative Principles as well as the Values of the Cooperatives, in order to ensure adequate protection for both the associate and the associated cooperative. In this paper of the principle in the study is made through the election of a cooperative, in most cases, credit unions. These cooperatives, for reasons of their economic activity, have more legal and regulatory regulations compared to the other types of cooperatives, according the effects of affiliation and disaffiliation.Received: 01 June 2017Accepted: 14 October 2017Published online: 22 December 2017

STRATEGIES FOR ACTION AND PUBLIC POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE THIRD DEGREE COOPERATIVES IN ARGENTINA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Cristina Acosta

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper researches the impact of the Argentine cooperative entities representing the contemporary public policy. We present a case study of the two largest third-degree cooperatives in the country, discuss the goals and strategies in interactions with State agencies. The results of the actions of actors define goals and strategies that can be convergent and / or divergent. We conclude that the links have been built with the State federations selected characteristics of complementarily and cooperation in general. Also, the power to influence the organizations surveyed in the definition of public policies is not only equity, but mainly the political opportunities and the ability to inter-stakeholder alliances through collective strategies.

Molecular cooperativity and compatibility via full atomistic simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Kwan Yang, Kenny

Civil engineering has customarily focused on problems from a large-scale perspective, encompassing structures such as bridges, dams, and infrastructure. However, present day challenges in conjunction with advances in nanotechnology have forced a re-focusing of expertise. The use of atomistic and molecular approaches to study material systems opens the door to significantly improve material properties. The understanding that material systems themselves are structures, where their assemblies can dictate design capacities and failure modes makes this problem well suited for those who possess expertise in structural engineering. At the same time, a focus has been given to the performance metrics of materials at the nanoscale, including strength, toughness, and transport properties (e.g., electrical, thermal). Little effort has been made in the systematic characterization of system compatibility -- e.g., how to make disparate material building blocks behave in unison. This research attempts to develop bottom-up molecular scale understanding of material behavior, with the global objective being the application of this understanding into material design/characterization at an ultimate functional scale. In particular, it addresses the subject of cooperativity at the nano-scale. This research aims to define the conditions which dictate when discrete molecules may behave as a single, functional unit, thereby facilitating homogenization and up-scaling approaches, setting bounds for assembly, and providing a transferable assessment tool across molecular systems. Following a macro-scale pattern where the compatibility of deformation plays a vital role in the structural design, novel geometrical cooperativity metrics based on the gyration tensor are derived with the intention to define nano-cooperativity in a generalized way. The metrics objectively describe the general size, shape and orientation of the structure. To validate the derived measures, a pair of ideal macromolecules

Cooperative Path-Planning for Multi-Vehicle Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qichen Wang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a collision avoidance algorithm for multi-vehicle systems, which is a common problem in many areas, including navigation and robotics. In dynamic environments, vehicles may become involved in potential collisions with each other, particularly when the vehicle density is high and the direction of travel is unrestricted. Cooperatively planning vehicle movement can effectively reduce and fairly distribute the detour inconvenience before subsequently returning vehicles to their intended paths. We present a novel method of cooperative path planning for multi-vehicle systems based on reinforcement learning to address this problem as a decision process. A dynamic system is described as a multi-dimensional space formed by vectors as states to represent all participating vehicles’ position and orientation, whilst considering the kinematic constraints of the vehicles. Actions are defined for the system to transit from one state to another. In order to select appropriate actions whilst satisfying the constraints of path smoothness, constant speed and complying with a minimum distance between vehicles, an approximate value function is iteratively developed to indicate the desirability of every state-action pair from the continuous state space and action space. The proposed scheme comprises two phases. The convergence of the value function takes place in the former learning phase, and it is then used as a path planning guideline in the subsequent action phase. This paper summarizes the concept and methodologies used to implement this online cooperative collision avoidance algorithm and presents results and analysis regarding how this cooperative scheme improves upon two baseline schemes where vehicles make movement decisions independently.

Interdisciplinary Cooperation in the Exploration of appropriate sites for the Radioactive Waste Deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jozef Slavkovský

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the interdisciplinary cooperation in the processes of exploration of appropriate sites for radioactive waste deposits. This work is based on trends in the environmental laws for radioactive wastes. For the exploration, a knowledge about the geological structures, properties of rocks and safety manipulation with radioactive wastes are necessary. The interdisciplinary cooperation is needed with geophysics to define the particularly hazardous areas of an earthquake shaking. In this article, a method of the seismic analysis by Ricker impuls and Gabor´s function are presented.

Imitating winner or sympathizing loser? Quadratic effects on cooperative behavior in prisoners' dilemma games

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Peng

2015-10-01

Cooperation is vital in human societies and therefore is widely investigated in the evolutionary game theory. Varieties of mechanisms have been proposed to overcome temptation and promote cooperation. Existing studies usually believe that agents are rational, but irrationalism such as emotions and feelings matters as well. Winner and loser are defined by their payoffs. In addition to admiring and imitating winners, the mechanism of sympathizing and imitating losers is introduced into the model as an alternative action rule, and each one plays the prisoners' dilemma game with eight neighbors under the influence of both irrationalism and rationalism. Rationalism refers to imitating winner to get highest payoff, and irrationalism means that people sympathize and adopt the actions of losers. As it is widely recognized that temptation reduces cooperation, this study focuses on the effect of sympathy on cooperation within a certain group or society. If it overcomes temptation that leads to defection, sympathy will be a powerful mechanism to promote cooperative behavior. Simulation results indicate that sympathy and temptation shares similar quadratic relationships with cooperation. Both sympathy and temptation undermine cooperation below their thresholds, and they both promote cooperation above their thresholds. Temptation not only reduces cooperation but also promote it as temptation goes beyond the threshold. Although sympathy is a good merit or human nature that is beneficial to society, a crisis or collapse of cooperation is inevitable when the sympathy propensity is relatively smaller. After cooperation reaches a minimal bottom, it then rises increasingly and dramatically, which brings a much brighter future of the society.

IEA Task 24 Solar procurement 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellehauge, K.; Oestergaard, I.; Gramkow, L.

2002-04-01

The objective of the project is to develop and improve large procurements of solar heating systems in order to be able to place large orders with manufacturers and suppliers. The project work will be carried out as an international co-operation under IEA Task 24 with the title 'Solar Procurement'. By co-ordinating the effort between the 4-6 participating countries, the objective is to purchase at least 10,000 solar heating systems, of this amount 1,000-2,000 in Denmark. Such large orders make it possible for manufacturers and suppliers to deliver systems considerably cheaper, and it will be possible to develop systems for given specifications on output and efficiency. These co-ordinated large orders are expected to improve the price/efficiency conditions by up to 50%. The so called 'procurement process' (co-ordinated international procurement based on goal-oriented system development in co-operation between customers and suppliers/manufacturers) will in the project be followed up by information/marketing, education, financing schemes, service schemes, quality assurance and technical support. The project is divided into two main areas (IEA subtasks). 1: 'Procurement and Marketing' and 2: 'Creation of Tools'. Denmark has been requested to be the project manager of subtask 2, 'Creation of Tools'. (EHS)

Sorting and sustaining cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vikander, Nick

2013-01-01

This paper looks at cooperation in teams where some people are selfish and others are conditional cooperators, and where lay-offs will occur at a fixed future date. I show that the best way to sustain cooperation prior to the lay-offs is often in a sorting equilibrium, where conditional cooperators...... can identify and then work with one another. Changes to parameters that would seem to make cooperation more attractive, such as an increase in the discount factor or the fraction of conditional cooperators, can reduce equilibrium cooperation if they decrease a selfish player's incentive to sort....

Subtask1.10 – CO₂ storage and enhanced bakken recovery research program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sorensen, James [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

2014-05-31

₂. In particular, a better understanding of the fundamental mechanisms controlling the interactions between CO₂, oil, and other reservoir fluids in these unique formations is necessary to develop accurate assessments of potential CO₂ storage and EOR in the Bakken. In addition, existing modeling and simulation software packages do not adequately address or incorporate the unique properties of these tight, unconventional reservoirs in terms of their impact on CO₂ behavior. These knowledge gaps can be filled by conducting scaled-up laboratory activities integrated with improved modeling and simulation techniques, the results of which will provide a robust foundation for pilot-scale field injection tests. Finally, field-based data on injection, fluid production, and long-term monitoring from pilot-scale CO₂ injection tests in the Bakken are necessary to verify and validate the findings of the laboratory- and modeling-based research efforts. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Marathon Oil Corporation, Continental Resources Inc., and TAQA North, Ltd.

Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for Pareto Optimality in Infinite Horizon Cooperative Differential Games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reddy, P.V.; Engwerda, J.C.

2011-01-01

In this article we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of Pareto optimal solutions for infinite horizon cooperative differential games. We consider games defined by non autonomous and discounted autonomous systems. The obtained results are used to analyze the regular

Expert Intraoperative Judgment and Decision-Making: Defining the Cognitive Competencies for Safe Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Madani, Amin; Watanabe, Yusuke; Feldman, Liane S; Vassiliou, Melina C; Barkun, Jeffrey S; Fried, Gerald M; Aggarwal, Rajesh

2015-11-01

Bile duct injuries from laparoscopic cholecystectomy remain a significant source of morbidity and are often the result of intraoperative errors in perception, judgment, and decision-making. This qualitative study aimed to define and characterize higher-order cognitive competencies required to safely perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hierarchical and cognitive task analyses for establishing a critical view of safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy were performed using qualitative methods to map the thoughts and practices that characterize expert performance. Experts with more than 5 years of experience, and who have performed at least 100 laparoscopic cholecystectomies, participated in semi-structured interviews and field observations. Verbal data were transcribed verbatim, supplemented with content from published literature, coded, thematically analyzed using grounded-theory by 2 independent reviewers, and synthesized into a list of items. A conceptual framework was created based on 10 interviews with experts, 9 procedures, and 18 literary sources. Experts included 6 minimally invasive surgeons, 2 hepato-pancreatico-biliary surgeons, and 2 acute care general surgeons (median years in practice, 11 [range 8 to 14]). One hundred eight cognitive elements (35 [32%] related to situation awareness, 47 [44%] involving decision-making, and 26 [24%] action-oriented subtasks) and 75 potential errors were identified and categorized into 6 general themes and 14 procedural tasks. Of the 75 potential errors, root causes were mapped to errors in situation awareness (24 [32%]), decision-making (49 [65%]), or either one (61 [81%]). This study defines the competencies that are essential to establishing a critical view of safety and avoiding bile duct injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This framework may serve as the basis for instructional design, assessment tools, and quality-control metrics to prevent injuries and promote a culture of patient safety. Copyright

Cooperatives as Entrants

OpenAIRE

Richard J. Sexton; Terri A. Sexton

1987-01-01

A potential shortcoming of game-theoretic models in industrial organization is their failure to consider consumers as players. We introduce a customer coalition --- a cooperative -- as a potential entrant and compare the cooperative entry threat with that posed by the usual for-profit entrant. We identify four fundamental distinctions between cooperative and for-profit entrants and demonstrate that the strategic interplay between a cooperative and an incumbent firm may differ markedly from th...

International cooperation during radiological emergencies. NRC program guidance for the provision of technical advice to foreign counterpart organizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senseney, R.

1986-04-01

This report defines the scope, application, and limits of the technical cooperation the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would provide, upon request, to a foreign regulatory agency in a nuclear emergency. It outlines the basis for such cooperation, offers a model written agreement, and describes recent cases of NRC assistance. It also identifies non-NRC sources of emergency advisory assistance available to foreign organizations

Trust as commodity: social value orientation affects the neural substrates of learning to cooperate.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambert, Bruno; Declerck, Carolyn H; Emonds, Griet; Boone, Christophe

2017-04-01

Individuals differ in their motives and strategies to cooperate in social dilemmas. These differences are reflected by an individual's social value orientation: proselfs are strategic and motivated to maximize self-interest, while prosocials are more trusting and value fairness. We hypothesize that when deciding whether or not to cooperate with a random member of a defined group, proselfs, more than prosocials, adapt their decisions based on past experiences: they 'learn' instrumentally to form a base-line expectation of reciprocity. We conducted an fMRI experiment where participants (19 proselfs and 19 prosocials) played 120 sequential prisoner's dilemmas against randomly selected, anonymous and returning partners who cooperated 60% of the time. Results indicate that cooperation levels increased over time, but that the rate of learning was steeper for proselfs than for prosocials. At the neural level, caudate and precuneus activation were more pronounced for proselfs relative to prosocials, indicating a stronger reliance on instrumental learning and self-referencing to update their trust in the cooperative strategy. © The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Alternative vision or utopian fantasy? Cooperation, empowerment and women's cooperative development in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayoux, L

1995-01-01

The discussion addresses the costs and benefits of working in cooperatives in India, imposed participation, methods for increasing incomes, preconceived models, the importance of meeting the actual needs of women, and participatory options. This author evaluated 10 producer cooperatives in West Bengal, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu during 1984-92. It is argued that more discussion is needed on how ideals of cooperation and empowerment of women can occur simultaneous with the context in which cooperatives must operate. The ten study cooperatives were all officially registered cooperatives. Cooperatives varied in size, organizational structure, and forms of support. Four were determined to be successful in economic and participatory terms. Three were successful because of the efforts of the women themselves. All three cases were based on earning goals that were higher than the women could have achieved on their own. Six failed in terms of participatory decision making and cooperative operations. Lack of sufficient support and/or excessive bureaucratic red tape were involved in the six failures, but to varying degrees. Type of support and means of implementation were important in the six failures. All women used cooperatives as a means of increasing income. Participation rules were imposed by outside agencies. Women were given "cooperative" training. Disputes occurred because women selected to power positions were powerful leaders outside the cooperative. Consensus was difficult to reach. There were conflicts of interest between different departments. Quality control was made difficult by women's inability to provide discipline. Personal conflicts from outside were carried on within the cooperative. Incomes could be improved by training women in local marketing and networking, insuring adequate resources and capital, and providing savings schemes. Gender inequalities were a key factor limiting income for women, but cooperatives did not address this issue. Gains for women

Beyond Public and Private: A Framework for Co-operative Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mike Neary

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Universities in the UK are increasingly adopting corporate governance structures, a consumerist model of teaching and learning, and have the most expensive tuition fees in the world (McGettigan, 2013; OECD, 2015. This article discusses collaborative research that aimed to develop and define a conceptual framework of knowledge production grounded in co-operative values and principles. The main findings are outlined relating to the key themes of our research: knowledge, democracy, bureaucracy, livelihood, and solidarity. We consider how these five ‘catalytic principles’ relate to three identified routes to co-operative higher education (conversion, dissolution, or creation and argue that such work must be grounded in an adequate critique of labour and property, i.e. the capital relation. We identify both the possible opportunities that the latest higher education reform in the UK affords the co-operative movement as well as the issues that arise from a more marketised and financialised approach to the production of knowledge (HEFCE, 2015. Finally, we suggest ways that the co-operative movement might respond with democratic alternatives that go beyond the distinction of public and private education.

Effect of initial fraction of cooperators on cooperative behavior in evolutionary prisoner's dilemma game.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keizo Shigaki

Full Text Available We investigate the influence of initial fraction of cooperators on the evolution of cooperation in spatial prisoner's dilemma games. Compared with the results of heterogeneous networks, we find that there is a relatively low initial fraction of cooperators to guarantee higher equilibrium cooperative level. While this interesting phenomenon is contrary to the commonly shared knowledge that higher initial fraction of cooperators can provide better environment for the evolution of cooperation. To support our outcome, we explore the time courses of cooperation and find that the whole course can be divided into two sequent stages: enduring (END and expanding (EXP periods. At the end of END period, thought there is a limited number of cooperator clusters left for the case of low initial setup, these clusters can smoothly expand to hold the whole system in the EXP period. However, for high initial fraction of cooperators, superfluous cooperator clusters hinder their effective expansion, which induces many remaining defectors surrounding the cooperator clusters. Moreover, through intensive analysis, we also demonstrate that when the tendency of three cooperation cluster characteristics (cluster size, cluster number and cluster shape are consistent within END and EXP periods, the state that maximizes cooperation can be favored.

International co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klinda, J.; Lieskovska, Z.

1998-01-01

Within the Union Nations (UN) framework, the Slovak Republic participated in following activities on environment protection co-operation: UN European Economic Commission, UN Industrial Development Organization, UN Development Programme, UN Human Habitat Organization, UN Environment Programme, and UN Commission on Sustainable Development. Relevant activities of the Slovak Republic in these co-operations as well as in European Union and OECD activities are reviewed. International conventions and other forms of multilateral co-operation, bilateral co-operation, and international programmes and projects in which the Slovak Republic took participate are presented

A Dialogue Game Protocol for Agent Purchase Negotiations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

McBurney, P.; Eijk, R.M. van; Parsons, S.; Amgoud, L.

2003-01-01

We propose a dialogue game protocol for purchase negotiation dialogues which identifies appropriate speech acts, defines constraints on their utterances, and specifies the different sub-tasks agents need to perform in order to engage in dialogues according to this protocol. Our formalism combines

Cooperative transparency for nonproliferation. Technology demonstrations at the Joyo test bed for advanced remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betsill, J. David; Hashimoto, Yu

2009-01-01

The term 'Transparency' has been used widely by many authors and practitioners for various purposes, and there is an assortment of definitions for the term. These definitions vary depending on the field in which the term is used and within the context of its usage. For the purposes of our current project on regional, cooperative nonproliferation transparency and remote monitoring, the relevant field is nuclear nonproliferation, and in this context, we define the term Cooperative Nonproliferation Transparency as: 'Providing sufficient and appropriate information to a cooperating party so that they can independently develop their own evaluation and assessment of the reviewed party regarding their consistency with nonproliferation goals.' Key aspects of cooperative nonproliferation transparency activities include mutually agreeing upon the type of information or data that will be shared, how it will be collected, and who has access to that information. The Japan Atomic Energy Agency's (JAEA) Nonproliferation Science and Technology Center (NPSTC) has been exploring the possible use, development, and application of methods and technologies for Cooperative Transparency for Nonproliferation to support regional confidence building and cooperation n the peaceful use of nuclear energy throughout the East Asia region. (author)

Application of adaptive antenna techniques to future commercial satellite communication

Science.gov (United States)

Ersoy, L.; Lee, E. A.; Matthews, E. W.

1987-01-01

The purpose of this contract was to identify the application of adaptive antenna technique in future operational commercial satellite communication systems and to quantify potential benefits. The contract consisted of two major subtasks. Task 1, Assessment of Future Commercial Satellite System Requirements, was generally referred to as the Adaptive section. Task 2 dealt with Pointing Error Compensation Study for a Multiple Scanning/Fixed Spot Beam Reflector Antenna System and was referred to as the reconfigurable system. Each of these tasks was further sub-divided into smaller subtasks. It should also be noted that the reconfigurable system is usually defined as an open-loop system while the adaptive system is a closed-loop system. The differences between the open- and closed-loop systems were defined. Both the adaptive and reconfigurable systems were explained and the potential applications of such systems were presented in the context of commercial communication satellite systems.

Conflictual cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Axel, Erik

2011-01-01

, cooperation appeared as the continuous reworking of contradictions in the local arrangement of societal con- ditions. Subjects were distributed and distributed themselves according to social privileges, resources, and dilemmas in cooperation. Here, the subjects’ activities and understandings took form from...

Introduction to meteorological measurements and data handling for solar energy applications. Task IV-Development of an insolation handbook and instrument package

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

1980-10-01

Recognizing a need for a coordinated approach to resolve energy problems, certain members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) met in September 1974 and agreed to develop an International Energy Program. The International Energy Agency (IEA) was established within the OECD to administer, monitor and execute this International Energy Program. In July 1975, Solar Heating and Cooling was selected as one of the sixteen technology fields for multilateral cooperation. Five project areas, called tasks, were identified for cooperative activities within the IEA Program to Develop and Test Solar Heating and Cooling Systems. The objective of one task was to obtain improved basic resource information for the design and operation of solar heating and cooling systems through a better understanding of the required insolation (solar radiation) and related weather data, and through improved techniques for measurement and evaluation of such data. At the February 1976 initial experts meeting in Norrkoeping, Sweden, the participants developed the objective statement into two subtasks. (1) an insolation handbook; and (2) a portable meteorological instrument package. This handbook is the product of the first subtask. The objective of this handbook is to provide a basis for a dialogue between solar scientists and meteorologists. Introducing the solar scientist to solar radiation and related meteorological data enables him to better express his scientific and engineering needs to the meteorologist; and introducing the meteorologist to the special solar radiation and meteorological data applications of the solar scientist enables him to better meet the needs of the solar energy community.

The Duty of Cooperation of the Parties to the Process: The Cooperative Civil Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isadora Minotto Gomes Schwertner

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The procedural legal relationship is strongly marked by the debate of the parties, which hold antagonistic positions in the process, each in defense of their interests, because of the need to obtain the disputed object in court. This article proposes a new vision of civil procedure, more compatible with the idea of the constitutional state, in that touts the need for action of the parties ruled in good faith and the need for cooperation not only with the administration of justice, but with the realization of the ideals of justice. To this end, the parties shall act in a state of cooperation, favoring dialogue and the fulfillment of procedural acts. It is also imperative that the judgment will lead the process to ensure the full contradictory, facilitate the expeditious holding of procedural acts, to notify the parties about procedural acts before issuing any decision that fundamentally interfere in disentangling cause and motivate their widely decisions. The problem lies in defining the extent to which legislation may require this cooperative work part in the process, as each defends antagonistic interests. Starting from a   legal   methodology   based   on   formalism-evaluative   or,   for   some   authors,   the neoconstitutionalism,  the  current  civil  process  is  explained  as  a  means  of  democratic communication proposing the analysis of the process starting with some assumptions, namely, the participation of the parties, criticism of excessive positivism and the concern for legal certainty, due process and the contradictory. One of the main issues surrounding the subject is that he examine the role of the party in civil proceedings, limiting how far it is feasible, from a legal point of view, require a cooperative act the part in order to obtain a just solution in the process even if unfavorable to their own interests. It must be emphasized also the role of the court itself that should be converted

Nuclear Reactor Power Monitoring Using Silicon Carbide Semiconductor Radiation Detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas Blue; Don Miller

2008-01-01

To provide a perspective for our accomplishments, all of the sub-tasks in Task 1 (as they were identified in the proposal) are listed, and a brief description of the subtasks is given. Task 1--Define Generation IV Reactor Power Monitoring Requirements. Task 1.1--The power monitoring requirements for the IRIS and GT-MHR will be evaluated. Parameters considered will include maximum power level uncertainty, response time, etc. Task 1.2--The optimum locations for power monitors will be selected for both the IRIS and GT-MHR. Factors to be considered will include the power monitoring requirements defined in Task 1.1 as well as expected detector sensitivity and the presence of gamma ray background. Task 1.3--Other applications and opportunities offered by SiC power monitors will be evaluated. The prospects for on-line fault identification and diagnosis using pulse height and pulse shape analysis will be explored. The use of miniature SiC detectors to define axial, azimuthal, and radial flux profiles will be investigated

When cooperation begets cooperation: the role of key individuals in galvanizing support.

Science.gov (United States)

McAuliffe, Katherine; Wrangham, Richard; Glowacki, Luke; Russell, Andrew F

2015-12-05

Life abounds with examples of conspecifics actively cooperating to a common end, despite conflicts of interest being expected concerning how much each individual should contribute. Mathematical models typically find that such conflict can be resolved by partial-response strategies, leading investors to contribute relatively equitably. Using a case study approach, we show that such model expectations can be contradicted in at least four disparate contexts: (i) bi-parental care; (ii) cooperative breeding; (iii) cooperative hunting; and (iv) human cooperation. We highlight that: (a) marked variation in contributions is commonplace; and (b) individuals can often respond positively rather than negatively to the contributions of others. Existing models have surprisingly limited power in explaining these phenomena. Here, we propose that, although among-individual variation in cooperative contributions will be influenced by differential costs and benefits, there is likely to be a strong genetic or epigenetic component. We then suggest that selection can maintain high investors (key individuals) when their contributions promote support by increasing the benefits and/or reducing the costs for others. Our intentions are to raise awareness in--and provide testable hypotheses of--two of the most poorly understood, yet integral, questions regarding cooperative ventures: why do individuals vary in their contributions and when does cooperation beget cooperation? © 2015 The Author(s).

Maximum Lateness Scheduling on Two-Person Cooperative Games with Variable Processing Times and Common Due Date

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peng Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A new maximum lateness scheduling model in which both cooperative games and variable processing times exist simultaneously is considered in this paper. The job variable processing time is described by an increasing or a decreasing function dependent on the position of a job in the sequence. Two persons have to cooperate in order to process a set of jobs. Each of them has a single machine and their processing cost is defined as the minimum value of maximum lateness. All jobs have a common due date. The objective is to maximize the multiplication of their rational positive cooperative profits. A division of those jobs should be negotiated to yield a reasonable cooperative profit allocation scheme acceptable to them. We propose the sufficient and necessary conditions for the problems to have positive integer solution.

Methods for the evaluation of hospital cooperation activities (Systematic review protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rotter Thomas

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Hospital partnerships, mergers and cooperatives are arrangements frequently seen as a means of improving health service delivery. Many of the assumptions used in planning hospital cooperatives are not stated clearly and are often based on limited or poor scientific evidence. Methods This is a protocol for a systematic review, following the Cochrane EPOC methodology. The review aims to document, catalogue and synthesize the existing literature on the reported methods for the evaluation of hospital cooperation activities as well as methods of hospital cooperation. We will search the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness, the Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and bibliographic databases including PubMed (via NLM, Web of Science, NHS EED, Business Source Premier (via EBSCO and Global Health for publications that report on methods for evaluating hospital cooperatives, strategic partnerships, mergers, alliances, networks and related activities and methods used for such partnerships. The method proposed by the Cochrane EPOC group regarding randomized study designs, controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after studies, and interrupted time series will be followed. In addition, we will also include cohort, case-control studies, and relevant non-comparative publications such as case reports. We will categorize and analyze the review findings according to the study design employed, the study quality (low versus high quality studies and the method reported in the primary studies. We will present the results of studies in tabular form. Discussion Overall, the systematic review aims to identify, assess and synthesize the evidence to underpin hospital cooperation activities as defined in this protocol. As a result, the review will provide an evidence base for partnerships, alliances or other fields of cooperation in a hospital setting. PROSPERO

Subtask 2.18 - Advancing CO₂ Capture Technology: Partnership for CO₂ Capture (PCO₂C) Phase III

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kay, John; Azenkeng, Alexander; Fiala, Nathan; Jensen, Melanie; Laumb, Jason; Leroux, Kerryanne; McCollor, Donald; Stanislowski, Joshua; Tolbert, Scott; Curran, Tyler

2016-03-31

could be accrued if 90% capture is not required. Modeling of three regional power plants using the Carnegie Mellon Integrated Environmental Control Model showed that, among other things, the use of a bypass during partial capture may minimize the size of the capture tower(s) and result in a slight reduction in the revenue required to operate the capture facility. The results reinforced that a one-size-fits-all approach cannot be taken to adding capture to a power plant. Laboratory testing indicated that Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy could be used to continuously sample stack emissions at CO₂ capture facilities to detect and quantify any residual amine or its degradation products, particularly nitrosamines. The information gathered during Phase III is important for utility stakeholders as they determine how to reduce their CO₂ emissions in a carbon-constrained world. This subtask was funded through the EERC–U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26-08NT43291. Nonfederal funding was provided by the North Dakota Industrial Commission, PPL Montana, Nebraska Public Power District, Tri-Mer Corporation, Montana–Dakota Utilities Co., Basin Electric Power Cooperative, KCRC/Korean Institute of Energy Research, Cansolv Technologies, and CO₂ Solutions, Inc.

Games microbes play: The game theory behind cooperative sucrose metabolism in yeast

Science.gov (United States)

Gore, Jeff

2010-03-01

The origin of cooperation is a central challenge to our understanding of evolution. Microbial interactions can be manipulated in ways that animal interactions cannot, thus leading to growing interest in microbial models of cooperation and competition. In order for the budding yeast S. cerevisiae to grow on sucrose, the disaccharide must first be hydrolyzed by the enzyme invertase. This hydrolysis reaction is performed outside of the cytoplasm in the periplasmic space between the plasma membrane and the cell wall. Here we demonstrate that the vast majority (˜99%) of the monosaccharides created by sucrose hydrolysis diffuse away before they can be imported into the cell, thus making invertase production and secretion a cooperative behavior [1]. A mutant cheater strain that does not produce invertase is able to take advantage of and invade a population of wildtype cooperator cells. However, over a wide range of conditions, the wildtype cooperator can also invade a population of cheater cells. Therefore, we observe coexistence between the two strains in well-mixed culture at steady state resulting from the fact that rare strategies outperform common strategies---the defining features of what game theorists call the snowdrift game. A simple model of the cooperative interaction incorporating nonlinear benefits explains the origin of this coexistence. Glucose repression of invertase expression in wildtype cells produces a strategy which is optimal for the snowdrift game---wildtype cells cooperate only when competing against cheater cells. In disagreement with recent theory [2], we find that spatial structure always aids the evolution of cooperation in our experimental snowdrift game. [4pt] [1] Gore, J., Youk, H. & van Oudenaarden, A., Nature 459, 253 -- 256 (2009) [0pt] [2] Hauert, C. & Doebeli, M., Nature 428, 643 -- 646 (2004)

Effect of playing violent video games cooperatively or competitively on subsequent cooperative behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Ewoldsen, David R; Eno, Cassie A; Okdie, Bradley M; Velez, John A; Guadagno, Rosanna E; DeCoster, Jamie

2012-05-01

Research on video games has yielded consistent findings that violent video games increase aggression and decrease prosocial behavior. However, these studies typically examined single-player games. Of interest is the effect of cooperative play in a violent video game on subsequent cooperative or competitive behavior. Participants played Halo II (a first-person shooter game) cooperatively or competitively and then completed a modified prisoner's dilemma task to assess competitive and cooperative behavior. Compared with the competitive play conditions, players in the cooperative condition engaged in more tit-for-tat behaviors-a pattern of behavior that typically precedes cooperative behavior. The social context of game play influenced subsequent behavior more than the content of the game that was played.

Proto-cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Herbert-Read, James E; Romanczuk, Pawel; Krause, Stefan

2016-01-01

beneficial if the cost of attacking is high, and only then when waiting times are short. Our findings provide evidence that cooperative benefits can be realized through the facilitative effects of individuals' hunting actions without spatial coordination of attacks. Such 'proto-cooperation' may be the pre...

Cooperating to learn teaching to cooperate: adviser processes for program implement CA/AC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Ramón LAGO

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is present some results of advise strategy to introduce cooperative learning from the «Cooperating to Learn/ Learning to Cooperate» CL/LC Programme. The first part situates the research project and the research objective focused on how introduction of CL/LC program through a process of advice facilitates permanent improvements to the inclusion of students. In the second we analyzed the phases and tasks of an adviser process for the introduction of cooperative learning and three stages to build on cooperative learning in school: the introduction, generalization and consolidation. The third part is the central part. We describe five process of adviser to implement cooperative learning which we can observe different degrees and modalities of collaboration between teachers and counselors and between teachers. Is possible the first step of a network centers to work cooperatively.

Cooperative Trust Games

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

the more widely recognized competitive (non-cooperative) game theory. Cooperative game theory focuses on what groups of self-interested agents can...provides immediate justification for using non-cooperative game theory as the basis for modeling the purely competitive agents. 2.4. Superadditive...the competitive and altruistic contributions of the subset team. Definition: Given a payoff function ( ) in a subset team game , the total marginal

Cooperative strategies European perspectives

CERN Document Server

Killing, J Peter

1997-01-01

Cooperative Strategies: European Perspectives is one of three geographically targeted volumes in which the contributors present the most current research on topics such as advances in theories of cooperative strategies, the formation of cooperative alliances, the dynamics of partner relationships, and the role of information and knowledge in cooperative alliances. Blending conceptual insights with empirical analyses, the contributors highlight commonalities and differences across national, cultural, and trade zones. The chapters in this volume are anchored in a wide set of theoretical approaches, conceptual frameworks, and models, illustrating how rich the area of cooperative strategies is for scholarly inquiry.

Opting for co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-08-01

In 1986, after several attempts by a federal crown corporation to site a low-level radioactive waste management facility in Ontario, the federal government established an independent task force to advise it on a less confrontational approach. The Siting Process Task Force recommended the Cooperative Siting Process, which is based on voluntary participation of local communities in a collaborative joint decision making manner. Acting on this recommendation, the Minister of Energy appointed a new Siting Task Force in 1988 to implement the first three phases of the five-phase process. The Task Force was to promote an examination of scientific and public reports prepared for the Siting Process Task Force; draft guidelines for siting and impact management; outline the basic guidelines to address costs associated with different waste management techniques, distances travelled, compensation packages, site evaluation and rehabilitation; conduct regional and community information and consultation meetings; use the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office as one of its technical advisers; and report within 18 months on the process itself, volunteer communities, disposal options, terms of reference for negotiations with the volunteer communities, and detailed cost implications of implementing the defined options. This report contains the results of the Task Force's operations, outlining the process, describing communities that have volunteered to be low level waste management sites, presenting cost estimates for the remaining phases of the process and for disposal, and listing recommendations for completing the Cooperative Siting Process

Long-term high-level waste technology. Composite quarterly technical report, January-March 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornman, W.R.

1981-08-01

This composite quarterly technical report summarizes work performed at participating sites to immobilize high-level radioactive wastes. The report is structured along the lines of the Work Breakdown Structure adopted for use in the High-Level Waste Management Technology program. These are: (1) program management and support with subtasks of management and budget, environmental and safety assessments, and other support; (2) waste preparation with subtasks of in-situ storage or disposal, waste retrieval, and separation and concentration; (3) waste fixation with subtasks of waste form development and characterization, and process and equipment development; and (4) final handling with subtasks of canister development and characterization and onsite storage or disposal. Some of the highlights are: preliminary event trees defining possible accidents were completed in the safety assessment of continued in-tank storage of high-level waste at Hanford; two low-cost waste forms (tailored concrete and bitumen) were investigated as candidate immobilization forms at the Hanford in-situ disposal studies of high-level waste; in comparative impact tests at the same impact energy per specimen volume, the same mass of respirable sizes was observed at ANL for SRL Frit 131 glass, SYNROC B ceramic, and SYNROC D ceramic; leaching tests were conducted on alkoxide glasses; glass-ceramic, concrete, and SYNROC D; a process design description was written for the tailored ceramic process

Cooperatives management evaluation of four Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Quito, Ecuador

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Joel Alba Caluguillin

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The administrative management in cooperative enterprises develops in each of the stages of the administrative process of the traditional companies, which are planning, organization, direction and control, with the only difference that the savings and credit cooperatives comply with cooperative principles and values such as mutual aid, social responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. The objective of this research was to evaluate the process of administrative management in four selected savings and credit cooperatives from Quito city, Ecuador, were applied theoretical and empirical methods of research. From the empirical point of view, a survey was applied getting results from this process. In general, in the cooperatives evaluated, it was recognized the importance of comprehensive management, strategic planning, motivation as a key element for good job performance, the effectiveness of formal communication channels and other aspects inherent in administrative management, although there are certain deficiencies that limit the results of the cooperative activity.

Inertia in Cooperative Remodeling

OpenAIRE

Nilsson, Jerker

1997-01-01

Which organization model is appropriate for a cooperative enterprise depends on the prerequisites in its business environment. When conditions are changing, the firm must adapt itself. The entry of Sweden, Finland, and Austria into the European Union led to radical changes for agricultural cooperation, especially for Swedish cooperatives since agricultural policy was not allowed a transitional period. After two years, Swedish cooperatives have still not adapted their organization model despit...

Cooperation and cheating in microbes

Science.gov (United States)

Gore, Jeff

2011-03-01

Understanding the cooperative and competitive dynamics within and between species is a central challenge in evolutionary biology. Microbial model systems represent a unique opportunity to experimentally test fundamental theories regarding the evolution of cooperative behaviors. In this talk I will describe our experiments probing cooperation in microbes. In particular, I will compare the cooperative growth of yeast in sucrose and the cooperative inactivation of antibiotics by bacteria. In both cases we find that cheater strains---which don't contribute to the public welfare---are able to take advantage of the cooperator strains. However, this ability of cheaters to out-compete cooperators occurs only when cheaters are present at low frequency, thus leading to steady-state coexistence. These microbial experiments provide fresh insight into the evolutionary origin of cooperation.

Maximum Lateness Scheduling on Two-Person Cooperative Games with Variable Processing Times and Common Due Date

OpenAIRE

Liu, Peng; Wang, Xiaoli

2017-01-01

A new maximum lateness scheduling model in which both cooperative games and variable processing times exist simultaneously is considered in this paper. The job variable processing time is described by an increasing or a decreasing function dependent on the position of a job in the sequence. Two persons have to cooperate in order to process a set of jobs. Each of them has a single machine and their processing cost is defined as the minimum value of maximum lateness. All jobs have a common due ...

IEA Task 24 Solar procurement 2000

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellehauge, K.; Oestergaard, I. [Teknologisk Institut, Taastrup. SolEnergiCentret (Denmark); Gramkow, L. [Esbensen, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2002-04-01

The objective of the project is to develop and improve large procurements of solar heating systems in order to be able to place large orders with manufacturers and suppliers. The project work will be carried out as an international co-operation under IEA Task 24 with the title 'Solar Procurement'. By co-ordinating the effort between the 4-6 participating countries, the objective is to purchase at least 10,000 solar heating systems, of this amount 1,000-2,000 in Denmark. Such large orders make it possible for manufacturers and suppliers to deliver systems considerably cheaper, and it will be possible to develop systems for given specifications on output and efficiency. These co-ordinated large orders are expected to improve the price/efficiency conditions by up to 50%. The so called 'procurement process' (co-ordinated international procurement based on goal-oriented system development in co-operation between customers and suppliers/manufacturers) will in the project be followed up by information/marketing, education, financing schemes, service schemes, quality assurance and technical support. The project is divided into two main areas (IEA subtasks). 1: 'Procurement and Marketing' and 2: 'Creation of Tools'. Denmark has been requested to be the project manager of subtask 2, 'Creation of Tools'. (EHS)

Control and Protection Cooperation Strategy for Voltage Instability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Zhou; Chen, Zhe; Sun, Haishun

2012-01-01

Most cascaded blackouts are caused by unexpected backup relay operations due to low voltage or overload state caused by post fault load restoration dynamics. If such state can be sensed and adjusted appropriately prior to those relay actions, system stability might be sustained. This paper proposed...... a control and protection cooperation strategy to prevent post fault voltage instability. The multi-agent technology is applied for the strategy implementation; the criteria based on wide area measured apparent impedances are defined to choose the control strategy, such as tap changer adjusting or load...

Measuring Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams in the University Setting: Validation of a Questionnaire

Science.gov (United States)

León-del-Barco, Benito; Mendo-Lázaro, Santiago; Felipe-Castaño, Elena; Fajardo-Bullón, Fernando; Iglesias-Gallego, Damián

2018-01-01

Cooperative learning are being used increasingly in the university classroom, in order to promote teamwork among students, improve performance and develop interpersonal competences. Responsibility and cooperation are two fundamental pillars of cooperative learning. Team members’ responsibility is a necessary condition for the team’s success in the assigned tasks. Students must be aware that they depend on each other and should make their maximum effort. On the other hand, in efficient groups, the members cooperate and pool their efforts to achieve the proposed goals. In this research, we propose to create a Questionnaire of Group Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams (CRCG). Participants in this work were 375 students from the Faculty of Teacher Training of the University of Extremadura (Spain). The CRCG has very acceptable psychometric characteristics, good internal consistency, and temporal reliability. Moreover, structural equation analysis allowed us to verify that the latent variables in the two factors found are well defined and, therefore, their assessment is adequate. Besides, we found high significant correlations between the Learning Team Potency Questionnaire (CPEA) and the total score and the factors of the CRCG. This tool will evaluate cooperative skills and offer faculty information in order to prepare students for teamwork and conflict resolution. PMID:29593622

Measuring Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams in the University Setting: Validation of a Questionnaire

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benito León-del-Barco

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Cooperative learning are being used increasingly in the university classroom, in order to promote teamwork among students, improve performance and develop interpersonal competences. Responsibility and cooperation are two fundamental pillars of cooperative learning. Team members’ responsibility is a necessary condition for the team’s success in the assigned tasks. Students must be aware that they depend on each other and should make their maximum effort. On the other hand, in efficient groups, the members cooperate and pool their efforts to achieve the proposed goals. In this research, we propose to create a Questionnaire of Group Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams (CRCG. Participants in this work were 375 students from the Faculty of Teacher Training of the University of Extremadura (Spain. The CRCG has very acceptable psychometric characteristics, good internal consistency, and temporal reliability. Moreover, structural equation analysis allowed us to verify that the latent variables in the two factors found are well defined and, therefore, their assessment is adequate. Besides, we found high significant correlations between the Learning Team Potency Questionnaire (CPEA and the total score and the factors of the CRCG. This tool will evaluate cooperative skills and offer faculty information in order to prepare students for teamwork and conflict resolution.

Measuring Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams in the University Setting: Validation of a Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

León-Del-Barco, Benito; Mendo-Lázaro, Santiago; Felipe-Castaño, Elena; Fajardo-Bullón, Fernando; Iglesias-Gallego, Damián

2018-01-01

Cooperative learning are being used increasingly in the university classroom, in order to promote teamwork among students, improve performance and develop interpersonal competences. Responsibility and cooperation are two fundamental pillars of cooperative learning. Team members' responsibility is a necessary condition for the team's success in the assigned tasks. Students must be aware that they depend on each other and should make their maximum effort. On the other hand, in efficient groups, the members cooperate and pool their efforts to achieve the proposed goals. In this research, we propose to create a Questionnaire of Group Responsibility and Cooperation in Learning Teams (CRCG) . Participants in this work were 375 students from the Faculty of Teacher Training of the University of Extremadura (Spain). The CRCG has very acceptable psychometric characteristics, good internal consistency, and temporal reliability. Moreover, structural equation analysis allowed us to verify that the latent variables in the two factors found are well defined and, therefore, their assessment is adequate. Besides, we found high significant correlations between the Learning Team Potency Questionnaire (CPEA) and the total score and the factors of the CRCG. This tool will evaluate cooperative skills and offer faculty information in order to prepare students for teamwork and conflict resolution.

Mesoscopic structure conditions the emergence of cooperation on social networks.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergi Lozano

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: We study the evolutionary Prisoner's Dilemma on two social networks substrates obtained from actual relational data. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We find very different cooperation levels on each of them that cannot be easily understood in terms of global statistical properties of both networks. We claim that the result can be understood at the mesoscopic scale, by studying the community structure of the networks. We explain the dependence of the cooperation level on the temptation parameter in terms of the internal structure of the communities and their interconnections. We then test our results on community-structured, specifically designed artificial networks, finding a good agreement with the observations in both real substrates. CONCLUSION: Our results support the conclusion that studies of evolutionary games on model networks and their interpretation in terms of global properties may not be sufficient to study specific, real social systems. Further, the study allows us to define new quantitative parameters that summarize the mesoscopic structure of any network. In addition, the community perspective may be helpful to interpret the origin and behavior of existing networks as well as to design structures that show resilient cooperative behavior.

Mesoscopic structure conditions the emergence of cooperation on social networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lozano, S.; Arenas, A.; Sanchez, A.

2008-12-01

We study the evolutionary Prisoner's Dilemma on two social networks substrates obtained from actual relational data. We find very different cooperation levels on each of them that cannot be easily understood in terms of global statistical properties of both networks. We claim that the result can be understood at the mesoscopic scale, by studying the community structure of the networks. We explain the dependence of the cooperation level on the temptation parameter in terms of the internal structure of the communities and their interconnections. We then test our results on community-structured, specifically designed artificial networks, finding a good agreement with the observations in both real substrates. Our results support the conclusion that studies of evolutionary games on model networks and their interpretation in terms of global properties may not be sufficient to study specific, real social systems. Further, the study allows us to define new quantitative parameters that summarize the mesoscopic structure of any network. In addition, the community perspective may be helpful to interpret the origin and behavior of existing networks as well as to design structures that show resilient cooperative behavior.

Use of Behavior and Influence Functions for Relay Selection in Cooperative Communications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Craciunescu, Razvan; Mihovska, Albena Dimitrova; Prasad, Ramjee

2015-01-01

This paper uses a novel set of functions to model the relay selection process in a scenario of cooperative wireless communications. We define a utility function that reflects the behavior and influence that a selected relay may have on the quality of the link to be established for the forwarding...... of data. The utility function takes into account also the strategies of other players. To this end, we define a relay selection game and a supporting Nash Equilibrium (NE) algorithm for the choice of a relay during communication. The successful selection of a relay is evaluated by simulations in terms...

Cooperating for assisting intelligently operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brezillon, P.; Cases, E.; CEA Centre d'Etudes de la Vallee du Rhone, 30 - Marcoule

1995-01-01

We are in the process of an intelligent cooperative system in a nuclear plant application. The system must cooperate with an operator who accomplishes a task of supervision of a real-world process. We point out in the paper that a cooperation between a cooperative system and an operator has two modes: a waking state and a participating state. During the waking state, the system observes the operator's behavior and the consequences on the process. During the participation state, the cooperative system builds jointly with the user a solution to the problem. In our approach, the cooperation depends on the system capabilities to explain, to incrementally acquire knowledge and to make explicit the context of the cooperation. We develop these ideas in the framework of the design of the cooperative system in the nuclear plant. (authors). 22 refs., 1 fig

Cooperation and perception specifics of working students by employers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. I. Fedorenko

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes that competition for attractive working position is actively growing up between categories of employees which are different in age, experience and educational level. The severity of this competition is also increasing for the account of students. Further the author describes results of personal research regarding cooperation and perception specifics of working students with the relation to employers. The main trends of employers attitude toward working students are defined and described: interest in cooperation, underlying factors that redound to cooperation between employers and students, employers suggestions toward reasons that lead students to work, particularities in perception of students as employees by employers, job usually offered students by employers, concessions on the needs of students employers are ready to fit. The research presents items of formal relationships between employers and students. Respondent’s answers also allow to analyze particularities in perception of working students by employers and draw up hierarchy of positive and negative qualities of working students according to the viewpoint of employers. The conclusions of the article summarize particularities in perception and relationships between students and employers and indicate whether students are able to realize themselves in additional employment and to form necessary professional skills and abilities.

Cooperation in wireless networks principles and applications : real egoistic behavior is to cooperate!

CERN Document Server

Fitzek, Frank HP

2006-01-01

Covers the underlying principles of cooperative techniques as well as several applications demonstrating the use of such techniques in practical systems. This book also summarizes the strength of cooperation for wireless communication systems, motivating the use of cooperative techniques.

Social heuristics shape intuitive cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, David G; Peysakhovich, Alexander; Kraft-Todd, Gordon T; Newman, George E; Wurzbacher, Owen; Nowak, Martin A; Greene, Joshua D

2014-04-22

Cooperation is central to human societies. Yet relatively little is known about the cognitive underpinnings of cooperative decision making. Does cooperation require deliberate self-restraint? Or is spontaneous prosociality reined in by calculating self-interest? Here we present a theory of why (and for whom) intuition favors cooperation: cooperation is typically advantageous in everyday life, leading to the formation of generalized cooperative intuitions. Deliberation, by contrast, adjusts behaviour towards the optimum for a given situation. Thus, in one-shot anonymous interactions where selfishness is optimal, intuitive responses tend to be more cooperative than deliberative responses. We test this 'social heuristics hypothesis' by aggregating across every cooperation experiment using time pressure that we conducted over a 2-year period (15 studies and 6,910 decisions), as well as performing a novel time pressure experiment. Doing so demonstrates a positive average effect of time pressure on cooperation. We also find substantial variation in this effect, and show that this variation is partly explained by previous experience with one-shot lab experiments.

Cooperative games and network structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Musegaas, Marieke

2017-01-01

This thesis covers various research topics involving cooperative game theory, a mathematical tool to analyze the cooperative behavior within a group of players. The focus is mainly on interrelations between operations research and cooperative game theory by analyzing specific types of cooperative

What drives cooperative breeding?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walter D Koenig

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Cooperative breeding, in which more than a pair of conspecifics cooperate to raise young at a single nest or brood, is widespread among vertebrates but highly variable in its geographic distribution. Particularly vexing has been identifying the ecological correlates of this phenomenon, which has been suggested to be favored in populations inhabiting both relatively stable, productive environments and in populations living under highly variable and unpredictable conditions. Griesser et al. provide a novel approach to this problem, performing a phylogenetic analysis indicating that family living is an intermediate step between nonsocial and cooperative breeding birds. They then examine the ecological and climatic conditions associated with these different social systems, concluding that cooperative breeding emerges when family living is favored in highly productive environments, followed secondarily by selection for cooperative breeding when environmental conditions deteriorate and within-year variability increases. Combined with recent work addressing the fitness consequences of cooperative breeding, Griesser et al.'s contribution stands to move the field forward by demonstrating that the evolution of complex adaptations such as cooperative breeding may only be understood when each of the steps leading to it are identified and carefully integrated.

Cooperation in Construction:

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogelius, Peter; Storgaard, Kresten

2016-01-01

The study presents a building project executed by a major Danish construction company, where cooperation and its staging were essential for achieving high productivity and competitiveness. The form of this cooperation is the main theme for the article. The contractor actively changed the communic......The study presents a building project executed by a major Danish construction company, where cooperation and its staging were essential for achieving high productivity and competitiveness. The form of this cooperation is the main theme for the article. The contractor actively changed...... the companies in the case can be understood as possessing a social capital which is enforced and united by initiatives of the main contractor. The social capital was built up and maintained through the actual constitution of cooperation already in the initial phase of bidding before the building process....... The management logic of the main contractor is interpreted as based on a sociology-inspired understanding focusing on norms and social values rather than on contractual (law) and functional (engineering) logic, which had hitherto been prevalent in Danish construction management....

The sound of cooperation: Musical influences on cooperative behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Kniffin, Kevin M; Yan, Jubo; Wansink, Brian; Schulze, William D

2017-03-01

Music as an environmental aspect of professional workplaces has been closely studied with respect to consumer behavior while sparse attention has been given to its relevance for employee behavior. In this article, we focus on the influence of music upon cooperative behavior within decision-making groups. Based on results from two extended 20-round public goods experiments, we find that happy music significantly and positively influences cooperative behavior. We also find a significant positive association between mood and cooperative behavior. Consequently, while our studies provide partial support for the relevance of affect in relation to cooperation within groups, we also show an independently important function of happy music that fits with a theory of synchronous and rhythmic activity as a social lubricant. More generally, our findings indicate that music and perhaps other atmospheric variables that are designed to prime consumer behavior might have comparably important effects for employees and consequently warrant closer investigation. Copyright © 2016 The Authors Journal of Organizational Behavior Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transnational Research Co-operation: Opportunities and Challenges for transnational research co-operation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

of the NGOs have a lot of international experience (mainly in Denmark and Germany) as partners in different co-operation projects. Almost all the NGOs have recognized the important role of the scientific information in their activity. NGOs also feel the need for an easy access to required information...... for transnational co-operation like: an investigation/project concerning the driving forces behind urban development,or a co-operation in the field of wastewater reuse and minimization of wastewater loads and discharge, or a service page (internet) to search for potential partners. The governmental institutions...... in order to improve transnational cooperation are identified to be: • Search for national/international project partners • Access to existent co-operation projects or networks • Develop in common project proposals on themes requested by community groups • Exchange information/good operational practices...

Evolution of cooperation in Axelrod tournament using cellular automata

Science.gov (United States)

Schimit, P. H. T.; Santos, B. O.; Soares, C. A.

2015-11-01

Results of the Axelrod Tournament were published in 1981, and since then, evolutionary game theory emerged as an idea for understanding relations, like conflict and cooperation, between rational decision-makers. Robert Axelrod organized it as a round-robin tournament where strategies for iterated Prisoner's Dilemma were faced in a sequence of two players game. Here, we attempt to simulate the strategies submitted to the tournament in a multi-agent context, where individuals play a two-player game with their neighbors. Each individual has one of the strategies, and it plays the Prisoner's Dilemma with its neighbors. According to actions chosen (cooperate or defect), points of life are subtracted from their profiles. When an individual dies, some fitness functions are defined to choose the most successful strategy which the new individual will copy. Although tit-for-tat was the best strategy, on average, in the tournament, in our evolutionary multi-agent context, it has not been successful.

South Korean Development Cooperation in Africa: The Legacy of a Developmental State

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Kalinowski

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates how the legacy of the South Korean developmental state influences the way the country conducts its development cooperation (DC policies. We argue that institutions of the developmental state remain instrumental in structuring South Korea’s cooperation with the developing world. Two country case studies of South Korean DC and investment projects in Mozambique and Rwanda show that state initiative and a strong state–business partnership are defining elements of South Korean DC. At the same time, both cases show substantial differences when it comes to type of project, type of state–business partnership in the South Korean approach, degree of project ownership by the recipient country, and quality of governance in the recipient countries.

Cooperative Monitoring Center Occasional Paper/8: Cooperative Border Security for Jordan: Assessment and Options

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qojas, M.

1999-03-01

This document is an analysis of options for unilateral and cooperative action to improve the security of Jordan's borders. Sections describe the current political, economic, and social interactions along Jordan's borders. Next, the document discusses border security strategy for cooperation among neighboring countries and the adoption of confidence-building measures. A practical cooperative monitoring system would consist of hardware for early warning, command and control, communications, and transportation. Technical solutions can expand opportunities for the detection and identification of intruders. Sensors (such as seismic, break-wire, pressure-sensing, etc.) can warn border security forces of intrusion and contribute to the identification of the intrusion and help formulate the response. This document describes conceptual options for cooperation, offering three scenarios that relate to three hypothetical levels (low, medium, and high) of cooperation. Potential cooperative efforts under a low cooperation scenario could include information exchanges on military equipment and schedules to prevent misunderstandings and the establishment of protocols for handling emergency situations or unusual circumstances. Measures under a medium cooperation scenario could include establishing joint monitoring groups for better communications, with hot lines and scheduled meetings. The high cooperation scenario describes coordinated responses, joint border patrols, and sharing border intrusion information. Finally, the document lists recommendations for organizational, technical, and operational initiatives that could be applicable to the current situation.

Cooperation of axisymmetric connection elements under dynamic load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kołodziej Andrzej

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents a method for determining the parameters that define the cooperation of the elements in the axisymmetic connection. The connection, which constitutes a shaft cooperating with a sleeve, has been tested for reaction forces in the connection during shaft rotation in the static sleeve. The shaft was characterized by deliberately modelled roundness deviations in the form of ovality, triangularity and quadrangularity. In addition, the research programme has taken into account the determination of the impact of tolerance of the outside diameter of the shaft. Determination of reaction forces has been carried out using the FEM software. The shaft has been modelled as a rigid element that rotates with a given rotational speed in the deformable sleeve. The conclusions present the impact of roundness deviation types and the tolerance value on reaction forces in the connection restraint. The method presented in the article can be used to predict the behaviour of the elements of axisymmetic connections under dynamic load, which can contribute to forecasting the durability of the connection.

The story of technical cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Yang Taek

1989-09-01

This book gives descriptions of technical cooperation, which is about why does technology transfer?, process of technology transfer with model, decisive cause and cooperation of technology transfer, cost and effect of technology transfer, historical experience of technology transfer, cases of technology transfer by field such as rubber tire, medicine and computer industry and automobile industry, technology transfer process and present condition of technical cooperation, and strategy for rising of technical cooperation : selection of technology for object of cooperation and development of human resources.

International cooperation in the framework Inter ASUugol

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matejckova, J

1982-01-01

Results are described of the cooperation in 1981 of the USSR, People's Republic of Bulgaria, Bulgarian People's Republic, GDR, Polish People's Republic, Socialist Republic of Romania and CSSR to implement the program ''creation and introduction of ACS in the coal industry.'' The program includes three main trends: 1) general questions of the system of automated control; 2) automated system of economic control; 3) automated control of production and economic activity of the enterprises. In the framework of the first trend, specialists of the USSR, Polish People's Republic and CSSR finished compiling in seven volumes the international terminological dictionary on automation of control and international catalog of the devices for automation. Studies have been completed on the topics ''predicting the development of ACS and main trends for cooperation up to 1990 and 2000,'' and ''systems of information support at different levels of control.'' In the framework of the second trend, each country solves problems of control and different stages of development depending on specific conditions. In the topic ''control of the content, repair and reliability of the equipment of mines, quarries and enrichment plants'' only problems of mines are solved. The module system of data processing makes it possible to have bilateral and multilateral cooperation. In conducting work in the third trend, a solution was found for the problems associated with control of production and production processes in mines, quarries and enrichment plants. In all trends of work techniques and algorithms were compiled and problems were defined for the future period of study.

What is a cooperative?

Science.gov (United States)

Kimberly Zeuli

2006-01-01

Groups of individuals throughout time have worked together in pursuit of common goals. The earliest forms of hunting and agriculture required a great deal of cooperation among humans. Although the word "cooperative" can be applied to many different types of group activities, in this publication it refers to a formal business model. Cooperative businesses are...

THE INFLUENCE OF TRUST IN THE CONSTITUTION OF A BRAZILIAN COOPERATIVE OF SELECTIVE WASTE PICKERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dayanne Marciane Gonçalves

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Since the Brazilian public policy started to encourage solidarity economy in 2003, the number of projects and enterprises in this sector has steadily increased. Embeddedness has contributed to the understanding of organizational phenomena of solidarity economy and cooperatives. The aim of this study was to understand the influence of trust, from the perspective of Mark Granovetter’s social networks, on the constitution of a cooperative of urban recyclable waste pickers in southern Brazil between 1996 until early 2012, considered the foundation period. We used the qualitative method with a historical approach to social relationships and content analysis. Possible influences of trust were analysed based on the economic, social and political history of the cooperative. Among the main results, we highlight the existence of social relations before the constitution, defined by trust due to family identity and reputation built over time.

Joseph A. Burton Forum Award Lecture: Managing Nuclear and Biological Risks: Building Resilience through International Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Pregenzer, Arian

2012-03-01

International technical cooperation has long been an important nonproliferation strategy, especially since the 1990s when cooperative threat reduction (CTR) to prevent theft or illicit transfer of nuclear weapons, material and expertise in the former Soviet Union became a keystone of U.S. policy. The CTR approach expanded to include engagement with scientists and engineers with expertise relevant to biological and chemical weapons, and continued in the 2000s with efforts in Iraq and Libya, and cooperation with a wide range of countries on export control and nuclear and biological security. In general, the goal of such efforts has been to prevent proliferation or WMD terrorism. In most cases, the United States (or the West) defines the threat, and then funds partner countries to implement solutions. This presentation will argue that the future requires a new approach. Nuclear capabilities are more widely available than ever before, repercussions of the A.Q. Khan network continue to unfurl, and countries such as the DPRK engage in illicit cooperation. In addition, there has been a global boom in biotechnology with many nations, particularly across South and East Asia, investing in the biotech industry as a source of fuels, food, and materials for their rapidly expanding populations. Compared to the 1990s, today's threat is more diffuse, and the line between legitimate and illegitimate technical capability is no longer so clear. In addition, the West has many fewer resources to invest due to the global economic downturn. In this environment, full commitment of all countries that benefit from nuclear and biological advances will be required to assure the safety and security of all. Technical cooperation can continue to play an important role, but with some significant changes: First, challenges should be defined from a local perspective to ensure full commitment and participation. Second, the goal of cooperation should shift from preventing specific threats to building

Scandinavian Cooperative Advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Strand, Robert; Freeman, R. Edward

2015-01-01

. We conclude by endorsing the expression “Scandinavian cooperative advantage” in an effort to draw attention to the Scandinavian context and encourage the field of strategic management to shift its focus from achieving a competitive advantage toward achieving a cooperative advantage....

Milk marketing under cooperative and non-cooperative marketing channels: Evidence from west Bengal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarker Debnarayan

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The present study is an attempt to empirically investigate the price spread, marketing costs, marketing margins, marketing efficiency, and profit efficiency among market middlemen under cooperative and non-cooperative marketing channels in the domestic trade market of liquid milk in West Bengal. One of the important findings of this study is that, although the inter-market (and intramarket price variation for liquid milk under the cooperative marketing agency in not far from uniformity, and all marketing agencies under cooperative channels receive much lower abnormal profit per unit of milk as compared with non-cooperative channels, the former fails to provide much economic benefit, either to the producer or to the consumer, because of the burden of much higher fixed cost per unit of liquid milk.

Group Cooperation without Group Selection: Modest Punishment Can Recruit Much Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Krasnow, Max M; Delton, Andrew W; Cosmides, Leda; Tooby, John

2015-01-01

Humans everywhere cooperate in groups to achieve benefits not attainable by individuals. Individual effort is often not automatically tied to a proportionate share of group benefits. This decoupling allows for free-riding, a strategy that (absent countermeasures) outcompetes cooperation. Empirically and formally, punishment potentially solves the evolutionary puzzle of group cooperation. Nevertheless, standard analyses appear to show that punishment alone is insufficient, because second-order free riders (those who cooperate but do not punish) can be shown to outcompete punishers. Consequently, many have concluded that other processes, such as cultural or genetic group selection, are required. Here, we present a series of agent-based simulations that show that group cooperation sustained by punishment easily evolves by individual selection when you introduce into standard models more biologically plausible assumptions about the social ecology and psychology of ancestral humans. We relax three unrealistic assumptions of past models. First, past models assume all punishers must punish every act of free riding in their group. We instead allow punishment to be probabilistic, meaning punishers can evolve to only punish some free riders some of the time. This drastically lowers the cost of punishment as group size increases. Second, most models unrealistically do not allow punishment to recruit labor; punishment merely reduces the punished agent's fitness. We instead realistically allow punished free riders to cooperate in the future to avoid punishment. Third, past models usually restrict agents to interact in a single group their entire lives. We instead introduce realistic social ecologies in which agents participate in multiple, partially overlapping groups. Because of this, punitive tendencies are more expressed and therefore more exposed to natural selection. These three moves toward greater model realism reveal that punishment and cooperation easily evolve by

Group Cooperation without Group Selection: Modest Punishment Can Recruit Much Cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Max M Krasnow

Full Text Available Humans everywhere cooperate in groups to achieve benefits not attainable by individuals. Individual effort is often not automatically tied to a proportionate share of group benefits. This decoupling allows for free-riding, a strategy that (absent countermeasures outcompetes cooperation. Empirically and formally, punishment potentially solves the evolutionary puzzle of group cooperation. Nevertheless, standard analyses appear to show that punishment alone is insufficient, because second-order free riders (those who cooperate but do not punish can be shown to outcompete punishers. Consequently, many have concluded that other processes, such as cultural or genetic group selection, are required. Here, we present a series of agent-based simulations that show that group cooperation sustained by punishment easily evolves by individual selection when you introduce into standard models more biologically plausible assumptions about the social ecology and psychology of ancestral humans. We relax three unrealistic assumptions of past models. First, past models assume all punishers must punish every act of free riding in their group. We instead allow punishment to be probabilistic, meaning punishers can evolve to only punish some free riders some of the time. This drastically lowers the cost of punishment as group size increases. Second, most models unrealistically do not allow punishment to recruit labor; punishment merely reduces the punished agent's fitness. We instead realistically allow punished free riders to cooperate in the future to avoid punishment. Third, past models usually restrict agents to interact in a single group their entire lives. We instead introduce realistic social ecologies in which agents participate in multiple, partially overlapping groups. Because of this, punitive tendencies are more expressed and therefore more exposed to natural selection. These three moves toward greater model realism reveal that punishment and cooperation

Hierarchical Control Strategy for the Cooperative Braking System of Electric Vehicle

OpenAIRE

Peng, Jiankun; He, Hongwen; Liu, Wei; Guo, Hongqiang

2015-01-01

This paper provides a hierarchical control strategy for cooperative braking system of an electric vehicle with separated driven axles. Two layers are defined: the top layer is used to optimize the braking stability based on two sliding mode control strategies, namely, the interaxle control mode and signal-axle control strategies; the interaxle control strategy generates the ideal braking force distribution in general braking condition, and the single-axle control strategy can ensure braking s...

Spontaneous cooperation for prosocials, but not for proselfs: Social value orientation moderates spontaneous cooperation behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Mischkowski, Dorothee; Glöckner, Andreas

2016-01-01

Cooperation is essential for the success of societies and there is an ongoing debate whether individuals have therefore developed a general spontaneous tendency to cooperate or not. Findings that cooperative behavior is related to shorter decision times provide support for the spontaneous cooperation effect, although contrary results have also been reported. We show that cooperative behavior is better described as person × situation interaction, in that there is a spontaneous cooperation effect for prosocial but not for proself persons. In three studies, one involving population representative samples from the US and Germany, we found that cooperation in a public good game is dependent on an interaction between individuals’ social value orientation and decision time. Increasing deliberation about the dilemma situation does not affect persons that are selfish to begin with, but it is related to decreasing cooperation for prosocial persons that gain positive utility from outcomes of others and score high on the related general personality trait honesty/humility. Our results demonstrate that the spontaneous cooperation hypothesis has to be qualified in that it is limited to persons with a specific personality and social values. Furthermore, they allow reconciling conflicting previous findings by identifying an important moderator for the effect. PMID:26876773

Extending the Cooperative Phenotype: Assessing the Stability of Cooperation across Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Reigstad, Amanda G; Strømland, Eirik A; Tinghög, Gustav

2017-01-01

This paper studies whether individual cooperation is stable across settings and over time. Involving more than 7,000 subjects on two different continents, this study documents positive correlation in cooperative behavior across economic games in Norway, Sweden, Austria, and the United States. The game measures also correlate with a tendency to make deontological judgments in moral dilemmas, and display of general trust toward strangers. Using time-variation in the data, we test whether temporal stability of behavior is similar in the United States and Norway, and find similar stability estimates for both the American and Norwegian samples. The findings here provide further evidence of the existence of a stable behavioral inclination toward prosociality - a "cooperative phenotype," as it has recently been termed. Also in line with previous research, we find that punishment and cooperation seem to be uncorrelated.

Excited cooper pairs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Arrietea, M. G.; Solis, M. A.; De Llano, M. [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.F (Mexico)

2001-02-01

Excited cooper pairs formed in a many-fermion system are those with nonzero total center-of mass momentum (CMM). They are normally neglected in the standard Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of superconductivity for being too few compared with zero CMM pairs. However, a Bose-Einstein condensation picture requires both zero and nonzero CMM pairs. Assuming a BCS model interaction between fermions we determine the populations for all CMM values of Cooper pairs by actually calculating the number of nonzero-CMM pairs relative to that of zero-CMM ones in both 2D and 3D. Although this ratio decreases rapidly with CMM, the number of Cooper pairs for any specific CMM less than the maximum (or breakup of the pair) momentum turns out to be typically larger than about 95% of those with zero-CMM at zero temperature T. Even at T {approx}100 K this fraction en 2D is still as large as about 70% for typical quasi-2D cuprate superconductor parameters. [Spanish] Los pares de cooper excitados formados en un sistema de muchos electrones, son aquellos con momentos de centro de masa (CMM) diferente de cero. Normalmente estos no son tomados en cuenta en la teoria estandar de la superconductividad de Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) al suponer que su numero es muy pequeno comparados con los pares de centro de masa igual a cero. Sin embargo, un esquema de condensacion Bose-Einstein requiere de ambos pares, con CMM cero y diferente de cero. Asumiendo una interaccion modelo BCS entre los fermiones, determinamos la poblacion de pares cooper con cada uno de todos los posibles valores del CMM calculando el numero de pares con momentos de centro de masa diferente de cero relativo a los pares de CMM igual a cero, en 2D y 3D. Aunque esta razon decrece rapidamente con el CMM, el numero de pares de cooper para cualquier CMM especifico menor que el momento maximo (o rompimiento de par) es tipicamente mas grande que el 95% de aquellos con CMM cero. Aun a T {approx}100 K esta fraccion en 2D es

Costly punishment and cooperation in the evolutionary snowdrift game

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, C.; Ji, M.; Yap, Yee Jiun; Zheng, Da-Fang; Hui, P. M.

2011-05-01

The role of punishments in promoting cooperation is an important issue. We incorporate costly punishments into the snowdrift game (SG) by introducing a third punishing (P) character, and study the effects. The punishers, who carry basically a cooperative (C) character, are willing to pay a cost α so as to punish a non-cooperative (D) opponent by β. Depending on the initial fractions of the characters, α, β, and the cost-to-benefit ratio r in the SG, the three-character system evolves into a steady state consisting either only of C and P characters or only of C and D characters, in a well-mixed population. The former situation represents an enhancement in cooperation relative to the SG, while the latter is similar to the SG. The dynamics in approaching these different steady states are found to be different. Analytically, the key features in the dynamics and the steady states observed in simulations are captured by a set of differential equations. The sensitivity to the initial distribution of characters is studied by depicting the flow in a phase portrait and analyzing the nature of fixed points. The analysis also shows the role of P-character agents in preventing a system from invasion by D-character agents. Starting from a population consisting only of C and P agents, a D-character agent intended to invade the system cannot survive when the initial fraction of P agents is greater than r/β. Our model, defined intentionally as a simulation algorithm, can be readily generalized to incorporate many interesting effects, such as those in a networked population.

International co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

In 1996, Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (NRA SR) ensured the Slovak Republic (SR) obligations with relation to the international agreements and with the SR membership in the IAEA.International co-operation has been ensured on the basis of the bilateral international agreements. With the Ministry of Foreign Affairs co-operation, the SR fulfilled its financial obligations to this organization in due time and in the full scope. Representing Central and Eastern Europe interest in the Board of Governors, the SR participation in the highest executive in the highest executive authority was finished in 1996.The Board of Governors Vice-chairman position was executed by NRA SR Chairman. 5 national and 6 regional technical co-operation and assistance projects were realized in 1996. 12 organizations participated in these projects and accordingly 104 experts took part in training programmes, scientific visits or as the mission members abroad. Besides, Slovak experts participated at work of technical advisory and consultation groups with the significant assistance. In the framework of IAEA co-operation, the SR was visited by 11 expert missions formed by 28 experts from 19 countries including IAEA. Slovak organizations, namely institutes of the Academy of Sciences, Slovak research centres and universities participated in IAEA scientific and research activities through NRA SR. 15 scientific contracts in total were approved and realized and these contracts are utilized as supplementary financing of the own scientific and research projects. Other international co-operation and regional co-operation activities of the NRA SR in 1996 are reviewed

Strategies of EU agro-food cooperatives to confront globalization: The case of wine cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Sebastián Castillo Valero

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Due to globalization and market integration, the agro-food cooperative sector needs to be more competitive. This generates new challenges for cooperative enterprises in the agro-food sector. In this article the analysis of the wine producing sector is undertaken in the area of greatest world-wide wine production and commercialization, Castilla-La Mancha. EU wineries and cooperatives should propose strategic lines within an economy marked by a globalization process in world markets. The paradigmatic case is analyzed in this paper of the comparison of strategies followed by cooperatives confronting capitalist winery enterprises. Therefore, the degree of suitability is aimed to be elucidated and the success of the foundations of international commercial strategies that cooperative enterprises of the sector have followed, depending on their characteristics. Moreover, an exhaustive diagnosis is offered of the current strategic situation of cooperatives and their probability of gaining access to and/or growing in the international market. The parameters that have resulted significant are used as conclusions and recommendations so that cooperatives will reformulate their strategies and the organizations linked to the agro-food sector will know what factors to foment and support in their internationalization and global competitive positioning.

Regional cooperation in nuclear energy development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, K.; Muntzing, L.M.

1987-01-01

In November 1985, PBNCC (the Pacific Basin Nuclear Cooperation Committee) was formally established. Currently six Pacific Basin members have been participating in PBNCC: Canada, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Taiwan of Chian, and the United States of America. The People's Republic of China has sent observes to the PBNCC meetings. The technical contents of PBWCC working groups are as follows: 1. Regional cooperative for pooled spare parts of nuclear power plants and inventory management; 2. Regional cooperation in nuclear training; 3. Regional cooperation on nuclear safety; 4. Regional cooperation in Codes and Standards; 5. Regional Cooperation in public acceptance; 6. Regional cooperation on radwaste management. (Liu)

International cooperation workshop. Regional workshop for CTBTO international cooperation: Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-08-01

Pursuant to the 1999 programme of work, and following the International Cooperation Workshop held in Vienna, Austria, in 1998, the Provisional Technical Secretariat (PTS) of the Preparatory Commission for the CTBTO (Prep Com) held a regional Workshop for CTBTO International Cooperation in Cairo. The purpose of the workshop was to identify how and by what means the Africa region can promote international cooperation in CTBT verification related technologies, and how the region can benefit from and contribute to Prep Com activity. PTS staff briefed the 40 participants from 22 African States who attended the Workshop on general aspects, including costs, of the establishment and operation of the CTBT verification system, including its four monitoring technologies. Participants were informed on opportunities for local institutions in the establishment of monitoring stations and on possible support for national and regional data centres. National experts presented their research and development activities and reviewed existing experiences on bi/multi-lateral cooperation. The main points of the discussion focused on the need to engage governments to advance signature/ratification, and further training opportunities for African states

Extending the Cooperative Phenotype: Assessing the Stability of Cooperation across Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda G. Reigstad

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This paper studies whether individual cooperation is stable across settings and over time. Involving more than 7,000 subjects on two different continents, this study documents positive correlation in cooperative behavior across economic games in Norway, Sweden, Austria, and the United States. The game measures also correlate with a tendency to make deontological judgments in moral dilemmas, and display of general trust toward strangers. Using time-variation in the data, we test whether temporal stability of behavior is similar in the United States and Norway, and find similar stability estimates for both the American and Norwegian samples. The findings here provide further evidence of the existence of a stable behavioral inclination toward prosociality – a “cooperative phenotype,” as it has recently been termed. Also in line with previous research, we find that punishment and cooperation seem to be uncorrelated.

The significance of the interconnection of second-level cooperatives and their peer-associated cooperatives for productivity growth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martínez-Victoria, M.; Maté-Sánchez-Val, M.L.; Arcas-Lario, N.

2017-01-01

Cooperatives are especially important in current agri-food markets. These companies have responded to the current demand requirements with greater market orientation strategies to attract and satisfy customers. To do so, cooperatives have adopted different collaboration alternatives. In Spain, the most common alliance between cooperatives is materialised in second-level cooperatives, which are cooperatives integrated by at least two first-level cooperatives. The aim of this study was to analyse the interaction effects between first- and second level agri-food cooperatives on their productive growth and its components. To get this purpose, a Cobb-Douglas specification with spatial econometrics techniques was applied to evaluate this relationship. We included a spatial connectivity matrix to establish the interconnection among cooperatives of first- and second-level. Our results show a positive interaction effect highlighting the importance of these alliances on the productivity growth in the agri-food sector. The scarce amount of empirical papers explaining how second-level cooperatives influence the performance of first-level cooperatives shows the relevance of our study.

The significance of the interconnection of second-level cooperatives and their peer-associated cooperatives for productivity growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martínez-Victoria, M.; Maté-Sánchez-Val, M.L.; Arcas-Lario, N.

2017-09-01

Cooperatives are especially important in current agri-food markets. These companies have responded to the current demand requirements with greater market orientation strategies to attract and satisfy customers. To do so, cooperatives have adopted different collaboration alternatives. In Spain, the most common alliance between cooperatives is materialised in second-level cooperatives, which are cooperatives integrated by at least two first-level cooperatives. The aim of this study was to analyse the interaction effects between first- and second level agri-food cooperatives on their productive growth and its components. To get this purpose, a Cobb-Douglas specification with spatial econometrics techniques was applied to evaluate this relationship. We included a spatial connectivity matrix to establish the interconnection among cooperatives of first- and second-level. Our results show a positive interaction effect highlighting the importance of these alliances on the productivity growth in the agri-food sector. The scarce amount of empirical papers explaining how second-level cooperatives influence the performance of first-level cooperatives shows the relevance of our study.

Regional cooperation in prevention and monitoring of the pollution related to oil transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsitskishvili, M.S.; Chelidze, M.A.; Kaviladze, I.; Chkhartishvili, A.G.; Tsitskishvili, L.B.; Ninua, T.L.; Kordzaxia, G.I.; Gavasheli, L.; Petriashvili, E.T.; Alania, M.L.; Gigolashvili, Sh.Z.; Kordzakhia, M.O.; Chankotadze, P.

2005-01-01

Full text : The main conclusion made from above review is that Georgia has no developed Oil Spill Contingency Plan for on-shore spills, no own capacity for oil spill response, no emergency and fire response systems, which could be effective in cases of oil spills and there is lack of Regional cooperation between countries in order to address trans-boundary contamination problems. Therefore, we consider that the important task for the civil society and scientific society is to facilitate development of such systems. For this purpose we propose development of the Regional cooperation with participation of several professional NGOs in order to define the tasks for the governments and other stake holders and to perform supervision on the problem resolution

Efficiency in Microfinance Cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HARTARSKA, Valentina

2012-12-01

Full Text Available In recognition of cooperatives’ contribution to the socio-economic well-being of their participants, the United Nations has declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives. Microfinance cooperatives make a large part of the microfinance industry. We study efficiency of microfinance cooperatives and provide estimates of the optimal size of such organizations. We employ the classical efficiency analysis consisting of estimating a system of equations and identify the optimal size of microfinance cooperatives in terms of their number of clients (outreach efficiency, as well as dollar value of lending and deposits (sustainability. We find that microfinance cooperatives have increasing returns to scale which means that the vast majority can lower cost if they become larger. We calculate that the optimal size is around $100 million in lending and half of that in deposits. We find less robust estimates in terms of reaching many clients with a range from 40,000 to 180,000 borrowers.

Non-cooperative game theory

CERN Document Server

Fujiwara-Greve, Takako

2015-01-01

This is a textbook for university juniors, seniors, and graduate students majoring in economics, applied mathematics, and related fields. Each chapter is structured so that a core concept of that chapter is presented with motivations, useful applications are given, and related advanced topics are discussed for future study. Many helpful exercises at various levels are provided at the end of each chapter. Therefore, this book is most suitable for readers who intend to study non-cooperative game theory rigorously for both theoretical studies and applications. Game theory consists of non-cooperative games and cooperative games. This book covers only non-cooperative games, which are major tools used in current economics and related areas. Non-cooperative game theory aims to provide a mathematical prediction of strategic choices by decision makers (players) in situations of conflicting interest. Through the logical analyses of strategic choices, we obtain a better understanding of social (economic, business) probl...

Cooperative Communications for Wireless Information Assurance: Secure Cooperative Communications and Testbed Development

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Li, Xiaohua

2007-01-01

..., and have invented a new cooperative OFDM transmission scheme to combat transmission asynchronism. They are helpful to the development of future physical-layer wireless information assurance techniques as well as the cooperative communication techniques...

Task 10 -- Technology development integration. Semi-annual report, April 1--September 30, 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erickson, T.A.; Daly, D.J.; Jones, M.L.

1997-12-31

Task 10 activities by the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC) have focused on the identification and integration of new cleanup technologies for use in the US Department of Energy (DOE) Environmental Management Program to address environmental issues within the nuclear defense complex. Under Subtask 10A, activities focused on a review of technology needs compiled by the Site Technology Coordination Groups as part of an ongoing assessment of the relevance of the EM Cooperative Agreement Program activities to EM site needs. Work under this subtask was completed August 31. Work under Task 10B had as its goal assisting in the definition and development of specific models to demonstrate several approaches to be used by DOE to encourage the commercialization of environmental technologies. This activity included identification and analysis of economic and regulatory factors affecting feasibility of commercial development of two specific projects and two general models to serve as a mechanism for the transfer of federally supported or developed environmental technologies to the private sector or for rapid utilization in the federal government`s efforts to clean up the weapons complex.

Conditional cooperation on three continents

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kocher, M.G.; Cherry, T.; Kroll, S.; Netzer, R.; Sutter, M.

2007-01-01

We show in a public goods experiment on three continents that conditional cooperation is a universal behavioral regularity. Yet, the number of conditional cooperators and the extent of conditional cooperation are much higher in the U.S.A. than anywhere else.

Promoting cooperative federalism through state shared savings.

Science.gov (United States)

Weil, Alan

2013-08-01

The Affordable Care Act is transforming American federalism and creating strain between the states and the federal government. By expanding the scale of intergovernmental health programs, creating new state requirements, and setting the stage for increased federal fiscal oversight, the act has disturbed an uneasy truce in American federalism. This article outlines a policy proposal designed to harness cooperative federalism, based on the shared state and federal desire to control health care cost growth. The proposal, which borrows features of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, would provide states with an incentive in the form of an increased share of the savings they generate in programs that have federal financial participation, as long as they meet defined performance standards.

Capacity for cooperative binding of thyroid hormone (T3) receptor dimers defines wild type T3 response elements.

Science.gov (United States)

Brent, G A; Williams, G R; Harney, J W; Forman, B M; Samuels, H H; Moore, D D; Larsen, P R

1992-04-01

Thyroid hormone response elements (T3REs) have been identified in a variety of promoters including those directing expression of rat GH (rGH), alpha-myosin heavy chain (rMHC), and malic enzyme (rME). A detailed biochemical and genetic analysis of the rGH element has shown that it consists of three hexamers related to the consensus [(A/G)GGT(C/A)A]. We have extended this analysis to the rMHC and rME elements. Binding of highly purified thyroid hormone receptor (T3R) to T3REs was determined using the gel shift assay, and thyroid hormone (T3) induction was measured in transient tranfections. We show that the wild type version of each of the three elements binds T3R dimers cooperatively. Mutational analysis of the rMHC and rME elements identified domains important for binding T3R dimers and allowed a direct determination of the relationship between T3R binding and function. In each element two hexamers are required for dimer binding, and mutations that interfere with dimer formation significantly reduce T3 induction. Similar to the rGH element, the rMHC T3RE contains three hexameric domains arranged as a direct repeat followed by an inverted copy, although the third domain is weaker than in rGH. All three are required for full function and T3R binding. The rME T3RE is a two-hexamer direct repeat T3RE, which also binds T3R monomer and dimer. Across a series of mutant elements, there was a strong correlation between dimer binding in vitro and function in vivo for rMHC (r = 0.99, P less than 0.01) and rME (r = 0.67, P less than 0.05) T3REs. Our results demonstrate a similar pattern of T3R dimer binding to a diverse array of hexameric sequences and arrangements in three wild type T3REs. Addition of nuclear protein enhanced T3R binding but did not alter the specificity of binding to wild type or mutant elements. Binding of purified T3R to T3REs was highly correlated with function, both with and without the addition of nuclear protein. T3R dimer formation is the common

Hierarchy is Detrimental for Human Cooperation

OpenAIRE

Cronin, Katherine A.; Acheson, Daniel J.; Hernández, Penélope; Sánchez, Angel

2016-01-01

Studies of animal behavior consistently demonstrate that the social environment impacts cooperation, yet the effect of social dynamics has been largely excluded from studies of human cooperation. Here, we introduce a novel approach inspired by nonhuman primate research to address how social hierarchies impact human cooperation. Participants competed to earn hierarchy positions and then could cooperate with another individual in the hierarchy by investing in a common effort. Cooperation was ac...

Agricultural Co-Operatives in Ethiopia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tefera, Delelegne A.; Bijman, Jos; Slingerland, Maja A.

2017-01-01

To what extent can co-operatives strengthen rural development in sub-Saharan Africa? This paper explores the development of agricultural co-operatives in Ethiopia, particularly the changes in economic functions. Co-operative development in Ethiopia has been strongly influenced by various political

International cooperation for operating safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupuis, M.C.

1989-03-01

The international-cooperation organization in nuclear safety domain is discussed. The nuclear energy Direction Committee is helped by the Security Committee for Nuclear Power Plants in the cooperation between security organizations of member countries and in the safety and nuclear activity regulations. The importance of the cooperation between experts in human being and engine problems is underlined. The applied methods, exchange activities and activity analysis, and the cooperation of the Nuclear Energy Agency and international organizations is analysed [fr

Cooperation in regional nuclear training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newstead, C.M.; Lee, D.S.; Spitalnik, J.

1985-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the nuclear training currently being undertaken in the countries of the co-authors, and considers the degree to which training problems are amenable to common solutions such as cooperative regional training programs. Different types of cooperation are discussed including the development of regional and international training centers, cooperative bilateral and multilateral training, and the proposed US International Nuclear Safety Training Academy. The paper provides suggestions of ways for enhancing regional cooperation

Models in cooperative game theory

CERN Document Server

Branzei, Rodica; Tijs, Stef

2008-01-01

This book investigates models in cooperative game theory in which the players have the possibility to cooperate partially. In a crisp game the agents are either fully involved or not involved at all in cooperation with some other agents, while in a fuzzy game players are allowed to cooperate with infinite many different participation levels, varying from non-cooperation to full cooperation. A multi-choice game describes the intermediate case in which each player may have a fixed number of activity levels. Different set and one-point solution concepts for these games are presented. The properties of these solution concepts and their interrelations on several classes of crisp, fuzzy, and multi-choice games are studied. Applications of the investigated models to many economic situations are indicated as well. The second edition is highly enlarged and contains new results and additional sections in the different chapters as well as one new chapter.

[Child protection--cooperation and conflict management].

Science.gov (United States)

Averbeck, Birgit; Hermans, Björn Enno

2010-01-01

When people have to deal with conflicts or opposing views they often refer to the term cooperation. But after lengthy discussions the question may be raised if it is more useful not to cooperate. The authors of this article analyse why cooperation is often called for but frequently fails. In this article key prerequisites for successful cooperation are described before the authors present their practical method of 'sYpport'. 'SYpport' mostly refers to trans-institutional cooperation and focuses on the required attitude of those involved. The authors' simple but crucial conclusion is that cooperation requires faith in others.

Differences in Multitask Resource Reallocation After Change in Task Values.

Science.gov (United States)

Matton, Nadine; Paubel, Pierre; Cegarra, Julien; Raufaste, Eric

2016-12-01

The objective was to characterize multitask resource reallocation strategies when managing subtasks with various assigned values. When solving a resource conflict in multitasking, Salvucci and Taatgen predict a globally rational strategy will be followed that favors the most urgent subtask and optimizes global performance. However, Katidioti and Taatgen identified a locally rational strategy that optimizes only a subcomponent of the whole task, leading to detrimental consequences on global performance. Moreover, the question remains open whether expertise would have an impact on the choice of the strategy. We adopted a multitask environment used for pilot selection with a change in emphasis on two out of four subtasks while all subtasks had to be maintained over a minimum performance. A laboratory eye-tracking study contrasted 20 recently selected pilot students considered as experienced with this task and 15 university students considered as novices. When two subtasks were emphasized, novices focused their resources particularly on one high-value subtask and failed to prevent both low-value subtasks falling below minimum performance. On the contrary, experienced people delayed the processing of one low-value subtask but managed to optimize global performance. In a multitasking environment where some subtasks are emphasized, novices follow a locally rational strategy whereas experienced participants follow a globally rational strategy. During complex training, trainees are only able to adjust their resource allocation strategy to subtask emphasis changes once they are familiar with the multitasking environment. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Cash income, intrahousehold cooperative conflict, and child health in central Mozambique.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeiffer, James

2003-01-01

This study presents qualitative data on individual cash income generation and intrahousehold bargaining in a sample of 100 households in central Mozambique. It is now recognized that intrahousehold resource allocation patterns can be critical determinants of children's health in the developing world. Recently developed "bargaining-power" models suggest that individual incomes are often not pooled in households and that decisions are the result of a bargaining process that involves cooperation and conflict between men and women. Women's income, many believe, is more often spent on child welfare. Development projects should target benefits to women for greater impact on child health. Some argue that households consist of separate, gendered spheres of economic responsibility that intersect through a "conjugal contract" that defines the terms of cooperation. The findings here support the "separate-spheres" depiction of the household and reveal women's subordinated position in the external cash economy, which undermines their intrahousehold bargaining power.

Subgame consistent cooperation a comprehensive treatise

CERN Document Server

Yeung, David W K

2016-01-01

Strategic behavior in the human and social world has been increasingly recognized in theory and practice. It is well known that non-cooperative behavior could lead to suboptimal or even highly undesirable outcomes. Cooperation suggests the possibility of obtaining socially optimal solutions and the calls for cooperation are prevalent in real-life problems. Dynamic cooperation cannot be sustainable if there is no guarantee that the agreed upon optimality principle at the beginning is maintained throughout the cooperation duration. It is due to the lack of this kind of guarantees that cooperative schemes fail to last till its end or even fail to get started. The property of subgame consistency in cooperative dynamic games and the corresponding solution mechanism resolve this “classic” problem in game theory. This book is a comprehensive treatise on subgame consistent dynamic cooperation covering the up-to-date state of the art analyses in this important topic. It sets out to provide the theory, solution tec...

Evidence for strategic cooperation in humans.

Science.gov (United States)

Burton-Chellew, Maxwell N; El Mouden, Claire; West, Stuart A

2017-06-14

Humans may cooperate strategically, cooperating at higher levels than expected from their short-term interests, to try and stimulate others to cooperate. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally manipulated the extent an individual's behaviour is known to others, and hence whether or not strategic cooperation is possible. In contrast with many previous studies, we avoided confounding factors by preventing individuals from learning during the game about either pay-offs or about how other individuals behave. We found clear evidence for strategic cooperators-just telling some individuals that their groupmates would be informed about their behaviour led to them tripling their initial level of cooperation, from 17 to 50%. We also found that many individuals play as if they do not understand the game, and their presence obscures the detection of strategic cooperation. Identifying such players allowed us to detect and study strategic motives for cooperation in novel, more powerful, ways. © 2017 The Author(s).

Neural correlates of social cooperation and non-cooperation as a function of psychopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Rilling, James K; Glenn, Andrea L; Jairam, Meeta R; Pagnoni, Giuseppe; Goldsmith, David R; Elfenbein, Hanie A; Lilienfeld, Scott O

2007-06-01

Psychopathy is a disorder involving a failure to experience many emotions that are necessary for appropriate social behavior. In this study, we probed the behavioral, emotional, and neural correlates of psychopathic traits within the context of a dyadic social interaction. Thirty subjects were imaged with functional magnetic resonance imaging while playing an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma game with human confederates who were outside the scanner. Subjects also completed two self-report psychopathy questionnaires. Subjects scoring higher on psychopathy, particularly males, defected more often and were less likely to continue cooperating after establishing mutual cooperation with a partner. Further, they experienced more outcomes in which their cooperation was not reciprocated (cooperate-defect outcome). After such outcomes, subjects scoring high in psychopathy showed less amygdala activation, suggesting weaker aversive conditioning to those outcomes. Compared with low-psychopathy subjects, subjects higher in psychopathy also showed weaker activation within orbitofrontal cortex when choosing to cooperate and showed weaker activation within dorsolateral prefrontal and rostral anterior cingulate cortex when choosing to defect. These findings suggest that whereas subjects scoring low on psychopathy have emotional biases toward cooperation that can only be overcome with effortful cognitive control, subjects scoring high on psychopathy have an opposing bias toward defection that likewise can only be overcome with cognitive effort.

Task 21 - Development of Systems Engineering Applications for Decontamination and Decommissioning Activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erickson, T.A.

1998-01-01

The objectives of this task are to: Develop a model (paper) to estimate the cost and waste generation of cleanup within the Environmental Management (EM) complex; Identify technologies applicable to decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) operations within the EM complex; Develop a database of facility information as linked to project baseline summaries (PBSs). The above objectives are carried out through the following four subtasks: Subtask 1--D and D Model Development, Subtask 2--Technology List; Subtask 3--Facility Database, and Subtask 4--Incorporation into a User Model

Task 21 - Development of Systems Engineering Applications for Decontamination and Decommissioning Activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erickson, T.A.

1998-11-01

The objectives of this task are to: Develop a model (paper) to estimate the cost and waste generation of cleanup within the Environmental Management (EM) complex; Identify technologies applicable to decontamination and decommissioning (D and D) operations within the EM complex; Develop a database of facility information as linked to project baseline summaries (PBSs). The above objectives are carried out through the following four subtasks: Subtask 1--D and D Model Development, Subtask 2--Technology List; Subtask 3--Facility Database, and Subtask 4--Incorporation into a User Model.

From cooperation to globalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriela UNGUREANU

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Globalization is seen as a consequence of cross-border business. This complex and irreversible process can be seen as an extension of capitalist relations of production or increased interdependence in the economic system. Globalization has given rise to more and more fields of activity worldwide. To meet the challenges of business globalization, many companies form strategic alliances, cooperate or merge with other companies. Cooperation is seen by many companies as an alternative path to success. In recent years joint international associations, licensing, co-production agreements, joint research programs, exploration of consortia and other cooperative relationships between two or more corporations with potential have increased. We notice a cooperation tendency among small-sized companies, especially among those from the developing countries.

Formation, “Gold Rule” for the cooperative development

OpenAIRE

Alcides López Labrada

2013-01-01

Before the arising of the cooperative movement in the world, cooperation already existed. So, it is logical to affirm that there can be cooperation without cooperative movement. But there cannot be cooperative movement without cooperation, because cooperation is an indispensable premise for the existence of cooperative movement. Both the precursors of the cooperative movement and the classics of Marxism agreed on the necessity of cooperative formation. Lenin called socialism “the regime o...

Cooperative Learning: Developments in Research

Science.gov (United States)

Gillies, Robyn M.

2014-01-01

Cooperative learning is widely recognized as a pedagogical practice that promotes socialization and learning among students from kindergarten through to college level and across different subject areas. Cooperative learning involves students working together to achieve common goals or complete group tasks. Interest in cooperative learning has…

Reciprocity Outperforms Conformity to Promote Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Angelo; Balliet, Daniel

2017-10-01

Evolutionary psychologists have proposed two processes that could give rise to the pervasiveness of human cooperation observed among individuals who are not genetically related: reciprocity and conformity. We tested whether reciprocity outperformed conformity in promoting cooperation, especially when these psychological processes would promote a different cooperative or noncooperative response. To do so, across three studies, we observed participants' cooperation with a partner after learning (a) that their partner had behaved cooperatively (or not) on several previous trials and (b) that their group members had behaved cooperatively (or not) on several previous trials with that same partner. Although we found that people both reciprocate and conform, reciprocity has a stronger influence on cooperation. Moreover, we found that conformity can be partly explained by a concern about one's reputation-a finding that supports a reciprocity framework.

Definably compact groups definable in real closed fields. I

OpenAIRE

Barriga, Eliana

2017-01-01

We study definably compact definably connected groups definable in a sufficiently saturated real closed field $R$. We introduce the notion of group-generic point for $\\bigvee$-definable groups and show the existence of group-generic points for definably compact groups definable in a sufficiently saturated o-minimal expansion of a real closed field. We use this notion along with some properties of generic sets to prove that for every definably compact definably connected group $G$ definable in...

7 CFR 1425.19 - Member cooperatives.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Member cooperatives. 1425.19 Section 1425.19... OF AGRICULTURE LOANS, PURCHASES, AND OTHER OPERATIONS COOPERATIVE MARKETING ASSOCIATIONS § 1425.19 Member cooperatives. A CMA may obtain loans or LDP's on behalf of a member cooperative when the member...

Predisposed to cooperate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cathryn Costello

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Recent research in Toronto and Geneva indicates that asylum seekers and refugees are predisposed to be cooperative with the refugee status determination system and other immigration procedures, and that the design of alternatives to detention can create, foster and support this cooperative predisposition – or can undermine or even demolish it.

Helping Children Cooperate

Science.gov (United States)

Pica, Rae

2011-01-01

There are occasions in life when the competitive process is appropriate. But when people consider the relationships in their lives--with friends, family members, coworkers, and the larger community--they realize the value of cooperation. When adults give children the chance to cooperate, to work together toward a solution or a common goal like…

Political Ideology, Trust, and Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Balliet, Daniel; Tybur, Joshua M.; Wu, Junhui; Antonellis, Christian; Van Lange, Paul A. M.

2016-01-01

Theories suggest that political ideology relates to cooperation, with conservatives being more likely to pursue selfish outcomes, and liberals more likely to pursue egalitarian outcomes. In study 1, we examine how political ideology and political party affiliation (Republican vs. Democrat) predict cooperation with a partner who self-identifies as Republican or Democrat in two samples before (n = 362) and after (n = 366) the 2012 US presidential election. Liberals show slightly more concern for their partners’ outcomes compared to conservatives (study 1), and in study 2 this relation is supported by a meta-analysis (r = .15). However, in study 1, political ideology did not relate to cooperation in general. Both Republicans and Democrats extend more cooperation to their in-group relative to the out-group, and this is explained by expectations of cooperation from in-group versus out-group members. We discuss the relation between political ideology and cooperation within and between groups. PMID:29593363

Formation, “Gold Rule” for the cooperative development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alcides López Labrada

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Before the arising of the cooperative movement in the world, cooperation already existed. So, it is logical to affirm that there can be cooperation without cooperative movement. But there cannot be cooperative movement without cooperation, because cooperation is an indispensable premise for the existence of cooperative movement. Both the precursors of the cooperative movement and the classics of Marxism agreed on the necessity of cooperative formation. Lenin called socialism “the regime of cultured cooperators” and the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA contemplated the following, among the seven universal principles of the cooperative movement: education, formation and training of cooperative members, as one of the most important and strategic principles. They have been recognized as the golden rule of the cooperative movement. The changes occurred in Cuba (the existence and evolution of different types of cooperatives, the updating of the economic model, the dynamics of the agrarian sector and the opening of the cooperative movement towards other sectors of the National Economy fully justify the achievement of a cooperative culture, not only of cooperative members but also the actors that perform around cooperatives, the decision- makers and all society. Among the most significant proposals for the achievement of a cooperative culture in Cuba the following can be found: to integrate the different actors that participate in the cooperative formation by means of a national network for cooperative formation by identifying the training demand and training the people that should really implement the change, while building capacities of all the individuals involved in the cooperative movement in a direct or indirect way.

Technical Co-operation Report for 1996. Report by the Director General

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The Agency's Technical Cooperation (TC) Programme made further progress during 1996 in implementing recent initiatives to strengthen efficiency and effectiveness. These initiatives seek to maximize the developmental contribution of counterpart institutions by emphasizing the management of technology to solve social and economic problems. The new direction has been embodied in the term ''Partners in Development''. The Partners in Development approach is reflected in last year's Report to the Board of Governors and the General Conference on Strengthening of the Agency's Technical Co-operation Activities, which provided an update on ongoing activities and elaborated new initiatives. The 1995 Technical Cooperation Report focused on the progress in implementing these initiatives. Next year, the Secretariat plans to combine the TC Report with the Report on Strengthening of the Agency's Technical Co-operation Activities in order to improve the clarity, consistency and economy of these presentations. Establishing a development partnership with Member States is the central goal of a new Strategy for TC. The refinement of this strategy required considerable effort during 1996, when the process first began to define objectives, targets and the means of accomplishing them. Alongside internal consultations, the role of SAGTAC became instrumental in reaching consensus on the main elements of the strategy. Future efforts include the formulation of implementation plans for the strategy. Once completed, the strategy will be presented to the TACC and Board in 1997. Reflecting these developments, section A of this Report presents the basic features of the TC Strategy, and the approach to be taken to achieve its objectives. The Strategy addresses among others the recommendations contained in resolution GC(40)/RES/13 on the Strengthening of Technical Co-operation: activities to improve the scientific and technological capabilities of developing countries; to achieve sustainable

Hierarchy is Detrimental for Human Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, Katherine A; Acheson, Daniel J; Hernández, Penélope; Sánchez, Angel

2015-12-22

Studies of animal behavior consistently demonstrate that the social environment impacts cooperation, yet the effect of social dynamics has been largely excluded from studies of human cooperation. Here, we introduce a novel approach inspired by nonhuman primate research to address how social hierarchies impact human cooperation. Participants competed to earn hierarchy positions and then could cooperate with another individual in the hierarchy by investing in a common effort. Cooperation was achieved if the combined investments exceeded a threshold, and the higher ranked individual distributed the spoils unless control was contested by the partner. Compared to a condition lacking hierarchy, cooperation declined in the presence of a hierarchy due to a decrease in investment by lower ranked individuals. Furthermore, hierarchy was detrimental to cooperation regardless of whether it was earned or arbitrary. These findings mirror results from nonhuman primates and demonstrate that hierarchies are detrimental to cooperation. However, these results deviate from nonhuman primate findings by demonstrating that human behavior is responsive to changing hierarchical structures and suggests partnership dynamics that may improve cooperation. This work introduces a controlled way to investigate the social influences on human behavior, and demonstrates the evolutionary continuity of human behavior with other primate species.

Partial Cooperative Equilibria: Existence and Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandine Ghintran

2010-09-01

Full Text Available We study the solution concepts of partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibria and partial cooperative Stackelberg equilibria. The partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibrium is axiomatically characterized by using notions of rationality, consistency and converse consistency with regard to reduced games. We also establish sufficient conditions for which partial cooperative Cournot-Nash equilibria and partial cooperative Stackelberg equilibria exist in supermodular games. Finally, we provide an application to strategic network formation where such solution concepts may be useful.

Cooperative Learning in Elementary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Slavin, Robert E.

2015-01-01

Cooperative learning refers to instructional methods in which students work in small groups to help each other learn. Although cooperative learning methods are used for different age groups, they are particularly popular in elementary (primary) schools. This article discusses methods and theoretical perspectives on cooperative learning for the…

Gasification Studies Task 4 Topical Report, Utah Clean Coal Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whitty, Kevin [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Fletcher, Thomas [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Pugmire, Ronald [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Smith, Philip [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Sutherland, James [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Thornock, Jeremy [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Hunsacker, Isaac [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Li, Suhui [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Kelly, Kerry [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Puntai, Naveen [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Reid, Charles [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States); Schurtz, Randy [Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

2011-10-01

A key objective of the Task 4 activities has been to develop simulation tools to support development, troubleshooting and optimization of pressurized entrained-flow coal gasifiers. The overall gasifier models (Subtask 4.1) combine submodels for fluid flow (Subtask 4.2) and heat transfer (Subtask 4.3) with fundamental understanding of the chemical (Subtask 4.4) and physical (Subtask 4.5) processes that take place as coal particles are converted to synthesis gas and slag. However, it is important to be able to compare predictions from the models against data obtained from actual operating coal gasifiers, and Subtask 4.6 aims to provide an accessible, non-proprietary system, which can be operated over a wide range of conditions to provide well-characterized data for model validation.

Nuclear energy and international cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oshima, Keiichi

1981-01-01

There is no need to emphasize that nuclear energy cannot be developed without international cooperation at either the industrial or the academic level. In the meanwhile, there have been some marked political, economic and social changes in recent years which are posing constraints to the international cooperation in nuclear energy. The problems and constraints impeding nuclear power programs cannot be overcome by only one nation; international cooperation with common efforts to solve the problems is essential. Nuclear energy is different from fossil energy resources in that it is highly technology-intensive while others are resource-intensive. International cooperation in technology has an entirely different importance in the field of nuclear energy. Educational institutions will play a role in a new era of the international cooperation. (Mori, K.)

Transparency in Cooperative Online Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dalsgaard, Christian; Paulsen, Morten Flate

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss the following question: What is the potential of social networking within cooperative online education? Social networking does not necessarily involve communication, dialogue, or collaboration. Instead, the authors argue that transparency is a unique...... feature of social networking services. Transparency gives students insight into each other’s actions. Cooperative learning seeks to develop virtual learning environments that allow students to have optimal individual freedom within online learning communities. This article demonstrates how cooperative...... learning can be supported by transparency. To illustrate this with current examples, the article presents NKI Distance Education’s surveys and experiences with cooperative learning. The article discusses by which means social networking and transparency may be utilized within cooperative online education...

Cooperation: the foundation of improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Clemmer, T P; Spuhler, V J; Berwick, D M; Nolan, T W

1998-06-15

Cooperation--working together to produce mutual benefit or attain a common purpose--is almost inseparable from the quest for improvement. Although the case for cooperation can be made on ethical grounds, neither the motivation for nor the effects of cooperation need to be interpreted solely in terms of altruism. Cooperation can be a shrewd and pragmatic strategy for accomplishing personal goals in an interdependent system. Earlier papers in this series have explored the conceptual roots of modern approaches to improvement, which lie in systems theory. To improve systems, we must usually attend first and foremost to interactions. Among humans, "better interaction" is almost synonymous with "better cooperation." Physicians have ample opportunities and, indeed, an obligation to cooperate with other physicians in the same or different specialties, with nurses and other clinical workers, with administrators, and with patients and families. Many intellectual disciplines have made cooperation an object of study. These include anthropology; social psychology; genetics; biology; mathematics; game theory; linguistics; operations research; economics; and, of course, moral and rational philosophy. Scientifically grounded methods to enhance cooperation include developing a shared purpose; creating an open, safe environment; including all who share a common purpose and encouraging diverse viewpoints; negotiating agreement; and insisting on fairness and equity in the application of rules. These methods apply at the organizational level and at the level of the individual physician. This paper describes the application of these methods at the organizational level and focuses on one especially successful example of system-level cooperation in a care delivery site where interactions matter a great deal: the modern intensive care unit.

The European cooperative approach to securing critical information infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Purser, Steve

2011-10-01

This paper provides an overview of the EU approach to securing critical information infrastructure, as defined in the Action Plan contained in the Commission Communication of March 2009, entitled 'Protecting Europe from large-scale cyber-attacks and disruptions: enhancing preparedness, security and resilience' and further elaborated by the Communication of May 2011 on critical Information infrastructure protection 'Achievements and next steps: towards global cyber-security'. After explaining the need for pan-European cooperation in this area, the CIIP Action Plan is explained in detail. Finally, the current state of progress is summarised together with the proposed next steps.

Does intuition cause cooperation?

Science.gov (United States)

Verkoeijen, Peter P J L; Bouwmeester, Samantha

2014-01-01

Recently, researchers claimed that people are intuitively inclined to cooperate with reflection causing them to behave selfishly. Empirical support for this claim came from experiments using a 4-player public goods game with a marginal return of 0.5 showing that people contributed more money to a common project when they had to decide quickly (i.e., a decision based on intuition) than when they were instructed to reflect and decide slowly. This intuitive-cooperation effect is of high scientific and practical importance because it argues against a central assumption of traditional economic and evolutionary models. The first experiment of present study was set up to examine the generality of the intuitive-cooperation effect and to further validate the experimental task producing the effect. In Experiment 1, we investigated Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) workers' contributions to a 4-player public goods game with a marginal return of 0.5 while we manipulated the knowledge about the other players' contribution to the public goods game (contribution known vs. contribution unknown), the identity of the other players (humans vs. computers randomly generating contributions) and the time constraint (time pressure/intuition vs. forced delay/reflection). However, the results of Experiment 1 failed to reveal an intuitive-cooperation effect. Furthermore, four subsequent direct replications attempts with AMT workers (Experiments 2a, 2b, 2c and Experiment 3, which was conducted with naïve/inexperienced participants) also failed to demonstrate intuitive-cooperation effects. Taken together, the results of the present study could not corroborate the idea that people are intuitively cooperative, hence suggesting that the theoretical relationship between intuition and cooperation should be further scrutinized.

Does intuition cause cooperation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter P J L Verkoeijen

Full Text Available Recently, researchers claimed that people are intuitively inclined to cooperate with reflection causing them to behave selfishly. Empirical support for this claim came from experiments using a 4-player public goods game with a marginal return of 0.5 showing that people contributed more money to a common project when they had to decide quickly (i.e., a decision based on intuition than when they were instructed to reflect and decide slowly. This intuitive-cooperation effect is of high scientific and practical importance because it argues against a central assumption of traditional economic and evolutionary models. The first experiment of present study was set up to examine the generality of the intuitive-cooperation effect and to further validate the experimental task producing the effect. In Experiment 1, we investigated Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT workers' contributions to a 4-player public goods game with a marginal return of 0.5 while we manipulated the knowledge about the other players' contribution to the public goods game (contribution known vs. contribution unknown, the identity of the other players (humans vs. computers randomly generating contributions and the time constraint (time pressure/intuition vs. forced delay/reflection. However, the results of Experiment 1 failed to reveal an intuitive-cooperation effect. Furthermore, four subsequent direct replications attempts with AMT workers (Experiments 2a, 2b, 2c and Experiment 3, which was conducted with naïve/inexperienced participants also failed to demonstrate intuitive-cooperation effects. Taken together, the results of the present study could not corroborate the idea that people are intuitively cooperative, hence suggesting that the theoretical relationship between intuition and cooperation should be further scrutinized.

Chromodynamics of cooperation in finite populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arne Traulsen

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The basic idea of tag-based models for cooperation is that individuals recognize each other via arbitrary signals, so-called tags. If there are tags of different colors, then cooperators can always establish new signals of recognition. The resulting "chromodynamics" is a mechanism for the evolution of cooperation. Cooperators use a secret tag until they are discovered by defectors who then destroy cooperation based on this tag. Subsequently, a fraction of the population manages to establish cooperation based on a new tag.We derive a mathematical description of stochastic evolutionary dynamics of tag-based cooperation in populations of finite size. Benefit and cost of cooperation are given by b and c. We find that cooperators are more abundant than defectors if b/c > 1+2u/v, where u is the mutation rate changing only the strategy and v is the mutation rate changing strategy and tag. We study specific assumptions for u and v in two genetic models and one cultural model.In a genetic model, tag-based cooperation only evolves if a gene encodes both strategy and tag. In a cultural model with equal mutation rates between all possible phenotypes (tags and behaviors, the crucial condition is b/c > (K+1/(K-1, where K is the number of tags. A larger number of tags requires a smaller benefit-to-cost ratio. In the limit of many different tags, the condition for cooperators to have a higher average abundance than defectors becomes b > c.

The governance of cooperative societies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaiza Juanes Sobradillo

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The present work aims to expose the appropriate legislation for cooperative societies to which Article 129 of the Spanish Constitution refers, deepen the analysis of the organs of management and control based on the Spanish and Basque Laws on Cooperatives and the Statute for the European Cooperative Societies.

Does facial resemblance enhance cooperation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Trang Giang

Full Text Available Facial self-resemblance has been proposed to serve as a kinship cue that facilitates cooperation between kin. In the present study, facial resemblance was manipulated by morphing stimulus faces with the participants' own faces or control faces (resulting in self-resemblant or other-resemblant composite faces. A norming study showed that the perceived degree of kinship was higher for the participants and the self-resemblant composite faces than for actual first-degree relatives. Effects of facial self-resemblance on trust and cooperation were tested in a paradigm that has proven to be sensitive to facial trustworthiness, facial likability, and facial expression. First, participants played a cooperation game in which the composite faces were shown. Then, likability ratings were assessed. In a source memory test, participants were required to identify old and new faces, and were asked to remember whether the faces belonged to cooperators or cheaters in the cooperation game. Old-new recognition was enhanced for self-resemblant faces in comparison to other-resemblant faces. However, facial self-resemblance had no effects on the degree of cooperation in the cooperation game, on the emotional evaluation of the faces as reflected in the likability judgments, and on the expectation that a face belonged to a cooperator rather than to a cheater. Therefore, the present results are clearly inconsistent with the assumption of an evolved kin recognition module built into the human face recognition system.

CONTEMPORARY FEATURES OF COOPERATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND KAZAKHSTAN IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Э Р Бурангулов

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article reveals and compares the features and trends of the public policy in the sphere of higher education in Russia and Kazakhstan on the materials of programs, concepts, regulations and speeches of officials in the sphere of educational cooperation. The general factors defining orientation of such inter-action (following to the Bologna agreement and orientation to reconstruction of uniform educational space and also particular factors are allocated (decentralization and aspiration to nation-building in Kazakhstan, centralization of an education system in Russia. Such problem as transformation of the Bologna system into the channel of recruiting by the leading countries of the most successful and perspective university graduates of Russia and Kazakhstan is accented. The main bilateral educational projects are considered: Network University of the CIS and University of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Two main conclusions are drawn. First, that orientation to the Bo-logna system became the response to changes of social installations and economic situation in the world. Second, such development and the actual strategies of public policy in the sphere of educational cooperation need to be adjusted in accordance with national traditions with the aim of preserving and enhancing the ac-cumulated intellectual, scientific and technical, cultural potential and sustainable socio-political development of Russia and Kazakhstan.

Cooperative Tagging Center (CTC)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Cooperative Tagging Center (CTC) began as the Cooperative Game Fish Tagging Program (GTP) at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in 1954. The GTP was...

Astronaut Gordon Cooper during flight tests

Science.gov (United States)

1963-01-01

Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper, prime pilot for the Mercury-Atlas 9 mission, relaxes while waiting for weight and balance tests to begin (03974); Cooper prior to entering the Mercury Spacecraft for a series of simulated flight tests. During these tests NASA doctors, engineers and technicians monitor Cooper's performance (03975); Cooper undergoing suit pressurization tests (03976).

26 CFR 1.1382-3 - Taxable income of cooperatives; special deductions for exempt farmers' cooperatives.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... deductions for exempt farmers' cooperatives. 1.1382-3 Section 1.1382-3 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE... Patrons § 1.1382-3 Taxable income of cooperatives; special deductions for exempt farmers' cooperatives. (a) In general. (1) Section 1382(c) provides that in determining the taxable income of a farmers', fruit...

[Psychodynamics in organisation and cooperation of child and adolescents institutions].

Science.gov (United States)

Fliedl, Rainer; Sevecke, Kathrin

2017-09-01

According to underlying law (Krankenanstaltengesetz) the internal structure of Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) represents a matrix structure, defining formal roles and tasks of the personel. In contrast, external cooperation is defined in several different laws. Furthermore, patients and their systems are exhibiting a high tensional potential. These different influences can cause more or less severe enmeshments. Thus, during the treatment of this patients it is necessary to take into account the possibility of these enmeshments. It should be answered by special forms of care of the relationship between professionals and families. These special forms of relational care can be delivered by clear organizational structures and must undergo reflective processes on a regular basis. The planning and delivery of those structures is clearly seen as a central responsibility of the management of a CAP-Department.

The Cooperative Education as central axis for the integral Formation in the cooperative sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iriadna Marín de León

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The cooperative constitutes one of the most important sectors in the economy in any economic formation - social, its fundamental cell is the man's integral development who should be capable for, from a reflexive and creative position, to assume the challenges that it implies an efficient and effective administration in function of the cooperative company. It is the educational dimension in cooperative values the key for the future, conceived in a systematic way and assuming an appropriate methodological conception. In this perspective, leaving of the theoretical foundation of the administration of the human resources in general, he intends to be carried out an integral analysis of the formation processes and education for the cooperative with the purpose of valuing the central aspects of this thematic one, leaving of the fact that the education constitutes the medullary element that leads to a true cooperative formation.

China-Africa: New Directions of Cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L V Ponomarenko

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the policy of fifth generation of Chinese leadership with regard to African states. The article deals with the concept of “Chinese Dream”, which was first declared in Africa, an innovative model of international cooperation in the framework of the formation of “economic zone of the Silk Road”. The authors reveal three basic directions of cooperation - political, economic and humanitarian cooperation. Political cooperation is characterized by the activation of mutual visits at the highest level, the interaction in the framework of the UN General Assembly, participation in UN peacekeeping operations. Economic cooperation is characterized by the activation of bilateral trade, the transition to a “modernized version of” investment cooperation, implementation of the strategy of “going abroad” of Chinese products, imports of natural resources from Africa, creating jobs for the local population, financing of infrastructure projects, the transfer of labor-intensive industries in Africa. Humanitarian cooperation includes training program for Africa, the implementation of the Sino-African programs, technology partnerships, research and exchange, and the China-Africa Forum “Think Tank”. Cooperation in health care also plays an important role. The authors note that the new Chinese leadership declares transition to an upgraded version of the Sino-African cooperation.

Hierarchy is Detrimental for Human Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, Katherine A.; Acheson, Daniel J.; Hernández, Penélope; Sánchez, Angel

2015-01-01

Studies of animal behavior consistently demonstrate that the social environment impacts cooperation, yet the effect of social dynamics has been largely excluded from studies of human cooperation. Here, we introduce a novel approach inspired by nonhuman primate research to address how social hierarchies impact human cooperation. Participants competed to earn hierarchy positions and then could cooperate with another individual in the hierarchy by investing in a common effort. Cooperation was achieved if the combined investments exceeded a threshold, and the higher ranked individual distributed the spoils unless control was contested by the partner. Compared to a condition lacking hierarchy, cooperation declined in the presence of a hierarchy due to a decrease in investment by lower ranked individuals. Furthermore, hierarchy was detrimental to cooperation regardless of whether it was earned or arbitrary. These findings mirror results from nonhuman primates and demonstrate that hierarchies are detrimental to cooperation. However, these results deviate from nonhuman primate findings by demonstrating that human behavior is responsive to changing hierarchical structures and suggests partnership dynamics that may improve cooperation. This work introduces a controlled way to investigate the social influences on human behavior, and demonstrates the evolutionary continuity of human behavior with other primate species. PMID:26692287

SIMULATED HUMAN ERROR PROBABILITY AND ITS APPLICATION TO DYNAMIC HUMAN FAILURE EVENTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herberger, Sarah M.; Boring, Ronald L.

2016-10-01

Abstract Objectives: Human reliability analysis (HRA) methods typically analyze human failure events (HFEs) at the overall task level. For dynamic HRA, it is important to model human activities at the subtask level. There exists a disconnect between dynamic subtask level and static task level that presents issues when modeling dynamic scenarios. For example, the SPAR-H method is typically used to calculate the human error probability (HEP) at the task level. As demonstrated in this paper, quantification in SPAR-H does not translate to the subtask level. Methods: Two different discrete distributions were generated for each SPAR-H Performance Shaping Factor (PSF) to define the frequency of PSF levels. The first distribution was a uniform, or uninformed distribution that assumed the frequency of each PSF level was equally likely. The second non-continuous distribution took the frequency of PSF level as identified from an assessment of the HERA database. These two different approaches were created to identify the resulting distribution of the HEP. The resulting HEP that appears closer to the known distribution, a log-normal centered on 1E-3, is the more desirable. Each approach then has median, average and maximum HFE calculations applied. To calculate these three values, three events, A, B and C are generated from the PSF level frequencies comprised of subtasks. The median HFE selects the median PSF level from each PSF and calculates HEP. The average HFE takes the mean PSF level, and the maximum takes the maximum PSF level. The same data set of subtask HEPs yields starkly different HEPs when aggregated to the HFE level in SPAR-H. Results: Assuming that each PSF level in each HFE is equally likely creates an unrealistic distribution of the HEP that is centered at 1. Next the observed frequency of PSF levels was applied with the resulting HEP behaving log-normally with a majority of the values under 2.5% HEP. The median, average and maximum HFE calculations did yield

Exploring Hope, Self-Efficacy, Procrastination, and Study Skills between Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Education Students

Science.gov (United States)

Drysdale, Maureen T. B.; McBeath, Margaret

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between participation in cooperative education, and several psychological constructs believed to be related to success in both academic and professional settings. Participants, undergraduate cooperative (n = 1224) and non-cooperative education (n = 746) students in all years of study and from…

Nordic Energy Policy Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Birte Holst

2016-01-01

Brundtland Commission Report, and climate change became a common concern. Energy technology cooperation was an integral part of Nordic energy policy cooperation from the very beginning. The Nordic Energy Research Programme was established with funding from each of the Nordic countries, and was earmarked...... by a committee of senior officials and a secretariat. This was characterised by an incremental development of the cooperation based on consensus, mutual understanding and trust facilitated through exchange of experiences, work groups, seminars, educational activities and mobility schemes for energy policy...

Gasification Studies Task 4 Topical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Whitty, Kevin; Fletcher, Thomas; Pugmire, Ronald; Smith, Philip; Sutherland, James; Thornock, Jeremy; Boshayeshi, Babak; Hunsacker, Isaac; Lewis, Aaron; Waind, Travis; Kelly, Kerry

2014-02-01

A key objective of the Task 4 activities has been to develop simulation tools to support development, troubleshooting and optimization of pressurized entrained-flow coal gasifiers. The overall gasifier models (Subtask 4.1) combine submodels for fluid flow (Subtask 4.2) and heat transfer (Subtask 4.3) with fundamental understanding of the chemical processes (Subtask 4.4) processes that take place as coal particles are converted to synthesis gas and slag. However, it is important to be able to compare predictions from the models against data obtained from actual operating coal gasifiers, and Subtask 4.6 aims to provide an accessible, non-proprietary system, which can be operated over a wide range of conditions to provide well-characterized data for model validation. Highlights of this work include: • Verification and validation activities performed with the Arches coal gasification simulation tool on experimental data from the CANMET gasifier (Subtask 4.1). • The simulation of multiphase reacting flows with coal particles including detailed gas-phase chemistry calculations using an extension of the one-dimensional turbulence model’s capability (Subtask 4.2). • The demonstration and implementation of the Reverse Monte Carlo ray tracing (RMCRT) radiation algorithm in the ARCHES code (Subtask 4.3). • Determination of steam and CO{sub 2} gasification kinetics of bituminous coal chars at high temperature and elevated pressure under entrained-flow conditions (Subtask 4.4). In addition, attempts were made to gain insight into the chemical structure differences between young and mature coal soot, but both NMR and TEM characterization efforts were hampered by the highly reacted nature of the soot. • The development, operation, and demonstration of in-situ gas phase measurements from the University of Utah’s pilot-scale entrained-flow coal gasifier (EFG) (Subtask 4.6). This subtask aimed at acquiring predictable, consistent performance and characterizing the

Hormonal mechanisms of cooperative behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Marta C.; Bshary, Redouan; Fusani, Leonida; Goymann, Wolfgang; Hau, Michaela; Hirschenhauser, Katharina; Oliveira, Rui F.

2010-01-01

Research on the diversity, evolution and stability of cooperative behaviour has generated a considerable body of work. As concepts simplify the real world, theoretical solutions are typically also simple. Real behaviour, in contrast, is often much more diverse. Such diversity, which is increasingly acknowledged to help in stabilizing cooperative outcomes, warrants detailed research about the proximate mechanisms underlying decision-making. Our aim here is to focus on the potential role of neuroendocrine mechanisms on the regulation of the expression of cooperative behaviour in vertebrates. We first provide a brief introduction into the neuroendocrine basis of social behaviour. We then evaluate how hormones may influence known cognitive modules that are involved in decision-making processes that may lead to cooperative behaviour. Based on this evaluation, we will discuss specific examples of how hormones may contribute to the variability of cooperative behaviour at three different levels: (i) within an individual; (ii) between individuals and (iii) between species. We hope that these ideas spur increased research on the behavioural endocrinology of cooperation. PMID:20679116

Recent characterizations of generalized convexity in convexity in cooperative game thoery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Driessen, T.

1994-12-31

The notion of convexity for a real-valued function on the power set of the finite set N (the so-called cooperative game with player set N) is defined as in other mathematical fields. The study of convexity plays an important role within the field of cooperative game theory because the application of the solution part of game theory to convex games provides elegant results for the solution concepts involved. Especially, the well known solution concept called core is, for convex games, very well characterized. The current paper focuses on a notion of generalized convexity, called k- convexity, for cooperative n-person games. Due to very recent characterizations of convexity for cooperative games, the goal is to provide similar new characterizations of k-convexity. The main characterization states that for the k-convexity of an n-person game it is both necessary and sufficient that half of all the so-called marginal worth vectors belong to the core of the game. Here it is taken into account whether a marginal worth vector corresponds to an even or odd ordering of k elements of the n-person player set N. Another characterization of k-convexity is presented in terms of a so-called finite min-modular decomposition. That is, some specific cover game of a k-convex game can be decomposed as the minimum of a finite number of modular (or additive) games. Finally it is established that the k-convexity of a game can be characterized in terms of the second order partial derivates of the so-called multilinear extension of the game.

Work in progress on fatigue of welded structures in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Samuelsson, Jack; Haagensen, Per; Agerskov, Henning

2006-01-01

Close international cooperation has been an important characteristic of the research on fatigue of welded structures in the Nordic countries. Cooperative projects were initiated already in the mid-1980's and have continued for nearly 20 years. This report is by no means exhaustive of all the work...... Welded Structures, which is partially funded by the Nordic Innovation Centre and numerous national funding agencies. The project has 10 industry companies, 5 universities and one research centre as partners....... on fatigue of welded structures progressing in this region, but it does provide a cross-section of those activities that has been brought to the attention of the national societies. Several of the issues reported here represent sub-tasks within the project Q-FAB: Quality and Cost of Fabricated Advanced......Close international cooperation has been an important characteristic of the research on fatigue of welded structures in the Nordic countries. Cooperative projects were initiated already in the mid-1980's and have continued for nearly 20 years. This report is by no means exhaustive of all the work...

Forestry cooperatives: past and present

Science.gov (United States)

Mark G. Rickenbach

2006-01-01

Forest landowner cooperatives are not a new phenomenon, but past efforts to create and sustain these businesses have been largely unsuccessful in the U.S. Before and just after World War II saw significant investment in cooperative development that failed to create durable business. The purpose of this chapter is to briefly describe the history of forestry cooperatives...

Cooperative Bacterial Foraging Optimization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanning Chen

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BFO is a novel optimization algorithm based on the social foraging behavior of E. coli bacteria. This paper presents a variation on the original BFO algorithm, namely, the Cooperative Bacterial Foraging Optimization (CBFO, which significantly improve the original BFO in solving complex optimization problems. This significant improvement is achieved by applying two cooperative approaches to the original BFO, namely, the serial heterogeneous cooperation on the implicit space decomposition level and the serial heterogeneous cooperation on the hybrid space decomposition level. The experiments compare the performance of two CBFO variants with the original BFO, the standard PSO and a real-coded GA on four widely used benchmark functions. The new method shows a marked improvement in performance over the original BFO and appears to be comparable with the PSO and GA.

Signaling emotion and reason in cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Emma E; Barasch, Alixandra; Rand, David; Berman, Jonathan Z; Small, Deborah A

2018-05-01

We explore the signal value of emotion and reason in human cooperation. Across four experiments utilizing dyadic prisoner dilemma games, we establish three central results. First, individuals infer prosocial feelings and motivations from signals of emotion. As a result, individuals believe that a reliance on emotion signals that one will cooperate more so than a reliance on reason. Second, these beliefs are generally accurate-those who act based on emotion are more likely to cooperate than those who act based on reason. Third, individuals' behavioral responses towards signals of emotion and reason depend on their own decision mode: those who rely on emotion tend to conditionally cooperate (that is, cooperate only when they believe that their partner has cooperated), whereas those who rely on reason tend to defect regardless of their partner's signal. These findings shed light on how different decision processes, and lay theories about decision processes, facilitate and impede cooperation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

¿EXISTE UNA CULTURA COOPERATIVA ORGANIZACIONAL EN TRABAJADORES COOPERATIVISTAS Y NO COOPERATIVISTAS?/IS THERE A CULTURE IN ORGANIZATIONAL COOPERATIVE WORKERS COOPERATIVES AND NO COOPERATIVES?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco DIAZ BRETONES

2009-01-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se explora si el tipo de cultura cooperativa influye en la estructura de valores personales. Asumiendo que los valores son elementos cambiantes, hipotetizamos que aquellas personas que trabajan en cooperativas desarrollarán perfiles de valores más colectivistas que otros trabajadores de empresas no cooperativas, de manera que la cooperativa tendría una función formativa y de conformación en el desarrollo de valores más colectivistas hacia todos sus integrantes, frete a otro tipo de empresas. Para estudiar este problema de investigación, llevamos a cabo una investigación en dos empresas cooperativas y otras dos no cooperativas. En total se recogieron 148 cuestionarios (74 de trabajadores de cooperativas y 74 de no cooperativas. Los resultados muestran como ambos grupos poseen diferencias significativas aunque no el sentido esperado. /In this work it is explored if the type of cooperative culture influences the structure of personal values. Assuming that the values are changeable elements, suppose that those persons who are employed at cooperatives will develop profiles of more collectivist values than other workpeople of not cooperative companies, so that the cooperative would have a formative function in the development of the most collectivist values towards all his members, opposite to another type of companies. To study this investigation problem, we carry out an investigation in two cooperative companies and other two not co-operatives. In whole there were gathered 148 questionnaires (74 of workpeople of cooperatives and 74 of not cooperatives.The results show both groups possess significant differences although not the awaited ones.

Cooperative Mobile Web Browsing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perrucci, GP; Fitzek, FHP; Zhang, Qi

2009-01-01

This paper advocates a novel approach for mobile web browsing based on cooperation among wireless devices within close proximity operating in a cellular environment. In the actual state of the art, mobile phones can access the web using different cellular technologies. However, the supported data......-range links can then be used for cooperative mobile web browsing. By implementing the cooperative web browsing on commercial mobile phones, it will be shown that better performance is achieved in terms of increased data rate and therefore reduced access times, resulting in a significantly enhanced web...

Cooperation, trust and confidence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Korver, T.; Oeij, P.R.A.; Urze, P.C.G.D.

2007-01-01

Environmental complexity may strain cooperative relationships, both within and beyond organizations, for two reasons. First, when complexity implies uncertainty the predictability of change disappears. Secondly, change may and often will entail different estimates of the cooperating partners on the

Tax cooperation among member states of European Union and Directive on administrative cooperation in the field of taxation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josimovski Aleksandar G.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Countries have possibility to choose between several alternatives for cooperation in international tax matters at global level. They can decide not to cooperate or provide some form of tax cooperation. Because of harmful tax competition among countries and efforts of international organizations, all countries in the world are oblidged to comply with one of multiple alternatives for tax cooperation. Situation in European Union (hereinafter EU is specific. EU is not country or classic international organization. By the reason of its successful functioning, EU has need for tax cooperation. EU has attempted to harmonise tax policies of member states, but member states did not approve that. Only indirect taxes are harmonized on EU level, direct taxes are harmonized only to the point necessarily for functioning of single market. That is why tax cooperation instruments are so important. Object of this paper are procedures and measures, stipulated by the most important instrument in the field of tax cooperation enacted by institutions of EU, its development and status in international tax law. Regulatives and directives in field of tax cooperation in the EU are 'pioneers' in tax matters. EU instruments provide standards which are subsequently accepted by several international organizations - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD and United Nations (UN. Our purpose is to present positive and negative aspects of tax cooperation in the EU. In time of crisis efficient tax cooperation provides higher revenues for the member states, on the other hand, taxpayers and tax administrations have increased expenses as result of tax cooperation which are not fairly distributed.

Cooperative Experimental System Development - cooperative techniques beyound initial design and analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk, Kaj; Kyng, Morten; Mogensen, Preben Holst

1995-01-01

This chapter represents a step towards the establishment of a new system development approach, called Cooperative Experimental System Development (CESD). CESD seeks to overcome a number of limitations in existing approaches: specification oriented methods usually assume that system design can....../design activities of development projects. In contrast, the CESD approach is characterized by its focus on: active user involvement throughout the entire development process; prototyping experiments closely coupled to work-situations and use-scenarios; transforming results from early cooperative analysis...... be based solely on observation and detached reflection; prototyping methods often have a narrow focus on the technical construction of various kinds of prototypes; Participatory Design techniques—including the Scandinavian Cooperative Design (CD) approaches—seldom go beyond the early analysis...

Social learning in cooperative dilemmas.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamba, Shakti

2014-07-22

Helping is a cornerstone of social organization and commonplace in human societies. A major challenge for the evolutionary sciences is to explain how cooperation is maintained in large populations with high levels of migration, conditions under which cooperators can be exploited by selfish individuals. Cultural group selection models posit that such large-scale cooperation evolves via selection acting on populations among which behavioural variation is maintained by the cultural transmission of cooperative norms. These models assume that individuals acquire cooperative strategies via social learning. This assumption remains empirically untested. Here, I test this by investigating whether individuals employ conformist or payoff-biased learning in public goods games conducted in 14 villages of a forager-horticulturist society, the Pahari Korwa of India. Individuals did not show a clear tendency to conform or to be payoff-biased and are highly variable in their use of social learning. This variation is partly explained by both individual and village characteristics. The tendency to conform decreases and to be payoff-biased increases as the value of the modal contribution increases. These findings suggest that the use of social learning in cooperative dilemmas is contingent on individuals' circumstances and environments, and question the existence of stably transmitted cultural norms of cooperation. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program. Environmental Studies and Testing (Phase V)

Science.gov (United States)

2000-11-20

development of an analytical procedure for toxic organic compounds, including TBT ( tributyltin ), whose turnaround time would be in the order of minutes...Cost of the Subtask was $20,000. Subtask #33 - Turnaround Analytical Method for TBT This Subtask performed a preliminary investigation leading to the...34Quick TBT Analytical Method" that will yield reliable results in 15 minutes, a veritable breakthrough in sampling technology. The Subtask was managed by

Reliability Improved Cooperative Communication over Wireless Sensor Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhuangbin Chen

2017-10-01

Full Text Available With the development of smart devices and connection technologies, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs are becoming increasingly intelligent. New or special functions can be obtained by receiving new versions of program codes to upgrade their software systems, forming the so-called smart Internet of Things (IoT. Due to the lossy property of wireless channels, data collection in WSNs still suffers from a long delay, high energy consumption, and many retransmissions. Thanks to wireless software-defined networks (WSDNs, software in sensors can now be updated to help them transmit data cooperatively, thereby achieving more reliable communication. In this paper, a Reliability Improved Cooperative Communication (RICC data collection scheme is proposed to improve the reliability of random-network-coding-based cooperative communications in multi-hop relay WSNs without reducing the network lifetime. In WSNs, sensors in different positions can have different numbers of packets to handle, resulting in the unbalanced energy consumption of the network. In particular, nodes in non-hotspot areas have up to 90% of their original energy remaining when the network dies. To efficiently use the residual energy, in RICC, high data transmission power is adopted in non-hotspot areas to achieve a higher reliability at the cost of large energy consumption, and relatively low transmission power is adopted in hotspot areas to maintain the long network lifetime. Therefore, high reliability and a long network lifetime can be obtained simultaneously. The simulation results show that compared with other scheme, RICC can reduce the end-to-end Message Fail delivering Ratio (MFR by 59.4%–62.8% under the same lifetime with a more balanced energy utilization.

Five Rules for the Evolution of Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Martin A.

2006-12-01

Cooperation is needed for evolution to construct new levels of organization. Genomes, cells, multicellular organisms, social insects, and human society are all based on cooperation. Cooperation means that selfish replicators forgo some of their reproductive potential to help one another. But natural selection implies competition and therefore opposes cooperation unless a specific mechanism is at work. Here I discuss five mechanisms for the evolution of cooperation: kin selection, direct reciprocity, indirect reciprocity, network reciprocity, and group selection. For each mechanism, a simple rule is derived that specifies whether natural selection can lead to cooperation.

West German nuclear politics: a study of international cooperative behavior

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Driscoll, R.F.

1983-01-01

This dissertation is an investigation of the motivations behind West German policies and behavior in the area of nuclear politics. It examines and attempts to explain this behavior using a taxonomy built around the factors of vulnerability, power, domestic support, and autonomy. These are called international cooperative behavior factors. Chapters I and II develop the taxonomy and define the factors in terms of the Federal Republic. Chapter III covers the period up through the functioning of the Nuclear Planning Group, while Chapter IV analyzes NATO's December 1979 modernization decision. The presentation is less chronological and more selective: it focuses on the four international cooperative behavior factors as explanatory concepts. Chapter V examines the utility of the taxonomy. It concludes that the factors of autonomy, domestic support and vulnerability appear to be key in understanding and predicting West German nuclear behavior. The chapter then studies the potential applicability of the taxonomy to other nations or issues. It concludes that the factors are very nation-specific, but they do in fact provide a useful classification and explanatory scheme

The Technology of Socio-Professional Students Training for International Cooperation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. V. Troynicova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The contemporary development of the national system of higher education is accompanied by its large scale integration into the international scientific and educational environment. The young people’ effective integration into the global conglomerate of educational systems depends on successful mastering the international cooperation skills. Designing and implementing the integrative portfolio of educational technologies aimed at developing the corresponding competences are regarded as the key factors in solving the above mentioned problem.The paper presents the educational technology preparing students for international cooperation. Its aim and principles, subject-oriented and technology aspects are defined along with the diagnostic control activities. The methodology bases compiles the person-oriented, culture-oriented, communicative-functional approaches, which result in working out the personalized, subjectively functional, culture-creative methods and forms of training in the context of foreign language vocational education. The given technology was approbated at Udmurtskiy State University which resulted in upgrading the students’ foreign language competence and the growing numbers of participants in the international academic exchange programs.

MED Programme and transnational cooperation contributions to marine renewable energy in the Mediterranean area: What next?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javier Gomez Prieto

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The MED Programme is part of the EU Regional Policy and operates in the framework of the European Territorial Cooperation objective. In 2014, the MED Programme approved 14 thematic projects specifically targeted on maritime context with two of them addressing marine renewable energy and renewable energy in coastal areas: Bluene and Enercoast. These projects aim at contributing to the deployment of marine renewable energy technologies in the Mediterranean by gathering data, developing mapping activities, identifying policy gaps and addressing other obstacles hindering transnational cooperation potential. The objective of this article is to analyse the delivered results and outputs of these projects against the identified challenges and roadmap defined by the European Commission. Results were evaluated under a transferability and continuation approach applied to the period 2014–2020. This article also identifies and suggests ways in which transnational cooperation would enhance obtained results towards a higher implementation of marine renewable energy in the Mediterranean.

ITDB Cooperation With International Organizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

IAEA illicit trafficking database cooperates with many international organizations. Among these organizations are Interpol, Universal Postal Union,and World Customs Organization. Other organizations are Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, UN Economic Commission for Europe, UN-Department of Disarmament Affairs and UN office for Drug and Crime. The cooperation with Interpol involves consultations on issues of training and technical assistance and other matters of common interest.

Cooperation, compensation and transition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ju, Y.

2004-01-01

Cooperation and compensation are two important and well-linked issues in economics. The central question in cooperation is how to share the joint gains among participating players. Compensation is a specific aspect of surplus sharing problems providing incentives for agents to sacrifice their own

Industrial Buyer-Supplier Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Rasmus Friis

The dissertation considers industrial buyer-supplier cooperation from a systems and management perspective. The purpose is to discuss and elaborate on the buying company’s choice of cooperation strategy (governance mechanism). It is stated that no single governance mechanism will be the best in all...

The cooperation between family and school in cooperative education of children and youth in the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ELŻBIETA MAGIERA

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Pedagogical journalism and literature of the interwar period emphasised importance of the cooperation between family and school with respect to cooperative education of school-age children and youth. Cooperative education started usually in family through the formation of reason, will and emotions. Family home constituted a basic level of education and could repeatedly stimulate cooperative interests. Common work of the family at family farm or in craft or cottage industry business became the first school of cooperation and joint-action on which cooperative activity was based. Family home played a supporting part in the development of student cooperative. The acceptance of parents and their recognition, and sometimes their involvement in the work of student cooperation, were a form of encouragement for students and teachers for further activity of the cooperative. At the same time, student cooperative – in particular in rural areas – was a medium stimulating the parents of these students and the environment to cooperatistic actions. The social life of school was guided by the principle of convergence, i.e. its interpenetration and complementation by the family home and environment life. The idea of cooperation in the interwar educational system being accomplished in practice by means of student cooperatives had the possibilities of playing a very big part. This was determined by its broad application in educational activity of the Polish school as well as its understanding and acceptance by the family and environment. Important part was played by the tutor of student cooperative. His / her duty was to tighten the cooperation between student cooperative and family home which, on the one hand, ensured the understanding of teacher's actions and, on the other hand, provided material and moral assistance for the cooperative. At the same time, teacher – through student cooperative – could influence socially and educationally the family and

Aerospace engineering design by systematic decomposition and multilevel optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Sobieszczanski-Sobieski, J.; Barthelemy, J. F. M.; Giles, G. L.

1984-01-01

A method for systematic analysis and optimization of large engineering systems, by decomposition of a large task into a set of smaller subtasks that is solved concurrently is described. The subtasks may be arranged in hierarchical levels. Analyses are carried out in each subtask using inputs received from other subtasks, and are followed by optimizations carried out from the bottom up. Each optimization at the lower levels is augmented by analysis of its sensitivity to the inputs received from other subtasks to account for the couplings among the subtasks in a formal manner. The analysis and optimization operations alternate iteratively until they converge to a system design whose performance is maximized with all constraints satisfied. The method, which is still under development, is tentatively validated by test cases in structural applications and an aircraft configuration optimization.

Cognitive Load and Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Døssing, Felix Sebastian; Piovesan, Marco; Wengström, Erik Roland

2017-01-01

We study the effect of intuitive and reflective processes on cooperation using cognitive load. Compared with time constraint, which has been used in the previous literature, cognitive load is a more direct way to block reflective processes, and thus a more suitable way to study the link between...... intuition and cooperation. Using a repeated public goods game, we study the effect of different levels of cognitive load on contributions. We show that a higher cognitive load increases the initial level of cooperation. In particular, subjects are significantly less likely to fully free ride under high...... cognitive load....

Prospects for regional cooperation. Regional cooperation in remote monitoring for nuclear nonproliferation and transparency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, John

2006-01-01

The JAEA and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) have cooperated for a decade in development and testing of remote monitoring technologies in support of international safeguards. With this technology approaching maturity, the JAEA/SNL partnership now envisions regional cooperation to use these technologies to advance nuclear transparency and strengthen nonproliferation, as well. This presentation summarizes the technical evolution and notes the opportunity for regional cooperation to include institutions in the ROK, as well as Japan and the US. (author)

Territorial Cooperation With Non-Eu Regions

OpenAIRE

Rodriguez-Cohard, Juan Carlos; Alfonso, Javier; Vázquez-Barquero, Antonio

2012-01-01

TERRITORIAL COOPERATION WITH NON-EU REGIONS Territorial Cooperation (TC) has been possible because there is a trajectory of many years of work invested by the local actors, participants who have become the architects of TC through the city or region involved. Transcontinental cooperation as studied by the European Union TERCO project is providing important lessons for understanding TC. The purpose of the presentation is to analyze the Andalusian-North of Morocco territorial cooperation during...

Pathway To Low-Carbon Lignite Utilization; U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FE0024233

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kay, John [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Stanislowski, Joshua [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Tolbert, Scott [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Fiala, Nathan [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Patel, Nikhil [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States); Laumb, Jason [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States)

2017-05-31

typically used. Their performance was good, and they may be good candidates for medium-pressure gasifiers, but much more scale-up work is needed. Next-generation power cycles are currently being developed and show promise for high efficiency, and the utilization of supercritical CO₂ to drive a turbine could significantly increase cycle efficiency over traditional steam cycles. The EERC evaluated pressurized oxy-combustion technology from the standpoint of CO₂ purification. If impurities can be removed, the costs for CO₂ capture can be lowered significantly over postcombustion capture systems. Impurity removal consisted of a simple water scrubber referred to as the DeSNO_x process. The process worked well, but corrosion management is crucial to its success. A model of this process was constructed. Finally, an integrated gasification combined-cycle (IGCC) system model, developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was modified to allow for the modeling of membrane systems in the IGCC process. This modified model was used to provide an assessment of the costs of membrane use at full scale. An economic estimation indicated a 14% reduction in cost for CO₂ separation over the SELEXOL™ process. This subtask was funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FE0024233. Nonfederal sponsors for this project were the North Dakota Industrial Commission, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, and Allete, Inc. (including BNI Coal and Minnesota Power).

Theoretical and methodological bases of the cooperation and the cooperative

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Alberto Rivera Rodríguez

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The present work has the purpose to approach the theoretical and methodological foundations of the rise of the cooperatives. In this article are studied the logical antecedents of the cooperativism, the premises  establish by  the Industrial Revolution for the emergence of the first modern cooperative “The Pioneers of Rochdale”  that  is  the inflection point of  cooperativism, until analyzing the contributions of the whole thinking  of the time that maintain this process.

Power, Profits, and Politics: Energy Security and Cooperation in Eurasia

Science.gov (United States)

Svyatets, Ekaterina

This study explores varying outcomes of energy cooperation, defined as diplomatic relations, bilateral trade, and investment in oil and natural gas. Tests of theories pertinent to energy security - broadly speaking, realism, liberalism, and domestic politics---reveal that they alone can offer only a narrow and one-sided explanation, not embracing the complexity of energy issues. Nevertheless, using them as a starting point, this study outlined a structured framework that incorporates three variables---economic potential, geopolitical rivalry, and domestic interest groups---that are applied to the cases of U.S.-Russia, U.S.-Azerbaijan, and Russia-Germany energy ties. This study concludes that if the economic potential (defined by geographic proximity and resource availability) is very high, such as in the case of Russia-Germany, states can overcome geopolitical rivalries and historical enmities in favor of energy cooperation. However, if the economic potential is relatively low (because of geographic obstacles or easily available alternative suppliers, as in the cases of U.S.-Russia and U.S.-Azerbaijan), then geopolitics prevails---for example, to bypass Russia or to limit American access to contracts in Russia when U.S.-Russian relations are strained. In all the cases explored here, domestic interest groups have mixed influence: if they are united along energy issues, they usually successfully achieve their energy policy goals, although the impact of these groups often becomes intertwined with state interests. In other situations, when powerful interest groups are divided or focused on non-energy-related issues (such as ethnic priorities), their influence over energy deals is much lower.

Advisory and autonomous cooperative driving systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broek, T.H.A. van den; Ploeg, J.; Netten, B.D.

2011-01-01

In this paper, the traffic efficiency of an advisory cooperative driving system, Advisory Acceleration Control is examined and compared to the efficiency of an autonomous cooperative driving system, Cooperative Adaptive Cruise Control. The algorithms and implementation thereof are explained. The

A Cancun stake: to revitalize climate cooperation while improving transparency about national greenhouse gas emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-12-01

After having recalled the instruments which are available for the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) to ensure an as much as transparent as possible information transmission between states about greenhouse gas emissions, this article questions the way the Copenhagen agreement can be implemented while considering the discussions which took place. It draws lessons from other previous examples of international cooperation: WTO agreements, the Clean Development Mechanism. Three propositions are made in the perspective of the Cancun conference: to create a reliable world inventory of emissions, to organize cooperation with countries wishing to define statistics for their emission monitoring, and to reinforce transparency and control of measures (with the MRV criteria) which are subsidized by the international community

Cooperation induces other cooperation: Fruiting bodies promote the evolution of macrocysts in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Science.gov (United States)

Shibasaki, Shota; Shirokawa, Yuka; Shimada, Masakazu

2017-05-21

Biological studies of the evolution of cooperation are challenging because this process is vulnerable to cheating. Many mechanisms, including kin discrimination, spatial structure, or by-products of self-interested behaviors, can explain this evolution. Here we propose that the evolution of cooperation can be induced by other cooperation. To test this idea, we used a model organism Dictyostelium discoideum because it exhibits two cooperative dormant phases, the fruiting body and the macrocyst. In both phases, the same chemoattractant, cyclic AMP (cAMP), is used to collect cells. This common feature led us to hypothesize that the evolution of macrocyst formation would be induced by coexistence with fruiting bodies. Before forming a mathematical model, we confirmed that macrocysts coexisted with fruiting bodies, at least under laboratory conditions. Next, we analyzed our evolutionary game theory-based model to investigate whether coexistence with fruiting bodies would stabilize macrocyst formation. The model suggests that macrocyst formation represents an evolutionarily stable strategy and a global invader strategy under this coexistence, but is unstable if the model ignores the fruiting body formation. This result indicates that the evolution of macrocyst formation and maintenance is attributable to coexistence with fruiting bodies. Therefore, macrocyst evolution can be considered as an example of evolution of cooperation induced by other cooperation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cooperative Prototyping Experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bødker, Susanne; Grønbæk, Kaj

1989-01-01

This paper describes experiments with a design technique that we denote cooperative prototyping. The experiments consider design of a patient case record system for municipal dental clinics in which we used HyperCard, an off the shelf programming environment for the Macintosh. In the ecperiments we...... tried to achieve a fluent work-like evaluation of prototypes where users envisioned future work with a computer tool, at the same time as we made on-line modifications of prototypes in cooperation with the users when breakdown occur in their work-like evaluation. The experiments showed...... that it was possible to make a number of direct manipulation changes of prototypes in cooperation with the users, in interplay with their fluent work-like evaluation of these. However, breakdown occurred in the prototyping process when we reached the limits of the direct manipulation support for modification. From...

International Scientific Cooperation in the Field of Spatial Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Aleksandrovich Minakir

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The paper discusses the existing structure of international cooperation of scientific organizations in the field of regional studies in different parts of the world. The authors define current major organizations that coordinate the work of scientific subdivisions in the field of regional studies in the whole world and also in Europe, North and South America and the Asia-Pacific region. The researchers offer the new term - ‘public-scientific partnership’ (PSP - and discuss PSP mechanisms and its implementation ways that may strengthen regional scientific research in Russia. The authors also debate the idea of creation of the Russian Association of Regional Science

Cooperative decision making in a stochastic environment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Suijs, J.P.M.

1998-01-01

Cooperative game theory is a mathematical tool to analyze situations involving several individuals who can obtain certain benefits by cooperating. The main questions this theory addresses are who will cooperate with whom and how will the corresponding benefits be divided. Most results of cooperative

Is Cooperative Memory Special? The Role of Costly Errors, Context, and Social Network Size When Remembering Cooperative Actions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Winke

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Theoretical studies of cooperative behavior have focused on decision strategies, such as tit-for-tat, that depend on remembering a partner’s last choices. Yet, an empirical study by Stevens et al. (2011 demonstrated that human memory may not meet the requirements that needed to use these strategies. When asked to recall the previous behavior of simulated partners in a cooperative memory task, participants performed poorly, making errors in 10–24% of the trials. However, we do not know the extent to which this task taps specialized cognition for cooperation. It may be possible to engage participants in more cooperative, strategic thinking, which may improve memory. On the other hand, compared with other situations, a cooperative context may already engage improved memory via cheater detection mechanisms. This study investigated the specificity of memory in cooperative contexts by varying (1 the costs of errors in memory by making forgetting defection more costly and (2 whether the recall situation is framed as a cooperative or neutral context. Also, we investigated whether variation in participants’ social network size could account for individual differences observed in memory accuracy. We found that neither including differential costs for misremembering defection nor removing the cooperative context influenced memory accuracy for cooperation. Combined, these results suggest that memory accuracy is robust to differences in the cooperative context: Adding more strategic components does not help accuracy, and removing cooperative components does not hurt accuracy. Social network size, however, did correlate with memory accuracy: People with larger networks remembered the events better. These findings suggest that cooperative memory does not seem to be special compared with other forms of memory, which aligns with previous work demonstrating the domain generality of memory. However, the demands of interacting in a large social network may

Establishment of International Cooperative Network and Cooperative Research Strategy Between Korea and USA on Nuclear Thermal Hydraulics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baek, Won Pil; Song, Chul Hwa; Jeong, Jae Jun; Choi, Ki Yong; Kang, Kyoung Ho

2004-07-01

1. Scope and Objectives of the Project - Successful holding of the NURETH-10 - Analysis of the international trends in technology development and applications for nuclear thermal-hydraulics - Establishment of the international cooperative network and cooperative research strategy between Korea and USA on nuclear thermal-hydraulics 2. Research Results - Successful holding of the NURETH-10 - Analysis of the international trends in technology development and applications for nuclear thermal-hydraulics: - Establishment of international cooperative network and cooperative research strategy focused between Korea and USA on nuclear thermal-hydraulics: 3. Application Plan of the Research Results - Utilization as the basic data/information in establishing the domestic R and D directions and the international cooperative research strategy, - Application of the relevant experiences and data bases of NURETH-10 for holding future international conferences, - Promote more effective and productive research cooperation between Korea and USA

South-South Development Cooperation and Soft Power. The case of Brazil's foreign policy and technical cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bry, Sandra

's participation in development cooperation and how these international political ambitions influence the project model of its South-South Development Cooperation, called technical cooperation. This was done by investigating the manifestations of ‘soft power’ in Brazilian development cooperation activities...... of the agent's attractive actions without which a country's soft power is non-existent. Therefore this thesis maintains that soft power theory should shift its current analytical focus from the agent to the subject and enhance the analysis on the role of subject's perceptions in the creation of ‘soft...

Definably compact groups definable in real closed fields.II

OpenAIRE

Barriga, Eliana

2017-01-01

We continue the analysis of definably compact groups definable in a real closed field $\\mathcal{R}$. In [3], we proved that for every definably compact definably connected semialgebraic group $G$ over $\\mathcal{R}$ there are a connected $R$-algebraic group $H$, a definable injective map $\\phi$ from a generic definable neighborhood of the identity of $G$ into the group $H\\left(R\\right)$ of $R$-points of $H$ such that $\\phi$ acts as a group homomorphism inside its domain. The above result and o...

45 CFR 46.114 - Cooperative research.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS Basic HHS Policy for Protection of Human Research Subjects § 46.114 Cooperative research. Cooperative... conduct of cooperative research projects, each institution is responsible for safeguarding the rights and...

Building up active membership in cooperatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhees, F.J.H.M.; Sergaki, P.; Dijk, van G.

2015-01-01

Abstract Active membership is crucial for agricultural cooperatives as it engenders better performance. It even is the key for cooperative competitiveness. Active membership, however, decreases in many cooperatives. Thus, it is important to know what galvanizes members to become active members. The

7 CFR 1220.107 - Cooperator organization.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 10 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cooperator organization. 1220.107 Section 1220.107... CONSUMER INFORMATION Soybean Promotion and Research Order Definitions § 1220.107 Cooperator organization. The term Cooperator Organization means the American Soybean Association, or any successor organization...

50 CFR 81.3 - Cooperative Agreement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE-WILDLIFE SPORT FISH RESTORATION PROGRAM CONSERVATION OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES OF FISH, WILDLIFE, AND PLANTS-COOPERATION WITH THE STATES § 81.3 Cooperative Agreement. Upon... Project Agreement can be approved for endangered or threatened species projects. A cooperative agreement...

A Nucleolus for Stochastic Cooperative Games

OpenAIRE

Suijs, J.P.M.

1996-01-01

This paper extends the definition of the nucleolus to stochastic cooperative games, that is, to cooperative games with random payoffs to the coalitions. It is shown that the nucleolus is nonempty and that it belongs to the core whenever the core is nonempty. Furthermore, it is shown for a particular class of stochastic cooperative games that the nucleolus can be determined by calculating the traditional nucleolus introduced by Schmeidler (1969) of a specific deterministic cooperative game.

On the relative advantage of cooperatives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albæk, Svend; Schultz, Christian

1998-01-01

We show that the fact that farmers in a cooperative individually decide how much to supply to the cooperative may serve as a commitment device for credibly (and profitably) gaining market share in competition with a profit maximizing firm......We show that the fact that farmers in a cooperative individually decide how much to supply to the cooperative may serve as a commitment device for credibly (and profitably) gaining market share in competition with a profit maximizing firm...

Regional cooperation planning. Project planning for JAEA/SNL regional cooperation on remote monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, John

2006-01-01

Developing cooperation between the JAEA's NPSTC and the NNCA may take advantage of bilateral activities between those parties and SNL. The merger of JNC and JAERI has affected the schedule for JAEA/SNL cooperation. Also, the evolution of the NNCA as an independent agency has slowed the projected schedule for cooperation between the JAEA and the NNCA. A potential schedule for establishment of a quadrilateral remote monitoring system may include interim activities, securing an agreement of some type, and actual establishment of VPN links. A parallel schedule might exist for informing other regional parties and gaining their interest. (author)

Subsidizing R&D cooperatives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hinloopen, J.

2001-01-01

A framework is developed with which the implementation of two commonly used R&D-stimulating policies can be evaluated: providing R&D subsidies and sustaining the formation of R&D cooperatives. Subsidized R&D cooperatives can also be analyzed. The analysis shows that providing R&D subsidies is more

Cooperativity, Specificity, and Evolutionary Stability of Polycomb Targeting in Drosophila

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernd Schuettengruber

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Summary: Metazoan genomes are partitioned into modular chromosomal domains containing active or repressive chromatin. In flies, Polycomb group (PcG response elements (PREs recruit PHO and other DNA-binding factors and act as nucleation sites for the formation of Polycomb repressive domains. The sequence specificity of PREs is not well understood. Here, we use comparative epigenomics and transgenic assays to show that Drosophila domain organization and PRE specification are evolutionarily conserved despite significant cis-element divergence within Polycomb domains, whereas cis-element evolution is strongly correlated with transcription factor binding divergence outside of Polycomb domains. Cooperative interactions of PcG complexes and their recruiting factor PHO stabilize PHO recruitment to low-specificity sequences. Consistently, PHO recruitment to sites within Polycomb domains is stabilized by PRC1. These data suggest that cooperative rather than hierarchical interactions among low-affinity sequences, DNA-binding factors, and the Polycomb machinery are giving rise to specific and strongly conserved 3D structures in Drosophila. : Schuettengruber et al. present an extensive comparative epigenomics data set, providing new insights into cis-driven versus buffered evolution of Polycomb recruitment and Polycomb domain specificity. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and transgenic assays, they demonstrate an extremely high conservation of Polycomb repressive domains in five Drosophila species. Using Hi-C and knockout experiments, they challenge the standard hierarchical Polycomb recruitment model and demonstrate that cooperative rather than hierarchical interactions among DNA motifs, transcription factors, and Polycomb group complexes define Polycomb domains.

Procedure for the design of Information Management Systems in Production Cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maidelyn Díaz Pérez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The information management systems of the entrepreneurial organizations have been conceived that the fulfillment of the strategic objectives depend to a large extent on the good performance of several informative tasks such as obtaining information from the environment, identifying and representing the information flows of the processes , the structuring of operational and functional data, the internal management of knowledge, etc. But in turn, the achievement of these actions depends on there being a group of procedures that lead to the adequate standardization of the data. In spite of the fact that these procedures are essential for the proper functioning of any system, and that, for the most part, the quality, reliability and pertinence of the information that is managed depends on them, it is not usual for them to exist in cooperative organizations. even in most cases they are not written. The objective of this research is to establish a procedure to design an information management system for research in a production cooperative linked directly to research. The result obtained allows identifying, defining and structuring the data required by the system to operate efficiently, as well as articulate the different components that should integrate it in its systemic development. This procedure facilitates the efficient management of operative, functional and strategic information of the different processes of a cooperative in correspondence with its strategic objectives.

University-Company Cooperation in a Hydroelectric Plant: Cooperation Study in Environmental Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabricio Mussi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Hydroelectric power plants are considered strategic for the country when considering their relevance and impact on other sectors of the economy. However, the dynamics of the operation of a plant, its support structure and power generation activities can cause impacts on the environment, which must be constantly monitored in order to mitigate any environmental risks. The purpose of this study is to examine the partnership relations between a plant by menas of the creation of a department within the environmental management and universities and research institutes to identify specific partnerships in environmental management and hydroelectric plants. Six projects have been selected for analysis, four of them related to projects with universities and two related to cooperation with research institutes. The focus of the analysis was restricted to the main points observed in the management of these partnerships, which are: (a motivation for establishing partnerships, (b the composition of the estimated costs for implementing these partnerships, (c the difficulties of reconciling technical management and financial management, and (d the measurement of results and contributions from these interactions. Administrative practices of management of partnerships were also analyzed in the stages preceding cooperation for cooperation and further cooperation. Although other such studies are needed to strengthen the findings presented, one can conclude that the purposes of the establishment of cooperation in environmental management differ from those observed in other fields of knowledge such as engineering and biotechnology, for example.

Soviet/Russian-American space cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Karash, Yuri Y.

This dissertation seeks to answer two questions: (1) what are the necessary conditions for the emergence of meaningful space cooperation between Russia and the United States, and (2) might this cooperation continue developing on its own merit, contributing to the further rapprochement between the two countries, even if the conditions that originated the cooperation were to change? The study examines the entire space era up to this point, 1957 to 1997, from the first satellite launch through the joint U.S.-Russian work on the ISS project. It focuses on the analysis of three distinct periods of possible and real cooperation between the United States and the Soviet Union/Russia. The first possibility for a limited Soviet-American cooperation in space emerged in the late 1950s, together with the space age, and continued until the mid-1960s. The major potential joint project of this period was a human expedition to the Moon. The global competition/confrontation between the two countries prevented actual cooperation. The second period was from the late 1960s until 1985 with consideration of experimental docking missions, including the docking of a reusable U.S. shuttle to a Soviet Salyut-type station. The global U.S.-Soviet competition still continued, but the confrontation was replaced by detente for a brief period of time lasting from the end of 1960s until mid-1970s. Detente gave the first example of U.S.-Soviet cooperation in space---the Apollo-Soyuz joint space flight (ASTP) which took place in 1975. However, the lack of interest of political leaderships in continuation of broad-scale cooperation between the two countries, and the end of detente, removed ASTP-like projects out of question at least until 1985. The third period started together with Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika in 1985 and continues until now. It involves almost a hundred of joint space projects both at the governmental and at the private sectors levels. The mainstream of the joint activities

Post-socialist agricultural cooperatives in Russia : A case study of top-down cooperatives in the Belgorod region

NARCIS (Netherlands)

A. Kurakin (Alexander); O. Visser (Oane)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractThrough a study of agricultural service cooperatives in Russia’s Belgorod region, this article addresses two gaps in the literature: _first_, the dearth of empirical studies on cooperatives in post-socialist Russia; _second_, the lack of attention to top-down cooperatives in

Organizational choices for international cooperation: East-West European cooperation on regional environmental problems

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Barbara Mary

This dissertation applies theoretical insights from transaction cost economics to explain and predict the organizational form of cooperative agreements between Eastern and Western Europe in areas of regional environmental and political concern. It examines five contracting problems related to nuclear power safety and acid rain, and describes the history of international negotiations to manage these problems. It argues that the level of interdependence in a given issue area, or costly effects experienced in one state due to activities and decisions of other states, along with the level of transactional vulnerability, or sunk costs invested in support of a particular contractual relationship among these states, are key determinants of the governance structures states choose to facilitate cooperation in that issue area. Empirically, the dissertation traces the evolution of three sets of institutional arrangements related to nuclear safety: governance for western nuclear safety assistance to Eastern Europe, negotiations of a global convention on safety standards for nuclear power plants, and contracts among utilities and multilateral banks to build new nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe. Next it studies European acid rain, chronicling the history of international acid rain controls within the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (LRTAP) and the European Union, and finally examining institutional arrangements for burden-sharing to promote European bargains on emissions reduction, including bilateral aid transfers and proposals for multilateral burden sharing. Political actors have a wide range of choice among institutional arrangements to facilitate international cooperation, from simple market-type exchanges, to arbitration-type regimes that provide information and enhance reputation effects, to self-enforcing agreements such as issue-linkage, to supranational governance. The governance structures states devise to manage their cooperative

Coordinating choice in partial cooperative equilibrium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mallozzi, L.; Tijs, S.H.

2009-01-01

In this paper we consider symmetric aggregative games and investigate partial cooperation between a portion of the players that sign a cooperative agreement and the rest of the players. Existence results of partial cooperative equilibria are obtained when the players who do not sign the agreement

Report: National Conference on Cooperative Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Bureau of Occupational and Adult Education (DHEW/OE), Washington, DC. Div. of Vocational and Technical Education.

The conference report on cooperative vocational education contains four main sections. The first, background papers, contains three papers: Education in a Changing Society, Carl H. Madden; A Prospectus for Cooperative Vocational Education, William F. Pierce; and Critical Issues in Cooperative Vocational Education, Robert M. Worthington. The second…

Fusion reactor materials program plan. Section III. Plasma material interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-07-01

A discussion of materials-related problems and an analysis of such problems is given for each major topical area. The strategy that will be used to solve the materials problems is described. As part of this program strategy, a series of major milestones is identified that extends over the next 20 years. Detailed task descriptions for the next five years leading to the achievement of the major milestones are given. Each task is described on a separate page (or task sheet) which includes the task number, task title, objective, scope, and the major milestones addressed by the task. Secondary milestones within a given task or subtask are defined, together with a priority assignment and an estimate of man-years to accomplish the work. Each Plan is organized along major topics which parallel the Subtask organization of the Task Group responsible for the Plan

Human cooperation by lethal group competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival ("looting"). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as "all-out war" (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together.

The level of influence of trust, commitment, cooperation, and power in the interorganizational relationships of Brazilian credit cooperatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Maria Martins

Full Text Available Abstract This article aims to analyze the level of influence of trust, commitment, cooperation, and power in the interrelationships of individual credit cooperatives and their central organization in Brazil. The quantitative and descriptive research was developed in unique credit unions linked to the Central Bank of Brazil and the Organization of Brazilian Cooperatives. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, with the estimation through partial least squares. The results obtained for the coefficients of determination (R2 of the endogenous latent variables confirmed the assumptions found in the theoretical models of Morgan and Hunt (1994 and Coote, Forrest, and Tam (2003. Statistical significance was also found in the relationships between power and trust, commitment and cooperation, trust and commitment, trust and cooperation, and power and commitment. However, in this study the relationship between power and commitment characterized the significance and was positive between the individual credit cooperatives and their central organization. This is in line with the understanding that power is the solution to resolving conflicts. The research identifies how the constructs of trust, commitment, cooperation, and power show relevance to the alignment of relations between individual credit cooperatives and their central organization.

Cooperation between territorial communities: theory and practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

П. М. Любченко

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Problem Setting. The paper analyzes the problems in the system of legal regulation of cooperation between communities, highlights the advantages and disadvantages of such cooperation in Ukrainian local government. Analysis of the recent researches and publications. The legal basis for cooperation in the field of local government are provisions of the Constitution and laws of Ukraine, by-laws. The organizational principles of communities cooperation, principles, forms and mechanisms of such cooperation and its promotion, financing and monitoring prescribed by the Law of Ukraine «On cooperation of local communities» 17 June 2014, which provides five possible forms of cooperation. Paper main body. The first form - delegation to one party of cooperation by another parties of cooperation execution of one or few tasks with transferring of appropriate resources - one of the most difficult to implement, therefore in Ukraine it is not yet implemented. The second form – realization of joint projects, involving coordination of activities between parties of cooperation and accumulating them for a certain period resources to joint implementation of appropriate measures - one of the most common. This  form is popular because of its simplicity and versatility. Parties are determining the purpose of the project, terms and conditions of its implementation, a list of activities and conditions for their implementation, financial liabilities, other forms of local governments participation in implementation of the project and mechanism of coordination. The third and fourth forms aimed on the creation and maintenance of communal enterprises, institutions and organizations - joint infrastructure projects by parties of cooperation. This form of cooperation with the prospect of widespread use because it is aimed at ensuring effective use of resources of local communities based on common application available in one of the subjects of cooperation of municipal

Cooperative enterprise and its possibilities in view of the paradigm change in management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angie Fernández Lorenzo

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the management discipline evolution and the changes it faces in view of the growing process of neoliberal globalization. It recognizes a paradigm change characterized by a new context for traditional administrative functions development, in particular by the proliferation of approaches, tools and techniques to apply. Also the main features of cooperative enterprise management are defined. These are recognized as advantageous in the current conditions to face the described above paradigm change.

Latin American cooperation on nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faria, N.M. de; Associacao Brasileira de Direito Nuclear, Rio de Janeiro)

1984-01-01

The cooperation between Latin American countries on nuclear matters in which Brazil should play a significant role is presented. The possible areas for cooperation, particularly the nuclear law, are focused. The cooperation should be developed on bilateral or multilateral basis, by governmental and non governmental entities. (Author) [pt

Co-Operative Learning and Development Networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodgson, V.; McConnell, D.

1995-01-01

Discusses the theory, nature, and benefits of cooperative learning. Considers the Cooperative Learning and Development Network (CLDN) trial in the JITOL (Just in Time Open Learning) project and examines the relationship between theories about cooperative learning and the reality of a group of professionals participating in a virtual cooperative…

Fostering cooperative activism through critical design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Menendez Blanco, Maria; Bjørn, Pernille; De Angeli, Antonella

2017-01-01

Critical design is gaining momentum in interaction design, yet little CSCW research has focused on articulating the cooperative potentials of critical design artefacts. We address this gap by reflecting upon a design project aimed at overturning the prevailing narrative regarding dyslexia in Italy....... The adversarial propositions embedded in our critical design artefacts challenged the description of dyslexia as a learning disorder putting forward the view of a learning difference. These artefacts demonstrated their capacity to bridge heterogeneous social worlds (those of teachers, children, and parents......) into one cooperative entity and mobilise cooperative activism. The contribution to CSCW is two-fold. Firstly, we introduce the cooperative potentials of critical design artefacts; secondly, we propose critical design as a strategy for researchers engaging with cooperative activism....

Cooperative learning in 21st century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David W. Johnson

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The 21st century brings four important challenges in which cooperation plays a central role: (1 a rapidly increasing global interdependence that will result in increasing local diversity as well as more frequent and intense conflicts, (2 the increasing number of democracies throughout the world, (3 the need for creative entrepreneurs, and (4 the growing importance of interpersonal relationships that affect the development of personal identity. The tools for meeting these challenges include cooperative learning. In this article the nature of cooperative learning will be reviewed, the underlying theory of social interdependence will be discussed, and the results of the research on cooperative learning will be briefly reviewed. The way in which cooperative learning contributes to meeting the four challenges will then be discussed.

[Cooperative learning for improving healthy housing conditions in Bogota: a case study].

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Parra, Camilo A; García-Ubaque, Juan C; García-Ubaque, César A

2014-01-01

This was a community-based effort at constructing an educational proposal orientated towards self-empowerment aimed at improving the target population's sanitary, housing and living conditions through cooperative learning. A constructivist approach was adopted based on a programme called "Habitat community manger". The project involved working with fifteen families living in the Mochuelo Bajo barrio in Ciudad Bolívar in Bogotá, Colombia, for identifying the most relevant sanitary aspects for improving their homes and proposing a methodology and organisation for an educational proposal. Twenty-one poor housing-related epidemiological indicators were identified which formed the basis for defining specific problems and establishing a methodology for designing an educational proposal. The course which emerged from the cooperative learning experience was designed to promote the community's skills and education regarding health aimed at improving households' living conditions and ensuring a healthy environment which would allow them to develop an immediate habitat ensuring their own welfare and dignity.

Syndecan-1 and Metastasis Dormancy

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

Sdc1 WT vs Sdc1 KO mice (p = 0.36). - 5 - Major Task 2: Optimize 3D lung microenvironment assay Subtask 1: Transduce HMVEC-L with E4ORF1 and mCherry...micro-channel devices (see below) but have not yet transduced them with E4ORF1 nor labeled them. If we succeed in generating defined vascular

The Professionalization of Intelligence Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Adam David Morgan

"Providing an in-depth insight into the subject of intelligence cooperation (officially known as liason), this book explores the complexities of this process. Towards facilitating a general understanding of the professionalization of intelligence cooperation, Svendsen's analysis includes risk...... management and encourages the realisation of greater resilience. Svendsen discusses the controversial, mixed and uneven characterisations of the process of the professionalization of intelligence cooperation and argues for a degree of 'fashioning method out of mayhem' through greater operational...

Partner Choice in Raven (Corvus corax) Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Asakawa-Haas, Kenji; Schiestl, Martina; Bugnyar, Thomas; Massen, Jorg J M

2016-01-01

Although social animals frequently make decisions about when or with whom to cooperate, little is known about the underlying mechanisms of partner choice. Most previous studies compared different dyads' performances, though did not allow an actual choice among partners. We tested eleven ravens, Corvus corax, in triads, giving them first the choice to cooperate with either a highly familiar or a rather unfamiliar partner and, second, with either a friend or a non-friend using a cooperative string-pulling task. In either test, the ravens had a second choice and could cooperate with the other partner, given that this one had not pulled the string in the meantime. We show that during the experiments, these partner ravens indeed learn to wait and inhibit pulling, respectively. Moreover, the results of these two experiments show that ravens' preferences for a specific cooperation partner are not based on familiarity. In contrast, the ravens did show a preference based on relationship quality, as they did choose to cooperate significantly more with friends than with non-friends and they were also more proficient when cooperating with a friend. In order to further identify the proximate mechanism of this preference, we designed an open-choice experiment for the whole group where all birds were free to cooperate on two separate apparatuses. This set-up allowed us to distinguish between preferences for close proximity and preferences to cooperate. The results revealed that friends preferred staying close to each other, but did not necessarily cooperate with one another, suggesting that tolerance of proximity and not relationship quality as a whole may be the driving force behind partner choice in raven cooperation. Consequently, we stress the importance of experiments that allow such titrations and, suggest that these results have important implications for the interpretations of cooperation studies that did not include open partner choice.

Tailings neutralization and other alternatives for immobilizing toxic materials in tailings. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Opitz, B.E.; Sherwood, D.R.; Dodson, M.E.; Serne, R.J.

1985-09-01

This document, ''Tailing Neutralization and Other Alternatives for Immobilizing Toxic Materials in Tailings,'' is the final report in a series of six. It summarizes research completed since the beginning of the project. Three subtasks are included: Subtask A - Neutralization Methods Selection; Subtask B - Laboratory Analysis; and Subtask C - Field Testing. Subtask A reviews treatment processes from other industries to evaluate whether current waste technology from other fields is applicable to the uranium industry. This task also identifies several reagents that were tested for their effectiveness in treating acidic tailings and tailings solution in order to immobilize the contaminants associated with the acid waste. Subtask B describes the laboratory batch and column treatment studies performed on solid waste tailings and tailings solutions over the course of the project. The evaluation of several reagents identified in Subtask A was based on three criteria: (1) treated effluent water quality; (2) neutralized sludge handling and hydraulic properties; and (3) reagent costs and acid neutralizing efficiency. Subtask C presents a field demonstration plan that will evaluate the effectiveness, costs, and benefits of neutralizing acidic uranium mill tailings solution to reduce the potential leaching of toxic trace metals, radionuclides, and macro ions from a tailings impoundment. Details of the related research can be found in the documents listed in the ''Previous Documents in Series.'' 43 refs., 9 figs., 46 tabs

The good governance and management  of cooperative societies under cooperative values: a didactic review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Eduardo Souza de Miranda

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Regarding the administrative management of cooperative enterprises, the various cooperative laws establish the need to organize a social-democratic structure formed by all members of society.

Predicting Human Cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John J Nay

Full Text Available The Prisoner's Dilemma has been a subject of extensive research due to its importance in understanding the ever-present tension between individual self-interest and social benefit. A strictly dominant strategy in a Prisoner's Dilemma (defection, when played by both players, is mutually harmful. Repetition of the Prisoner's Dilemma can give rise to cooperation as an equilibrium, but defection is as well, and this ambiguity is difficult to resolve. The numerous behavioral experiments investigating the Prisoner's Dilemma highlight that players often cooperate, but the level of cooperation varies significantly with the specifics of the experimental predicament. We present the first computational model of human behavior in repeated Prisoner's Dilemma games that unifies the diversity of experimental observations in a systematic and quantitatively reliable manner. Our model relies on data we integrated from many experiments, comprising 168,386 individual decisions. The model is composed of two pieces: the first predicts the first-period action using solely the structural game parameters, while the second predicts dynamic actions using both game parameters and history of play. Our model is successful not merely at fitting the data, but in predicting behavior at multiple scales in experimental designs not used for calibration, using only information about the game structure. We demonstrate the power of our approach through a simulation analysis revealing how to best promote human cooperation.

Mobility, fitness collection, and the breakdown of cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Gelimson, Anatolij; Cremer, Jonas; Frey, Erwin

2013-04-01

The spatial arrangement of individuals is thought to overcome the dilemma of cooperation: When cooperators engage in clusters, they might share the benefit of cooperation while being more protected against noncooperating individuals, who benefit from cooperation but save the cost of cooperation. This is paradigmatically shown by the spatial prisoner's dilemma model. Here, we study this model in one and two spatial dimensions, but explicitly take into account that in biological setups, fitness collection and selection are separated processes occurring mostly on vastly different time scales. This separation is particularly important to understand the impact of mobility on the evolution of cooperation. We find that even small diffusive mobility strongly restricts cooperation since it enables noncooperative individuals to invade cooperative clusters. Thus, in most biological scenarios, where the mobility of competing individuals is an irrefutable fact, the spatial prisoner's dilemma alone cannot explain stable cooperation, but additional mechanisms are necessary for spatial structure to promote the evolution of cooperation. The breakdown of cooperation is analyzed in detail. We confirm the existence of a phase transition, here controlled by mobility and costs, which distinguishes between purely cooperative and noncooperative absorbing states. While in one dimension the model is in the class of the voter model, it belongs to the directed percolation universality class in two dimensions.

Forskningsoversigt - Effekterne af Cooperative Learning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Lea Lund

Kan Cooperative Learning - en undervisningsform hvor lærerens tid ved tavlen mindskes og hvor de lærende samarbejder om stoffet - maksimere de lærendes indlæring og medvirke til en forbedring af deres interpersonelle og kommunikative kompetencer, samt øge deres motivation for læring? Den megen...... forskning fra USA viser, at Cooperative Learning øger lærerens bevidsthed om, hvilken adfærd, han er medvirkende til at skabe blandt de lærende. Og den øger lærerens bevidsthed omkring interaktioner i klasserummet, og giver god plads og taletid til hver enkelt lærende. Set i lyset heraf kan Cooperative......, at Cooperative Learning har lige så høj grad af positiv effekt, som den viser sig at have på grundskoleområdet. Det er sigtet med denne oversigt over den empiriske forskning. Til start præsenteres Cooperative Learning som metode, dens rødder og udvikling, dernæst skitseres den omfattende forskning omkring...

International cooperation on breeder reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, J.E.; Kratzer, M.B.; Leslie, K.E.; Paige, H.W.; Shantzis, S.B.

1978-01-01

In March 1977, as the result of discussions which began in the fall of 1976, the Rockefeller Foundation requested International Energy Associates Limited (IEAL) to undertake a study of the role of international cooperation in the development and application of the breeder reactor. While there had been considerable international exchange in the development of breeder technology, the existence of at least seven major national breeder development programs raised a prima facie issue of the adequacy of international cooperation. The final product of the study was to be the identification of options for international cooperation which merited further consideration and which might become the subject of subsequent, more detailed analysis. During the course of the study, modifications in U.S. breeder policy led to an expansion of the analysis to embrace the pros and cons of the major breeder-related policy issues, as well as the respective views of national governments on those issues. The resulting examination of views and patterns of international collaboration emphasizes what was implicit from the outset: Options for international cooperation cannot be fashioned independently of national objectives, policies and programs. Moreover, while similarity of views can stimulate cooperation, this cannot of itself provide compelling justification for cooperative undertakings. Such undertakings are influenced by an array of other national factors, including technological development, industrial infrastructure, economic strength, existing international ties, and historic experience

How feeling betrayed affects cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramazi, Pouria; Hessel, Jop; Cao, Ming

2015-01-01

For a population of interacting self-interested agents, we study how the average cooperation level is affected by some individuals' feelings of being betrayed and guilt. We quantify these feelings as adjusted payoffs in asymmetric games, where for different emotions, the payoff matrix takes the structure of that of either a prisoner's dilemma or a snowdrift game. Then we analyze the evolution of cooperation in a well-mixed population of agents, each of whom is associated with such a payoff matrix. At each time-step, an agent is randomly chosen from the population to update her strategy based on the myopic best-response update rule. According to the simulations, decreasing the feeling of being betrayed in a portion of agents does not necessarily increase the level of cooperation in the population. However, this resistance of the population against low-betrayal-level agents is effective only up to some extend that is explicitly determined by the payoff matrices and the number of agents associated with these matrices. Two other models are also considered where the betrayal factor of an agent fluctuates as a function of the number of cooperators and defectors that she encounters. Unstable behaviors are observed for the level of cooperation in these cases; however, we show that one can tune the parameters in the function to make the whole population become cooperative or defective.

How feeling betrayed affects cooperation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pouria Ramazi

Full Text Available For a population of interacting self-interested agents, we study how the average cooperation level is affected by some individuals' feelings of being betrayed and guilt. We quantify these feelings as adjusted payoffs in asymmetric games, where for different emotions, the payoff matrix takes the structure of that of either a prisoner's dilemma or a snowdrift game. Then we analyze the evolution of cooperation in a well-mixed population of agents, each of whom is associated with such a payoff matrix. At each time-step, an agent is randomly chosen from the population to update her strategy based on the myopic best-response update rule. According to the simulations, decreasing the feeling of being betrayed in a portion of agents does not necessarily increase the level of cooperation in the population. However, this resistance of the population against low-betrayal-level agents is effective only up to some extend that is explicitly determined by the payoff matrices and the number of agents associated with these matrices. Two other models are also considered where the betrayal factor of an agent fluctuates as a function of the number of cooperators and defectors that she encounters. Unstable behaviors are observed for the level of cooperation in these cases; however, we show that one can tune the parameters in the function to make the whole population become cooperative or defective.

International nuclear cooperation in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Yong-Kyu

1987-01-01

Nuclear power project traditionally involve huge financial investment, highly sophisticated technology, and long lead time. Many countries, particularly developing ones, find it impossible to implement their nuclear power programs without technical cooperation and assistance from advanced countries. In this Asia and Pacific Region, seven countries have commercial nuclear power units in operation and/or under construction. Korea has six nuclear power units in operation, and three under construction. Active nuclear cooperation has been instrumental in implementing her abmitious nuclear power programs successfully. Nuclear cooperation is one of the widely recognized necessities, which is quite often talked about among the countries of the Asia and Pacific Region. But the differences in nuclear maturity and national interests among those in the region seem to be standing against it. Given the constraints, it is not easy to select appropriate areas for cooperation. There is no doubt, however, that they should include the nuclear policy, nuclear safety, radwaste management, radiological protection, and the management of nuclear units. In order to effectively promote nuclear cooperation in the Region, the scope of RCA activities must be expanded to include the nuclear power area. The Regional Nuclear Data Bank, the Regional Training Center and the Nuclear Emergency Response Center, for example, would be the effective tools for cooperation to meet the demands of the countries in the Region. In view of the technological gap between Japan and all others in the region, we cannot speak of a regional nuclear cooperation without heavily counting on Japan, the most advanced nuclear state in the region. For these reasons, Japan is expected to share an increasing portion of her nuclear technology with others. (author)

Need for cooperative work in education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodolfo Acosta Padrón

2006-12-01

Full Text Available This paper claims for the use of cooperative work to achieve democratic, communicative and socializing learning; Furthermore, theoretical grounds for cooperative work are presented, from sociological and psychological positions about the development of cooperative work on the basis of Vigotsky, Kart Lewin and Dewey ́s works, among others.

Cooperation arrangements related to technology transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eysel, G.

1986-04-01

A developing country which considers to launch a nuclear program should put as much as possible efforts to elaborate a program which suits the country's needs as well as reflects its capabilities. It deems advantageous that a developing country makes use of the experience and knowledge in the nuclear field of a partner country already in the phase when exploring the technical and commercial aspects of a nuclear power program. For the different stages of cooperation between two countries a three-level concept appears advisable for establishing the basis for individual cooperation agreement. The first level are agreements between the governments of both countries on joint scientific research projects and technical development programs covering a broad spectrum of activities not limited to the energy sector. At the second level cooperation agreements can already concentrate on the energy sector and e.g. specifically investigate the energy structure of the developing country. If this investigation results in the decision of the developing country to establish a nuclear power program the next level will cover a broad based cooperation in the nuclear field including a large number of different cooperation contracts in various fields. In this stage of bilateral cooperation the main emphasis will be put on industrial cooperation. Cooperation agreements to be concluded between respective partners of both countries may cover fields related to research and development, engineering of a nuclear power plant, manufacturing of its components, erection and installation as well as operation of the plant. The most common agreements refer to technical cooperation, which covers not only the transfer of blueprints but also training of the recipient's personnel in the partner's country and delegation of experts to the recipient's country. The most comprehensive form of cooperation is the foundation of a joint venture company where the technology partner does not only transfer his know

International relations and co-operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This bulletin contains information about activities of the Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic (UJD). In this leaflet the international relations and co-operation of the UJD are presented. International community is aware of the fact that nuclear energy shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and on condition of high standard of nuclear safety. Therefore, the long-term aim of UJD in the area of international relations is to maintain and develop internationally recognised system of state supervision upon the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to reach internationally accepted level of nuclear safety in the Slovak Republic. There are many important international treaties (Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Convention on Nuclear Safety, etc.) to which slovakia is a party. In order to meet the obligations of these treaties UJD has the main aim for contribute to the process of international disarmament, and to a mutually advantageous co-operation. By means of the most important international organisations (e.g. International Atomic Energy Agency) the Slovak Republic actively participates in the international co-operation. Under the leadership of UJD, Slovak institutions participate in many projects and activities which have the aim to improve the safety of nuclear international obligations. In addition, UJD actively participates in the integration process of the Slovak Republic into European and Trans-Atlantic structures. Since 1993 the co-operation with the European Commission and the Nuclear Energy Agency of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and development (OECD/NEA) has been successfully implemented. Besides multilateral co-operation UJD attaches extraordinary importance to bilateral co-operation, in particular with neighbouring countries. Regular meetings of senior Slovak experts with foreign experts are organised, with the aim to exchange the newest experiences and information on peaceful use of nuclear energy. Also in

Proposals for regional cooperation in Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaco, T.

1999-01-01

This presentation includes proposals for regional cooperation in Africa in the field of seismic monitoring and proposes future actions for establishing this cooperation. It emphasises the benefits of regional cooperation meaning scientific benefit from an established data base, as well as benefit in the field of geology, meteorology, geophysics and in unified budgets and logistics

Culture and Cooperation during the Interwar Period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anişoara Popa

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Starting from the most important Publications of the International Institute for Intellectual Cooperation (1925-1946 we will explore the ideas concerning culture and personalities involved in the intellectual cooperation during the Interwar Period. Pointing out the role that the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation had and the Romanian contribution to this cooperation is another purpose of this article.

Fiscal 1995 achievement report. International Clean Energy Network Using Hydrogen Conversion (WE-NET) technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Research and development was performed for the WE-NET (World Energy Network) project which aims to carry out hydrogen production, transportation, and supply to consumers, by the use of renewable energy. Under subtask 1, besides investigation of a pilot plant of phase 2, the WE-NET image as a whole was studied. Under subtask 2, technical information was exchanged at an international symposium and a long-term vision of the international network was discussed. Under subtask 3, for the evaluation of the effect of hydrogen energy introduction on the global level, national level, and city level, simulation models were discussed and improved. Under subtask 4, tests and studies were made concerning electrode bonding methods. Under subtask 5, the Neon Brayton cycle process was surveyed and studied as a hydrogen liquefaction cycle. Under subtasks 6-9, furthermore, surveys and studies were made about techniques relating to low-temperature substances, hydrogen energy, hydrogen combustion turbines, and so forth. (NEDO)

The Emergence of Relationship-based Cooperation

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Bo; Wang, Jianwei

2015-11-01

This paper investigates the emergence of relationship-based cooperation by coupling two simple mechanisms into the model: tie strength based investment preference and homophily assumption. We construct the model by categorizing game participants into four types: prosocialists (players who prefers to invest in their intimate friends), antisocialists (players who prefer to invest in strangers), egoists (players who never cooperate) and altruists (players who cooperate indifferently with anyone). We show that the relationship-based cooperation (prosocialists) is favored throughout the evolution if we assume players of the same type have stronger ties than different ones. Moreover, we discover that strengthening the internal bonds within the strategic clusters further promotes the competitiveness of prosocialists and therefore facilitates the emergence of relationship-based cooperation in our proposed scenarios. The robustness of the model is also tested under different strategy updating rules and network structures. The results show that this argument is robust against the variations of initial conditions and therefore can be considered as a fundamental theoretical framework to study relationship-based cooperation in reality.

Foreign cooperative technology development and transfer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schassburger, R.J.; Robinson, R.A.

1988-01-01

It is the policy of the US Department of Energy (DOE) that, in pursuing the development of mined geologic repositories in the United States, the waste isolation program will continue to actively support international cooperation and exchange activities that are judged to be in the best interest of the program and in compliance with the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, Sec. 223. Because there are common technical issues and because technology development often requires large expenditures of funds and dedication of significant capital resources, it is advantageous to cooperate with foreign organizations carrying out similar activities. The DOE's Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management is working on cooperative nuclear waste isolation technology development programs with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development/Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA), Canada's Atomic Energy of Canada, Limited (AECL), Sweden, Switzerland, and the Federal Republic of Germany. This paper describes recent technology results that have been obtained in DOE's foreign cooperative programs. Specific technology development studies are discussed for cooperative efforts with Canada, OECD/NEA, and a natural analog project in Brazil

A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

2009-01-01

The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an effective way

Evolution of Cooperation in Public Goods Games

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Chengyi; Zhang Juanjuan; Wang Jinsong; Wang Yiling

2011-01-01

We investigate the evolution of cooperation with evolutionary public goods games based on finite populations, where four pure strategies: cooperators, defectors, punishers and loners who are unwilling to participate are considered. By adopting approximate best response dynamics, we show that the magnitude of rationality not only quantitatively explains the experiment results in [Nature (London) 425 (2003) 390], but also it will heavily influence the evolution of cooperation. Compared with previous results of infinite populations, which result in two equilibriums, we show that there merely exists a special equilibrium and the relevant high value of bounded rationality will sustain cooperation. In addition, we characterize that loner's payoff plays an active role in the maintenance of cooperation, which will only be warranted for the low and moderate values of loner's payoff. It thus indicates the effects of rationality and loner's payoff will influence the cooperation. Finally, we highlight the important result that the introduction of voluntary participation and punishment will facilitate cooperation greatly. (general)

The Regulatory Cooperation Forum, an Opportunity to Strengthen International Cooperation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lachaume, J.L.; Mamoru, M.

2016-01-01

The Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF) is a member-driven forum of nuclear power regulators created in 2010 that promotes the sharing of regulatory knowledge and experience through international cooperation and collaboration using the IAEA Safety Standards as its basis. The RCF involves countries with advanced nuclear power programmes, countries embarking on nuclear power for the first time and countries with smaller programmes considering expansion. The primary objectives of the RCF are: • To promote collaboration and cooperation among RCF members to improve coordination of support for regulatory infrastructure development; • To contribute to achieving and sustaining a high level of nuclear safety, consistent with the IAEA Safety Standards and Guidance; • To optimize resources among RCF members and avoid unnecessary support duplication through improved coordination. Membership of the RCF is open to all Member States of the IAEA. Participants in RCF activities will normally be senior representatives from regulatory bodies in Member States and from other providers, including the IAEA, European Commission (EC) and the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). So far, more than 30 countries are members of the RCF. The RCF has developed Action Plans to support Jordan, Vietnam, Belarus and Poland. The IAEA’s Nuclear Safety Action Plan urges Member States to strengthen the effectiveness of national regulatory bodies as well as base the development of their nuclear infrastructures on IAEA Safety Standards. The RCF assists Member States in implementing both of these actions for embarking, existing and expanding nuclear programmes. (author)

From Goa to Xiamen. On Some Aspects of Political Cooperation within BRICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gleb Toropchin

2017-03-01

Full Text Available International relations system under contemporary conditions does not presuppose existence of a universal, generally accepted world order model. Concepts of the modern global order can stand in marked contrast to each other: the idea of a unipolar world led by the U.S. and the North Atlantic Community is opposed to the notion of a multipolar world with several equatable force poles. One of the phenomena illustrating the polycentrical world narrative is the emergence of BRIC group in the 2000s and its further evolution as BRICS in the 2010s. This explains the relevance of the chosen problem. The article considers major tracks of political cooperation within BRICS. The author analyses final documents of the latest BRICS summits, namely, in Fortaleza (2014, Ufa (2015 and Goa (2016 in terms of extension of the political agenda, also defining its reasons. Points of view expressed by both leading Russian and foreign experts, civic leaders and policymakers are taken into account. The work touches upon the problem of potential enlargement of BRICS, its functioning in the outreach format, as well as possibilities of institutionalisation of the grouping. At the same time, we also bear in mind the difference in approaches of the BRICS countries towards the inclusion of political issues to the agenda. In this piece, we utilise holistic approach to the chosen topic: various fields of activity within BRICS are scrutinised in their inextricable connection, as they determine one another. Thanks to the application of content analysis as a scientific method and the results obtained, it became possible to define the correlation between the attitude of the summit host country to the issues of political cooperation and reflection of the political agenda in the final declaration of the event. As for the conclusions of the research paper, the author presumes that common ideologemes and principles defining BRICS performance (such as supremacy of international law

Technical co-operation report for 2002. Report by the Director General

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-08-01

General Conference resolution GC(46)/RES/10 reiterated the need to strengthen the technical co- operation programme and requested the Director General to report to the Board of Governors periodically and to the General Conference at its forty-seventh (2003) session on the implementation of resolution GC(46)/RES/10. Part A of this report responds to the General Conference resolution by providing an overview of the progress achieved in technical co-operation policies, strategies, working relations, and internal management during the period 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003, as well as the major new challenges facing the technical co-operation programme. Part B reports on operational activities and programme performance at the country and regional levels during the calendar year 2002, and Part C reviews the use of financial and human resources in the programme at an aggregate level. As part of its efforts to refine policies for improving programme development, the Agency reviewed the Technical Co-operation Strategy in 2002. The resulting document, The Technical Co-operation Strategy: the 2002 Review (document GOV/INF/2002/8/Mod.1), states that the strategic goal originally identified in the Strategy in 1997 remains valid, and defines four objectives to guide the technical co-operation programme: applying the central criterion (strong government commitment), developing strategic partnerships, increasing the level of funding for technical co-operation, and promoting greater sustainability and self-reliance of nuclear institutions. In line with the Technical Co-operation Strategy, one of the key features of the Agency.s work in 2002 was continuing consultations with Member States at both the policy and operational levels on the management of the ongoing technical co-operation programme and on planning for future activities. The dialogue with Member States aimed at clarifying the strategic objectives and key tools for the utilization of resources to achieve maximum

Cooperativeness and competitiveness as two distinct constructs: validating the Cooperative and Competitive Personality Scale in a social dilemma context.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Su; Au, Wing-Tung; Jiang, Feng; Xie, Xiaofei; Yam, Paton

2013-01-01

The present research validated the construct and criterion validities of the Cooperative and Competitive Personality Scale (CCPS) in a social dilemma context. The results from three studies supported the notion that cooperativeness and competitiveness are two independent dimensions, challenging the traditional view that they are two ends of a single continuum. First, confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a two-factor structure fit the data significantly better than a one-factor structure. Moreover, cooperativeness and competitiveness were either not significantly correlated (Studies 1 and 3) or only moderately positively correlated (Study 2). Second, cooperativeness and competitiveness were differentially associated with Schwartz's Personal Values. These results further supported the idea that cooperativeness and competitiveness are two distinct constructs. Specifically, the individuals who were highly cooperative emphasized self-transcendent values (i.e., universalism and benevolence) more, whereas the individuals who were highly competitive emphasized self-enhancement values (i.e., power and achievement) more. Finally, the CCPS, which adheres to the trait perspective of personality, was found to be a useful supplement to more prevalent social motive measures (i.e., social value orientation) in predicting cooperative behaviors. Specifically, in Study 2, when social value orientation was controlled for, the CCPS significantly predicted cooperative behaviors in a public goods dilemma (individuals who score higher on cooperativeness scale contributed more to the public goods). In Study 3, when social value orientation was controlled for, the CCPS significantly predicted cooperative behaviors in commons dilemmas (individuals who score higher on cooperativeness scale requested fewer resources from the common resource pool). The practical implications of the CCPS in conflict resolution, as well as in recruitment and selection settings, are discussed.

Cooperativity of halogen, chalcogen, and pnictogen bonds in infinite molecular chains by electronic structure theory.

Science.gov (United States)

George, Janine; Deringer, Volker L; Dronskowski, Richard

2014-05-01

Halogen bonds (XBs) are intriguing noncovalent interactions that are frequently being exploited for crystal engineering. Recently, similar bonding mechanisms have been proposed for adjacent main-group elements, and noncovalent "chalcogen bonds" and "pnictogen bonds" have been identified in crystal structures. A fundamental question, largely unresolved thus far, is how XBs and related contacts interact with each other in crystals; similar to hydrogen bonding, one might expect "cooperativity" (bonds amplifying each other), but evidence has been sparse. Here, we explore the crucial step from gas-phase oligomers to truly infinite chains by means of quantum chemical computations. A periodic density functional theory (DFT) framework allows us to address polymeric chains of molecules avoiding the dreaded "cluster effects" as well as the arbitrariness of defining a "large enough" cluster. We focus on three types of molecular chains that we cut from crystal structures; furthermore, we explore reasonable substitutional variants in silico. We find evidence of cooperativity in chains of halogen cyanides and also in similar chalcogen- and pnictogen-bonded systems; the bonds, in the most extreme cases, are amplified through cooperative effects by 79% (I···N), 90% (Te···N), and 103% (Sb···N). Two experimentally known organic crystals, albeit with similar atomic connectivity and XB characteristics, show signs of cooperativity in one case but not in another. Finally, no cooperativity is observed in alternating halogen/acetone and halogen/1,4-dioxane chains; in fact, these XBs weaken each other by up to 26% compared to the respective gas-phase dimers.

Social rank and social cooperation: Impact of social comparison processes on cooperative decision-making.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xu Gong

Full Text Available Successful navigation of our complex social world requires the capability to recognize and judge the relative status of others. Hence, social comparison processes are of great importance in our interactions, informing us of our relative standing and in turn potentially motivating our behavior. However, so far few studies have examined in detail how social comparison can influence interpersonal decision-making. One aspect of social decision-making that is of particular importance is cooperative behavior, and identifying means of maintaining and promoting cooperation in the provision of public goods is of vital interest to society. Here, we manipulated social comparison by grading performance rankings on a reaction time task, and then measured cooperative decisions via a modified Public Goods Game (PGG. Findings revealed that individuals ranked highest tended to be more cooperative as compared to those who placed in the bottom rank. Interestingly, this effect was regardless of whether the comparison group members were the subsequent players in the PGG or not, and this effect was stronger in those with higher social orientation. In summary, the present research shows how different social comparison processes (assessed via social rankings can operate in our daily interaction with others, demonstrating an important effect on cooperative behavior.

Upcrowding energy co-operatives - Evaluating the potential of crowdfunding for business model innovation of energy co-operatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Dilger, Mathias Georg; Jovanović, Tanja; Voigt, Kai-Ingo

2017-08-01

Practice and theory have proven the relevance of energy co-operatives for civic participation in the energy turnaround. However, due to a still low awareness and changing regulation, there seems an unexploited potential of utilizing the legal form 'co-operative' in this context. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate the crowdfunding implementation in the business model of energy co-operatives in order to cope with the mentioned challenges. Based on a theoretical framework, we derive a Business Model Innovation (BMI) through crowdfunding including synergies and differences. A qualitative study design, particularly a multiple-case study of energy co-operatives, was chosen to prove the BMI and to reveal barriers. The results show that although most co-operatives are not familiar with crowdfunding, there is strong potential in opening up predominantly local structures to a broader group of members. Building on this, equity-based crowdfunding is revealed to be suitable for energy co-operatives as BMI and to accompany other challenges in the same way. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

COalitions in COOperation Networks (COCOON): Social Network Analysis and Game Theory to Enhance Cooperation Networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sie, Rory

2012-01-01

Sie, R. L. L. (2012). COalitions in COOperation Networks (COCOON): Social Network Analysis and Game Theory to Enhance Cooperation Networks (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). September, 28, 2012, Open Universiteit in the Netherlands (CELSTEC), Heerlen, The Netherlands.

7 CFR 4285.2 - Cooperative agreement purposes.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... agency to: (a) Conduct marketing research related to agricultural cooperatives. (b) Assist other organizations in conducting marketing research related to agricultural cooperatives. ... RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS Federal-State Research on...

Cooperation and deception in primates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Katie; Brosnan, Sarah F

2017-08-01

Though competition and cooperation are often considered opposing forces in an arms race driving natural selection, many animals, including humans, cooperate in order to mitigate competition with others. Understanding others' psychological states, such as seeing and knowing, others' goals and intentions, and coordinating actions are all important for complex cooperation-as well as for predicting behavior in order to take advantage of others through tactical deception, a form of competition. We outline evidence of primates' understanding of how others perceive the world, and then consider how the evidence from both deception and cooperation fits this framework to give us a more complete understanding of the evolution of complex social cognition in primates. In experimental food competitions, primates flexibly manipulate group-mates' behavior to tactically deceive them. Deception can infiltrate cooperative interactions, such as when one takes an unfair share of meat after a coordinated hunt. In order to counter competition of this sort, primates maintain cooperation through partner choice, partner control, and third party punishment. Yet humans appear to stand alone in their ability to understand others' beliefs, which allows us not only to deceive others with the explicit intent to create a false belief, but it also allows us to put ourselves in others' shoes to determine when cheaters need to be punished, even if we are not directly disadvantaged by the cheater. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Promotion of electricity from renewable energy in Europe post 2020. The economic benefits of cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuersch, Michaela; Lindenberger, Dietmar

2013-08-15

In Europe, the availability of renewable energies, especially from sun and wind, differs significantly across regions. Consequently, cooperation in the deployment of renewable energy among European countries potentially yields substantial efficiency gains. However, in order to achieve the 2020 renewable energy targets for electricity, Member States of the European Union almost purely rely on domestic production. For the period after 2020, a European renewable energy target has not yet been defined, but decarbonization pathways outlined in the Roadmap of the European Commission include renewable energy shares of electricity generation to be 50-60% by 2030. Therefore, we analyze the benefits of cooperation compared to continuing with national renewable energy support after 2020. We use a large-scale dynamic investment and dispatch model of the European electricity system and find that compared to a 2030 CO{sub 2}-only target (-40% compared to 1990 emission levels), electricity system costs increase by 5 to 7% when a European-wide renewable energy target for electricity generation (of around 55%) is additionally implemented. However, these additional costs are lower by 41 to 45% compared to the additional electricity system costs which would arise if the renewable energy target was reached through national support systems (without cooperation). Furthermore, we find that the cooperation gains (i.e., the cost reduction achieved by cooperation) are quite robust: They decrease only slightly when interconnectors are not further extended (compared to today) and depend only slightly on assumptions about investment cost developments of renewable energy technologies. With regard to the practical implementation of cooperation, however, unclear administrative issues and questions concerning the fair sharing of costs and benefits between the Member States represent major obstacles that need to be tackled in order to reach renewable energy targets at the lowest costs possible.

PERANGKAT PEMBELAJARAN PERISTIWA ALAM DENGAN MODEL COOPERATIVE LEARNING TIPE INSIDE OUTSIDE CIRCLE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diah Sunarsih

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Tujuan penelitian ini menghasilkan perangkat pembelajaran IPA dengan model pembelajaran cooperative learning tipe inside outside circle untuk dapat meningkatkan kemampuan berpikir kognitif dan menumbuhkan kemampuan komunikasi ilmiah siswa yang valid materi peristiwa alam. Uji coba skala terbatas dilakukan di SDN 02 Ambowetan. Uji coba skala luas kelas eksperimen SDN 01 Ambowetan VA, sedangkan kelas kontrol SDN 01 Ambowetan VB. Desain uji coba penelitian ini nonequivalent control group design. Prosedur pengembangan dan penelitian dikembangkan mengacu model pengembangan Dick dan Carry terdiri 4 tahap yaitu define, design, develop, dan disseminate. Hasil penelitian diperoleh pengembangan perangkat pembelajaran menerapkan model pembelajaran cooperative learning tipe inside outside circle berupa silabus, RPP, bahan ajar, lembar tes formatif, lembar observasi kemampuan komunikasi ilmiah, dan angket respon siswa valid, efektif, dan praktis diterapkan dalam pembelajaran IPA kelas V sekolah dasar materi peristiwa alam. Perangkat pembelajaran valid dengan nilai skor validitas akhir 3,43. Perangkat pembelajaran efektif terlihat peningkatan hasil uji N-gain menunjukkan hasil 0,50 pada klasifikasi tingkat sedang dan prosentase kemampuan ilmiah kelas eksperimen hasil sebesar 82%. Kriteria praktis dari nilai angket menunjukkan respon siswa kelas eksperimen lebih tinggi dibandingkan kelas kontrol (73% > 67 %.Purpose of this study is produce device the learning cooperative learning type inside outside circle to improve cognitive ability students and foster communication skills scientific a valid on material natural events. Trials limited scale in the SDN 02 Ambowetan. Trials wide scale for experimental class in the SDN 01 Ambowetan 5A, while the control class SDN 01 Ambowetan 5B. Design wide scale nonequivalent control group design. Procedures the development and developed research Dick and Carry consisting of 4 stage define, design, develop, and disseminate

Gossip and ostracism promote cooperation in groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Feinberg, Matthew; Willer, Robb; Schultz, Michael

2014-03-01

The widespread existence of cooperation is difficult to explain because individuals face strong incentives to exploit the cooperative tendencies of others. In the research reported here, we examined how the spread of reputational information through gossip promotes cooperation in mixed-motive settings. Results showed that individuals readily communicated reputational information about others, and recipients used this information to selectively interact with cooperative individuals and ostracize those who had behaved selfishly, which enabled group members to contribute to the public good with reduced threat of exploitation. Additionally, ostracized individuals responded to exclusion by subsequently cooperating at levels comparable to those who were not ostracized. These results suggest that the spread of reputational information through gossip can mitigate egoistic behavior by facilitating partner selection, thereby helping to solve the problem of cooperation even in noniterated interactions.

A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

2008-12-15

The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an

A Project in Support of International Nuclear Cooperation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Myung Ro; Kim, Kyoung Pyo; Lee, Jeong Kong; Jung, Sung Hyon; Shim, Jae Sun

2009-01-15

The objective of this study is to establish the strategies of international cooperation in order to promote our nation's leading role in international community, to lay the foundation for the effective transfer of nuclear technology to developing countries, and to cope with the rapidly changing in the international nuclear communities. This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U.S.A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an

Cooper Pairs in Insulators?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valles, James

2008-01-01

Nearly 50 years elapsed between the discovery of superconductivity and the emergence of the microscopic theory describing this zero resistance state. The explanation required a novel phase of matter in which conduction electrons joined in weakly bound pairs and condensed with other pairs into a single quantum state. Surprisingly, this Cooper pair formation has also been invoked to account for recently uncovered high-resistance or insulating phases of matter. To address this possibility, we have used nanotechnology to create an insulating system that we can probe directly for Cooper pairs. I will present the evidence that Cooper pairs exist and dominate the electrical transport in these insulators and I will discuss how these findings provide new insight into superconductor to insulator quantum phase transitions.

Risk of Credit Cooperatives: An analysis based on the profile of the cooperated

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Roberto de Souza Francisco

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This work has as purpose to analyze among the credit operations, those that generate larger breach of contract risk for the cooperative, with base in the profile of the cooperated, and to identify which the strategies can be pointed to avoid possible flaws in the next credit analyses. The work was divided in three stages. The first stage refers to the National Financial System, with the objective of demonstrating as in him the Cooperatives of Credit are inserted. The second stage approaches the System of Cooperative Credit, it presents that form is structured and his/her hierarchical level. The third stage treats of the System of Risk of Credit, in the which the risk, administration and the models of credit evaluation will be analyzed. It was verified that the most appropriate models for analysis of the Cooperatives of Credit are Credit Scoring Models and Credit Bureau, us which, through statistical techniques as the analysis discriminante and regression logistics, the characteristics of considered credits of larger breach of contract risk were demonstrated. The analysis based on identifying the "worse customer", because this generates larger breach of contract risk and it influences in the financial administration. It was ended that the most relevant variables to identify the breach of contract risk were the rude monthly income and the value liberated in the credit concession, because the largest concentration of breach of contract risk.

States, Social Capital and Cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Anthony, Denise L.; Campbell, John L.

2011-01-01

This paper reflects on Elinor Ostrom’s classic book, Governing the Commons, and much work in sociology, political science and organization studies that has appeared since its publication. We do so in order to expand our understanding of the conditions under which cooperation occurs resulting...... in the production of collective goods. We explore two issues that were underdeveloped in her book that have subsequently received much attention. First, we discuss how states can facilitate cooperative behavior short of coercively imposing it on actors. Second, we discuss how social capital can facilitate...... or undermine cooperative behavior. In both cases we focus on the important mechanisms by which each one contributes to the development of cooperative behavior and collective goods. We conclude by extending our arguments to a brief analysis of one of the world’s newest and largest collective goods...

Cooperative strings and glassy interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Salez, Thomas; Salez, Justin; Dalnoki-Veress, Kari; Raphaël, Elie; Forrest, James A

2015-07-07

We introduce a minimal theory of glass formation based on the ideas of molecular crowding and resultant string-like cooperative rearrangement, and address the effects of free interfaces. In the bulk case, we obtain a scaling expression for the number of particles taking part in cooperative strings, and we recover the Adam-Gibbs description of glassy dynamics. Then, by including thermal dilatation, the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann relation is derived. Moreover, the random and string-like characters of the cooperative rearrangement allow us to predict a temperature-dependent expression for the cooperative length ξ of bulk relaxation. Finally, we explore the influence of sample boundaries when the system size becomes comparable to ξ. The theory is in agreement with measurements of the glass-transition temperature of thin polymer films, and allows quantification of the temperature-dependent thickness hm of the interfacial mobile layer.

Study on Banana Cooperatives in Hainan Province

OpenAIRE

Huang, Huide; Zhang, Wanzhen; Liu, Enping; Zhang, Xizhu

2013-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the distribution, member scale, production and operation of banana cooperatives in Hainan Province, and points out the market risk and natural risk faced by the production of banana cooperatives in Hainan Province. In order to promote the banana cooperatives to form new agricultural management system integrating organization and intensification, this paper puts forth the production and operation recommendations, such as joint production of banana cooperatives, ...

Introduction: cooperative learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José-Manuel Serrano

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The principal objective of this revision is the recognition of cooperative learning as a highly effective strategy for the accomplishment of the general goals in learning. The different investigations assessed validate the potential that a cooperative organization of the classroom could entail for academic achievement, self-esteem, interpersonal attraction or social support. The solidity of the existing research contributes to its external and internal validity and, thus, to conclude that the results are consistent and can be extrapolated to different cultures, ethnic groups or countries.

Applications of cooperative games to business activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafel Amer

2008-04-01

Full Text Available We show several applications of the cooperative game theory and the Shapley value to business activities. Among them we emphasize on the sharing of costs or profits. In the theoretical part, the axiomatic setting proposed by Shapley is described and the properties of the value are studied. It is also shown the usefulness of simple games to describe and analyze collective decision systems ruled by voting. Many of these systems admit a representation as weighted majority games, a class of simple games. One of the most interesting problems in this case is to define a measure of the power distribution among the agents involved in the system. This problem receives a nice solution by means of the Shapley–Shubik index of power, which is the restriction of the Shapley value to simple games.

Generic Sensor Failure Modeling for Cooperative Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Jäger, Georg; Zug, Sebastian

2018-01-01

The advent of cooperative systems entails a dynamic composition of their components. As this contrasts current, statically composed systems, new approaches for maintaining their safety are required. In that endeavor, we propose an integration step that evaluates the failure model of shared information in relation to an application’s fault tolerance and thereby promises maintainability of such system’s safety. However, it also poses new requirements on failure models, which are not fulfilled by state-of-the-art approaches. Consequently, this work presents a mathematically defined generic failure model as well as a processing chain for automatically extracting such failure models from empirical data. By examining data of an Sharp GP2D12 distance sensor, we show that the generic failure model not only fulfills the predefined requirements, but also models failure characteristics appropriately when compared to traditional techniques. PMID:29558435

The role of cooperation and parasites in non-linear replicator delayed extinctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sardanyes, Josep; Sole, Ricard V.

2007-01-01

In the present work we study the role of cooperation and parasites on extinction delayed transitions for self-replicating species with catalytic activity. We first use a one-dimensional continuous equation to study the dynamics of both single autocatalytic replicator and symmetric two-member hypercycles, where two well-defined phases involving survival and extinction of replicators are shown to exist. Extinction dynamics is analyzed numerically and analytically and under both deterministic and stochastic scenarios. A ghost is also found for the single autocatalytic replicator and for the asymmetric hypercycle, with an extinction time delay following the square-root scaling law near bifurcation threshold. We find that the extinction delay is longer for the two-member hypercycle than for the single autocatalytic species, indicating that cooperation among replicators might involve to spend a longer time in the bottle-neck region of the ghost. The asymmetry of the network is shown to prolong the extinction time. We also show that an attached parasite decreases the time spent in the bottle-neck region of the ghost, thus accelerating extinction in these systems of replicators. Nevertheless the effect of the parasite is not so important when replicators catalytically cooperate, being the two-member hypercycle less sensitive to the parasite than the autocatalytic species. Here the hypercycle asymmetry can also significantly increase the delaying capacity. These features make the hypercycle to undergo a longer extinction delay, thus increasing the memory effect of the ghost. We finally explore the role of the ghost in fluctuating media, where the extinction delayed transition is shown to increase the survival probability of cooperating catalytic species

The benefit of sustainable industrial cooperation. Study on the economical and ecological benefits of industrial cooperatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hansen, D.H.J.M.; Lavrijsen, T.; Vermeulen, W.J.V.

2005-01-01

From scientific literature and policy memoranda it appears that sustainable industrial cooperatives result into economical and ecological benefits. However, little empirical data on practical results is available. Therefore, recently, an analysis has been carried out determining the benefit of industrial cooperation. The economical and ecological offer businesses a cost-effective option to reduce the environmental burden. Still, real implementation of such cooperatives is only realized yet by forerunners in the field of environmental management [nl

Parochial trust and cooperation across 17 societies

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Angelo; Balliet, Daniel; Liu, James H.

2017-01-01

International challenges such as climate change, poverty, and intergroup conflict require countries to cooperate to solve these complex problems. However, the political tide in many countries has shifted inward, with skepticism and reluctance to cooperate with other countries. Thus, cross-societal investigations are needed to test theory about trust and cooperation within and between groups. We conducted an experimental study in 17 countries designed to test several theories that explain why, who, and where people trust and cooperate more with ingroup members, compared with outgroup members. The experiment involved several interactions in the trust game, either as a trustor or trustee. We manipulated partner group membership in the trust game (ingroup, outgroup, or unknown) and if their reputation was at stake during the interaction. In addition to the standard finding that participants trust and cooperate more with ingroup than outgroup members, we obtained findings that reputational concerns play a decisive role for promoting trust and cooperation universally across societies. Furthermore, men discriminated more in favor of their ingroup than women. Individual differences in cooperative preferences, as measured by social value orientation, predicted cooperation with both ingroup and outgroup members. Finally, we did not find support for three theories about the cross-societal conditions that influence the degree of ingroup favoritism observed across societies (e.g., material security, religiosity, and pathogen stress). We discuss the implications for promoting cooperation within and between countries. PMID:29133403

Measuring of heat transfer coefficient

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henningsen, Poul; Lindegren, Maria

Subtask 3.4 Measuring of heat transfer coefficient Subtask 3.4.1 Design and setting up of tests to measure heat transfer coefficient Objective: Complementary testing methods together with the relevant experimental equipment are to be designed by the two partners involved in order to measure...... the heat transfer coefficient for a wide range of interface conditions in hot and warm forging processes. Subtask 3.4.2 Measurement of heat transfer coefficient The objective of subtask 3.4.2 is to determine heat transfer values for different interface conditions reflecting those typically operating in hot...

The evolution of cooperation by the Hankshaw effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammarlund, Sarah P; Connelly, Brian D; Dickinson, Katherine J; Kerr, Benjamin

2016-06-01

The evolution of cooperation-costly behavior that benefits others-faces one clear obstacle. Namely, cooperators are always at a competitive disadvantage relative to defectors, individuals that reap the benefits, but evade the cost of cooperation. One solution to this problem involves genetic hitchhiking, where the allele encoding cooperation becomes linked to a beneficial mutation, allowing cooperation to rise in abundance. Here, we explore hitchhiking in the context of adaptation to a stressful environment by cooperators and defectors with spatially limited dispersal. Under such conditions, clustered cooperators reach higher local densities, thereby experiencing more mutational opportunities than defectors. Thus, the allele encoding cooperation has a greater probability of hitchhiking with alleles conferring stress adaptation. We label this probabilistic enhancement the "Hankshaw effect" after the character Sissy Hankshaw, whose anomalously large thumbs made her a singularly effective hitchhiker. Using an agent-based model, we reveal a broad set of conditions that allow the evolution of cooperation through this effect. Additionally, we show that spite, a costly behavior that harms others, can evolve by the Hankshaw effect. While in an unchanging environment these costly social behaviors have transient success, in a dynamic environment, cooperation and spite can persist indefinitely. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A Running Start or a Clean Slate? How a History of Cooperation Affects the Ability of Cities to Cooperate on Environmental Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Mu

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Since 2013, the Chinese central government has pushed cooperation on environmental governance in Urban Agglomerations (UAs. In some of these UAs, cities have previously been developing environmental governance activities autonomously, in the absence of inter-city cooperation, while on others, spontaneous cooperation has previously taken place. These differences in historical context provide us with an opportunity to study, in a comparative way, how a history of cooperation influences the effectiveness of inter-city cooperation on environmental governance. Our approach to carrying out this comparison is to reconstruct the trajectories of events that describe the evolution of environmental governance in two UAs (Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and Yangtze River Delta, covering the period from the early 90s to 2016. The main findings of this study are that the trajectory of environmental governance in a historical context of prior spontaneous cooperation is more effective in achieving goal intertwinement than that in a historical context of no prior cooperation; and that informal forms of cooperation, along with decentralized coordination by local actors, are critical and more influential in bringing about more effective cooperation. On the other hand, in a historical context of no prior cooperation there is an opportunity to design a cooperative structure from scratch; in this process attention should be paid to the creation of an equal playing ground, with balanced costs and benefits for all partners. By contrast, cooperation on environmental governance in a context where there is a history of spontaneous cooperation the central government can still play a role in the further facilitation of cooperation.

Cross-border innovation cooperation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjaltadóttir, Rannveig Edda; Makkonen, Teemu; Sørensen, Nils Karl

2017-01-01

Finding a suitable partner is paramount for the success of innovation cooperation. Thus, this paper sets out to analyse the determinants of cross-border innovation cooperation in Denmark by focusing on partner selection. The aim of the article is to investigate determinants of partner selection...... by taking the location of the partners into account. In particular, the discussion is tied to the notion of varying knowledge bases firms utilize in their innovation creation processes. Firm level data from the 2010 Community Innovation Survey in Denmark was utilized to analyse cross-border innovation...... of innovativeness increase the likelihood of cross-border innovation cooperation. Accordingly, geographical proximity to international borders is found to have a significant, positive effect on selecting partners within the European Union. The multivariate probit model shows that the decision of choosing a domestic...

Co-operation and Self-Organization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christian Fuchs

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Co-operation has its specific meanings in physical (dissipative, biological (autopoietic and social (re-creative systems. On upper hierarchical systemic levels there are additional, emergent properties of co-operation, co-operation evolves dialectically. The focus of this paper is human cooperation. Social systems permanently reproduce themselves in a loop that mutually connects social structures and actors. Social structures enable and constrain actions, they are medium and outcome of social actions. This reflexive process is termed re-creation and describes the process of social selforganization. Co-operation in a very weak sense means coaction and takes place permanently in re-creative systems: two or more actors act together in a co-ordinated manner so that a new emergent property emerges. Co-action involves the formation of forces, environment and sense (dispositions, decisions, definitions. Mechanistic approaches conceive coaction in terms of rational planning, consciousness, intention, predictability, and necessity. Holistic approaches conceive coaction in terms of spontaneity, unconscious and unintended actions, non-predictability, chance. Dialectic approaches conceive co-action in terms of a unity of rational planning and spontaneous emergence, a unity of conscious and unconscious aspects and consequences, and a unity of necessity and chance. Co-operation in a strong sense that is employed in this paper means that actors work together, create a new emergent reality, have shared goals, all benefit from co-operating, can reach their goals in joint effort more quickly and more efficiently than on an individual basis, make concerted use of existing structures in order to produce new structures, learn from each other mutually, are interconnected in a social network, and are mutually dependent and responsible. There is a lack of cooperation, self-determination, inclusion and direct democracy in modern society due to its antagonistic

When Reputation Enforces Evolutionary Cooperation in Unreliable MANETs.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Changbing; Li, Ang; Li, Xiang

2015-10-01

In self-organized mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs), network functions rely on cooperation of self-interested nodes, where a challenge is to enforce their mutual cooperation. In this paper, we study cooperative packet forwarding in a one-hop unreliable channel which results from loss of packets and noisy observation of transmissions. We propose an indirect reciprocity framework based on evolutionary game theory, and enforce cooperation of packet forwarding strategies in both structured and unstructured MANETs. Furthermore, we analyze the evolutionary dynamics of cooperative strategies and derive the threshold of benefit-to-cost ratio to guarantee the convergence of cooperation. The numerical simulations verify that the proposed evolutionary game theoretic solution enforces cooperation when the benefit-to-cost ratio of the altruistic exceeds the critical condition. In addition, the network throughput performance of our proposed strategy in structured MANETs is measured, which is in close agreement with that of the full cooperative strategy.

Can German wine cooperatives compete on quality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schamel Guenter H.

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The paper analyzes how German cooperative wineries compete with private (i.e. non-cooperative wineries regarding reputation, quality categorization and varietal selection. Among the reasons why German cooperatives lag behind in terms of reputation for quality wine are organization principles of cooperatives and the difficulty to manage growers supplying grapes of different qualities. Cooperatives turn their supply of grapes into wine often classified as quality wine without much distinction. Conversely, privately owned wineries growing their own grapes may have more control over quality along their production chain and are able to produce more distinctive wines. In turn, they gain more reputation with final consumers with respect to quality. We analyze data for private and cooperative wineries from Germany. Our objective is to identify key differences in terms of reputation for quality wine production. Specifically, we look at interaction effects based on organizational form (cooperative vs. private and the German wine quality categorization (i.e. basic quality wine vs. Kabinett, Spätlese, or Auslese as well as varietal effects. We employ a hedonic pricing model to test the hypothesis that wines produced by private producers receive a reputation premium relative to cooperatives. Moreover, we hypothesize that private wineries receive a price premium relative to coopera- tives for other than basic quality wines and distinct varieties such as Riesling and Pinot Noir. The empirical analysis confirms both hypotheses. The estimated coefficients indicate that cooperatives are unable to gain quality premium for most quality cat- egories and gain price premiums only for non-distinct varieties such as Lemberger and Dornfelder. We can argue that German cooperatives are stuck in the low quality corner of the quality and variety spectrum and are currently not able to compete with private wineries in terms of quality. This result supports the observation

Marketing Cooperatives and Financial Structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hendrikse, G.W.J.; Veerman, C.P.

1995-01-01

The relationship between the financial structure of marketing cooperatives and the requirement of the domination of control by the members of the cooperative is analysed with an emphasis on incomplete contracts and system complementarities. It is argued that the disappearance of shortage markets in

Making Cooperative Learning Groups Work.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawley, James; De Jong, Cherie

1995-01-01

Discusses the use of cooperative-learning groups with middle school students. Describes cooperative-learning techniques, including group roles, peer evaluation, and observation and monitoring. Considers grouping options, including group size and configuration, dyads, the think-pair-share lecture, student teams achievement divisions, jigsaw groups,…

Cooperative Change and the Myth of Rationality

OpenAIRE

Rokholt, Per Ove; Borgen, Svein Ole

2000-01-01

Much of the current research on agricultural cooperatives is biased towards weaknesses of the cooperative organization form. The literature says very little about the strengths and advantages of the cooperative form and what is necessary to develop the form's uniqueness into a sustainable competitive advantage. We argue that for cooperatives to remain viable and competitive, the advantages of the form must be clearly manifested. There is now a lack of systematic theorizing in this field. Typi...

POPULAR COOPERATIVE RECYCLING: THE CASE OF COOPERATIVE RECYCLABLE MATERIAL RIBEIRÃO PRETO

OpenAIRE

Mantovani, Daielly Melina Nassif; Leite, Maria FLavia Barbosa

2015-01-01

The social cooperatives, in view of supportive economy, are pointed as a necessity to social inclusion of many marginalized employees in the work market and society. Thisarticlepresentsthe case oftheRecycling Material Cooperativefrom Ribeirão Preto (Cooperativa dos Catadores de Material Reciclável de Ribeirão Preto). The cooperative, in partner with a non-governmental organization (Casa das Mangueiras) tries to improve the social conditions of the employees and their fair social inclusion. Th...

Application of the business model Canvas in Microenterprises from Partners of the Savings and Credit Cooperative Luz del Valle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco Javier Monroy Espinosa

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The "Luz del Valle" Savings and Credit Cooperative is a financial institution with five thousand microentrepreneurial partners who have business units. These business units, generally informal, do not have a defined organizational structure or adequate management tools, which influences in the presence of economic problems such as arrears and non-payment of contracted obligations, mainly as a result of a low level of sales. Due to this situation, it is important for cooperatives to support their partners in finding solutions. This is part of the cooperative principles and values of mutual aid, social responsibility and education, training and information for its members, team leaders, managers and employees; these universal principles established by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA are considered by the savings and credit cooperative "Luz del Valle" as strategies to accompany its partners in the development and growth of their business units. The cooperative organizes a Christmas Fair annually, where 60 microentrepreneurs participate. This event was the opportunity to develop, together with the Metropolitan University of Ecuador, a project that, in its first phase, trained in the formulation of strategies based on the application of the Business Model Canvas; the teaching of this tool, which allows creating, capturing and providing value for clients, was supported by the university community and the program of linkage with society that develops the aforementioned institution; the evaluation of the impact and the economic results are contemplated in a second phase.

Co-operatives and Normative Control

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bregn, Kirsten; Jagd, Søren

1992-01-01

This paper explores the conditions for applying normative control in co-operatives. For normative control to be effective two conditions are found particularly important: Individuals must be morally involved and the organization must have a system of making it possible to link common norms...... and individual action. If these conditions are not fulfilled, as may be the case in many co-operatives, normative control cannot be expected to work. The problems of normative control in co-operatives may then not be caused by the use of normative control as such, but may instead be a problem of securing...

Do Coffee Farmers Benefit in Food Security from Participating in Coffee Cooperatives? Evidence from Southwest Ethiopia Coffee Cooperatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Shumeta, Zekarias; D'Haese, Marijke

2018-06-01

Most coffee in Ethiopia is produced by smallholder farmers who face a daily struggle to get sufficient income but also to feed their families. At the same time, many smallholder coffee producers are members of cooperatives. Yet, literature has paid little attention to the effect of cooperatives on combating food insecurity among cash crop producers including coffee farmers. The objective of the study was to investigate how coffee cooperative membership may affect food security among coffee farm households in Southwest Ethiopia. The study used cross-sectional household data on income, expenditure on food, staple food production (maize and teff), and utilization of improved inputs (fertilizer and improved seed) collected from 256 randomly selected farm households (132 cooperative members and 124 nonmembers) and applied an inverse probability weighting (IPW) estimation to assess the impact of cooperative membership on food security. The result revealed that cooperative membership has a positive and significant effect on staple food production (maize and teff) and facilitated technological transformation via increased utilization of fertilizer and improved seeds. Nonetheless, the effect on food expenditure and income could not be confirmed. Findings suggest a trade-off between coffee marketing and input supply functions of the cooperatives, impairing their true food security impact from the pooled income and production effect.

The evolution of cooperation in spatial groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Jianlei; Zhang Chunyan; Chu Tianguang

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → We propose a model of evolutionary games in which individuals are organized into networked groups. → We show that the social dilemma can be resolved and high cooperation levels are attained. → Larger average group size would lead to lower cooperation level but higher average payoffs. → The results show that higher expectations can bring the system with larger average payoffs. - Abstract: Much of human cooperation remains an evolutionary riddle. There is evidence that individuals are often organized into groups in many social situations. Inspired by this observation, we propose a simple model of evolutionary public goods games in which individuals are organized into networked groups. Here, nodes in the network represent groups; the edges, connecting the nodes, refer to the interactions between the groups. Individuals establish public goods games with partners in the same group and migrate among neighboring groups depending on their payoffs and expectations. We show that the paradigmatic public goods social dilemma can be resolved and high cooperation levels are attained in structured groups, even in relatively harsh conditions for cooperation. Further, by means of numerical simulations and mean-field analysis, we arrive at the result: larger average group size and milder cooperation environment would lead to lower cooperation level but higher average payoffs of the entire population. Altogether, these results emphasize that our understanding of cooperation can be enhanced by investigations of how spatial groups of individuals affect the evolution dynamics, which might help in explaining the emergence and evolution of cooperation.

Comparisons of Cooperative and Non-Cooperative Students: An Analysis of Student Accounting System Data. Interim Report, June, 1981.

Science.gov (United States)

Frazier, Don

The major purpose of this study was to identify unique effects of cooperative vocational education. This interim report is of results of the analyses of existing data bases. Comparisons of cooperative and non-cooperative vocational programs are made on the following variables: enrollments by age, sex and race, school status, work status,…

The principle of cooperation in environmental law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rengeling, H.W.

1988-01-01

The study prepared by order of the Federal Office for Environmental Protection describes the cooperation principle in German environmental policy. It presents examples from various areas of environmental protection, i.a. the participation of third-parties in government decisions. The functions, advantages, problems and risks of cooperation are dealt with. The study focuses on the constitutional and administrative fundamentals for the evaluation of the admissibility and limits of cooperation. On the one hand, there has to be cooperation between State and Society, on the other, there is a normative separation of the two in accordance with constitutional law. The study points out scopes of action for cooperation between State and Society. (RST) [de

Selfishness and Cooperation: Challenge for Social Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Szocik Konrad

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Cooperation is a great challenge for natural selection. Some scholars assume that cooperation could not evolve within the framework of natural selection. It is undeniable that natural selection, at least at the individual level, favors selfishness and defectors. Nonetheless, this selfish tendency does not necessarily imply that cooperation could not evolve by means of natural selection. In this paper, we specifically acknowledge certain basic challenges for the evolution of the human ability to cooperate at the level of large groups. In this paper, we discuss topics like the human ability for “supercooperation,” the importance of repetition and reputation, and Multilevel Selection Theory as the basic mechanisms of evolution of cooperation.

Project Decision Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rolstadås, Asbjørn; Pinto, Jeffrey K.; Falster, Peter

2015-01-01

To add value to project performance and help obtain project success, a new framework for decision making in projects is defined. It introduces the project decision chain inspired by the supply chain thinking in the manufacturing sector and uses three types of decisions: authorization, selection......, and plan decision. A primitive decision element is defined where all the three decision types can be accommodated. Each task in the primitive element can in itself contain subtasks that in turn will comprise new primitive elements. The primitive elements are nested together in a project decision chain....

Testing cooperative systems with the MARS simulator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Netten, B.D.; Wedemeijer, H.

2010-01-01

The complexity of cooperative systems makes the use of high fidelity simulation essential in the development and testing of cooperative applications and their interactions with other cooperative systems. In SAFESPOT a simulator test bench is setup to test the safety margin applications running on

75 FR 9246 - Cooperative Share Loan Insurance

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

... DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT [Docket No. FR-5376-N-14] Cooperative Share Loan... comments on the subject proposal. New guidance for cooperative housing loan insurance will be published to update existing policies, and better enable mortgagees to submit cooperative share loans for FHA...

Cooperation under indirect reciprocity and imitative trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Saavedra, Serguei; Smith, David; Reed-Tsochas, Felix

2010-10-27

Indirect reciprocity, a key concept in behavioral experiments and evolutionary game theory, provides a mechanism that allows reciprocal altruism to emerge in a population of self-regarding individuals even when repeated interactions between pairs of actors are unlikely. Recent empirical evidence show that humans typically follow complex assessment strategies involving both reciprocity and social imitation when making cooperative decisions. However, currently, we have no systematic understanding of how imitation, a mechanism that may also generate negative effects via a process of cumulative advantage, affects cooperation when repeated interactions are unlikely or information about a recipient's reputation is unavailable. Here we extend existing evolutionary models, which use an image score for reputation to track how individuals cooperate by contributing resources, by introducing a new imitative-trust score, which tracks whether actors have been the recipients of cooperation in the past. We show that imitative trust can co-exist with indirect reciprocity mechanisms up to a threshold and then cooperation reverses -revealing the elusive nature of cooperation. Moreover, we find that when information about a recipient's reputation is limited, trusting the action of third parties towards her (i.e. imitating) does favor a higher collective cooperation compared to random-trusting and share-alike mechanisms. We believe these results shed new light on the factors favoring social imitation as an adaptive mechanism in populations of cooperating social actors.

Cooperation under indirect reciprocity and imitative trust.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serguei Saavedra

Full Text Available Indirect reciprocity, a key concept in behavioral experiments and evolutionary game theory, provides a mechanism that allows reciprocal altruism to emerge in a population of self-regarding individuals even when repeated interactions between pairs of actors are unlikely. Recent empirical evidence show that humans typically follow complex assessment strategies involving both reciprocity and social imitation when making cooperative decisions. However, currently, we have no systematic understanding of how imitation, a mechanism that may also generate negative effects via a process of cumulative advantage, affects cooperation when repeated interactions are unlikely or information about a recipient's reputation is unavailable. Here we extend existing evolutionary models, which use an image score for reputation to track how individuals cooperate by contributing resources, by introducing a new imitative-trust score, which tracks whether actors have been the recipients of cooperation in the past. We show that imitative trust can co-exist with indirect reciprocity mechanisms up to a threshold and then cooperation reverses -revealing the elusive nature of cooperation. Moreover, we find that when information about a recipient's reputation is limited, trusting the action of third parties towards her (i.e. imitating does favor a higher collective cooperation compared to random-trusting and share-alike mechanisms. We believe these results shed new light on the factors favoring social imitation as an adaptive mechanism in populations of cooperating social actors.

7 CFR 1124.11 - Cooperative reserve supply unit.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Cooperative reserve supply unit. 1124.11 Section 1124... MARKETING AREA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 1124.11 Cooperative reserve supply unit. Cooperative reserve supply unit means any cooperative association or its agent that is a handler pursuant to § 1000.9...

Monitoring emotions and cooperative behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorbunov, R.D.

2013-01-01

Cooperation among people in teams that are bound to perform a common goal is one of the main factors determining success of these teams. Cooperation becomes even more important for small teams performing long-term missions in isolation. Examples of such missions include missions performed on the

Cooperative newsvendor games : a review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Montrucchio, L.; Norde, H.; Ozen, U.; Scarsini, M.; Slikker, M.; Choi, T.-M.

2012-01-01

In this survey, we review some of the main contributions to the cooperative approach of newsvendor situations. We show how newsvendor situations with several retailers can be modeled as a transferable-utility cooperative game and we concentrate on one solution concept: the core. First, we examine

The effect of sanctions on the evolution of cooperation in linear division of labor.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakamaru, Mayuko; Shimura, Hayato; Kitakaji, Yoko; Ohnuma, Susumu

2018-01-21

The evolution of cooperation is an unsolved research topic and has been investigated from the viewpoint of not only biology and other natural sciences but also social sciences. Much extant research has focused on the evolution of cooperation among peers. While, different players belonging to different organizations play different social roles, and players playing different social roles cooperate together to achieve their goals. We focus on the evolution of cooperation in linear division of labor that is defined as follows: a player in the i-th role interacts with a player in the i + 1-th role, and a player in the n-th role achieves their goal (1 ≤ i social dilemma encountered in common-pool resource management contexts. The administrative organ in Japan introduces two sanction systems to address the illegal dumping problem: the actor responsibility system and the producer responsibility system. In the actor responsibility system, if players in any role who choose defection are monitored and discovered, they are penalized via a fine. However, it is difficult to monitor and detect the violators, and this system does not work well. While, in the producer responsibility system, the player in B 1 is fined if the player cannot hand the manifest to the local administrative organ because the players of B i (i = 1-3) who choose defection do not hand the manifest to the player of B 1 . We analyze this situation using the replicator equation. We reveal that (1) the three-role model has more empirical credibility than the two-role model including B 1 and B 3 , and (2) the producer responsibility system promotes the evolution of cooperation more than the system without sanctioning. (3) the actor responsibility system does not promote the evolution of cooperation if monitoring and detecting defectors is unsuccessful. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Türkiye’de Kooperatiflerin Vergilendirilmesi(Taxation on Cooperatives In Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Murat KOÇTÜRK

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Cooperatives are regarded as the third sector in line with the private and the public sectors in most countries. According to Turkey National Cooperatives Union’s by 2004 there are 58 414 cooperatives and 7 544 872 cooperative members both in rural and urban cooperatives in Turkey. Therefore, the cooperatives in Turkey are supported by the government with various instruments such as tax exemptions and reductions. In this paper, taxation on cooperatives and their implementation on cooperative sector were examined. Being an important instrument of social economy, cooperatives undertake significant roles in EU countries. It is thought that those exemption and redections on cooperative sector would make a considerable contribution to the Turkish cooperative movement.

Fiscal 1994 achievement report. International Clean Energy Network Using Hydrogen Conversion (WE-NET) technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-03-01

Research and development was made for the WE-NET (World Energy Network) project which aims to carry out hydrogen production, transportation, and supply to consumers, by the use of renewable energy. In this fiscal year, surveys were conducted of the status of research and development in each of the fields, and research was started on element technologies in some of the fields. Under subtask 1, surveys and studies were started for pilot plant phase 2. Under subtask 2, an international symposium was held for the enhancement of technical information exchange. Under subtask 3, a liquid hydrogen system conceptual design was prepared for the estimation of facility cost, etc. Under subtask 4, small experimental cells were fabricated for evaluating electrode bonding methods. Under subtask 5, studies were made about the processes of the helium Brayton cycle and hydrogen Claude cycle for the development of a large-scale hydrogen liquefaction plant. Under subtasks 6-9, furthermore, surveys and studies were conducted about low-temperature substance technology, hydrogen energy, hydrogen combustion turbines, and so forth. (NEDO)

Strategic interaction between government and central bank in framework of cooperative and non-cooperative games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mahmoudinia, D.; Engwerda, Jacob; Esfahani, Rahim Dallali; Dastjerdi, R.B.; Fakhar, M.

2016-01-01

In this paper we analyzed the strategic interaction between government and central bank in Iranian economy. Using dynamic differential games and Nash equilibrium within cooperative and non-cooperative setting, we try to find the optimal values of debt, deficit and monetary base. The results of

Co-operatives as heating entrepreneurs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Honkasalo, M.

2000-01-01

The objective of heating entrepreneurship functioning in the form of a co operative is to make the use of the wood chips competitive primarily through district heating of municipal centres. When compared with the conventional heating mode the reliability of chip delivery and the remuneration paid to the co-operative for attending to the running of the heating centres are considered to be the competitive advantages. The system has proven to be a working one; one indication of this is its growing application in the country. In the spring of the year 2000 there were 26 chip-based energy co-operative active in Finland. The first time that the use of bioenergy underwent a powerful rise was in the 1970s as a consequence of the oilcrises. Subsequently the enthusiasm shown to this energy form subsided. Then in the early 1990s, biofuels once again became a subject of interest mainly due to environmental issues, the restructuring of rural areas and silvicultural reasons. With the past decades' experiences forming the basis, the development needs associated with the use of bioenergy were in fresh memory and they were addressed on a wide font. Boiler technology related to solid fuels evolved rapidly and the least successful manufacturers had been eliminated by the recession. In the case of co-operative heating entrepreneurship, the commonest form neither the district heating centre nor the system of heat-transfer pipes belong to co-operative society. The co-operative is responsible only for the delivery of the fuel and for looking after the heating plant. Remuneration is generally based on the amount of energy leaving the district heating plant. Thus the heat dissipated at the heating plant is the co-operative's problem and the heat dissipated during transfer are the energy buyer's problem. The investor in the equipments usually the local municipality or an energy utility. In some cases the co-operative owns the equipments well, in which case it is correct to speak of

Treatment of capital in Brasilian cooperative societies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vergílio Frederico Perius

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The early history of the cooperative system never taxed much importance to capital formation in cooperatives. The first German consumer cooperative had no equity in their accounting records. We want to analyze, even though the capital was not essential, what is its function actually.

Cooperative Dynamics in Lattice-Embedded Scale-Free Networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shang Lihui; Zhang Mingji; Yang Yanqing

2009-01-01

We investigate cooperative behaviors of lattice-embedded scale-free networking agents in the prisoner's dilemma game model by employing two initial strategy distribution mechanisms, which are specific distribution to the most connected sites (hubs) and random distribution. Our study indicates that the game dynamics crucially depends on the underlying spatial network structure with different strategy distribution mechanism. The cooperators' specific distribution contributes to an enhanced level of cooperation in the system compared with random one, and cooperation is robust to cooperators' specific distribution but fragile to defectors' specific distribution. Especially, unlike the specific case, increasing heterogeneity of network does not always favor the emergence of cooperation under random mechanism. Furthermore, we study the geographical effects and find that the graphically constrained network structure tends to improve the evolution of cooperation in random case and in specific one for a large temptation to defect.

Cooperative path planning of unmanned aerial vehicles

CERN Document Server

Tsourdos, Antonios; Shanmugavel, Madhavan

2010-01-01

An invaluable addition to the literature on UAV guidance and cooperative control, Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is a dedicated, practical guide to computational path planning for UAVs. One of the key issues facing future development of UAVs is path planning: it is vital that swarm UAVs/ MAVs can cooperate together in a coordinated manner, obeying a pre-planned course but able to react to their environment by communicating and cooperating. An optimized path is necessary in order to ensure a UAV completes its mission efficiently, safely, and successfully. Focussing on the path planning of multiple UAVs for simultaneous arrival on target, Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles also offers coverage of path planners that are applicable to land, sea, or space-borne vehicles. Cooperative Path Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles is authored by leading researchers from Cranfield University and provides an authoritative resource for researchers, academics and engineers working in...

Recent developments in cooperative control and optimization

CERN Document Server

Murphey, Robert; Pardalos, Panos

2004-01-01

Over the past several years, cooperative control and optimization has un­ questionably been established as one of the most important areas of research in the military sciences. Even so, cooperative control and optimization tran­ scends the military in its scope -having become quite relevant to a broad class of systems with many exciting, commercial, applications. One reason for all the excitement is that research has been so incredibly diverse -spanning many scientific and engineering disciplines. This latest volume in the Cooperative Systems book series clearly illustrates this trend towards diversity and creative thought. And no wonder, cooperative systems are among the hardest systems control science has endeavored to study, hence creative approaches to model­ ing, analysis, and synthesis are a must! The definition of cooperation itself is a slippery issue. As you will see in this and previous volumes, cooperation has been cast into many different roles and therefore has assumed many diverse meanings. P...

Generation Z, Meet Cooperative Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Igel, Charles; Urquhart, Vicki

2012-01-01

Today's Generation Z teens need to develop teamwork and social learning skills to be successful in the 21st century workplace. Teachers can help students develop these skills and enhance academic achievement by implementing cooperative learning strategies. Three key principles for successful cooperative learning are discussed. (Contains 1 figure.)

Evolution, epigenetics and cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bateson, Patrick

2014-04-01

Explanations for biological evolution in terms of changes in gene frequencies refer to outcomes rather than process. Integrating epigenetic studies with older evolutionary theories has drawn attention to the ways in which evolution occurs. Adaptation at the level of the gene is givingway to adaptation at the level of the organism and higher-order assemblages of organisms. These ideas impact on the theories of how cooperation might have evolved. Two of the theories, i.e. that cooperating individuals are genetically related or that they cooperate for self-interested reasons, have been accepted for a long time. The idea that adaptation takes place at the level of groups is much more controversial. However, bringing together studies of development with those of evolution is taking away much of the heat in the debate about the evolution of group behaviour.

Multiple cues add up in defining a figure on a ground.

Science.gov (United States)

Devinck, Frédéric; Spillmann, Lothar

2013-01-25

We studied the contribution of multiple cues to figure-ground segregation. Convexity, symmetry, and top-down polarity (henceforth called wide base) were used as cues. Single-cue displays as well as ambiguous stimulus patterns containing two or three cues were presented. Error rate (defined by responses to uncued stimuli) and reaction time were used to quantify the figural strength of a given cue. In the first experiment, observers were asked to report which of two regions, left or right, appeared as foreground figure. Error rate did not benefit from adding additional cues if convexity was present, suggesting that responses were based on convexity as the predominant figural determinant. However, reaction time became shorter with additional cues even if convexity was present. For example, when symmetry and wide base were added, figure-ground segregation was facilitated. In a second experiment, stimulus patterns were exposed for 150ms to rule out eye movements. Results were similar to those found in the first experiment. Both experiments suggest that under the conditions of our experiment figure-ground segregation is perceived more readily, when several cues cooperate in defining the figure. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"A model co-operative country": Irish-Finnish co-operative contacts at the turn of the twentieth century

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hilson, Mary

2017-01-01

Agricultural co-operative societies were widely discussed across late nineteenth-century Europe as a potential solution to the problems of agricultural depression, land reform and rural poverty. In Finland, the agronomist Hannes Gebhard drew inspiration from examples across Europe in founding the...... that even before the First World War it was Finland, not Ireland, that had begun to be regarded as ‘a model co-operative country’....... between Irish and Finnish co-operators around the turn of the century, and examines the ways in which the parallels between the two countries were constructed and presented by those involved in these exchanges. I will also consider the reasons for the divergence in the development of cooperation, so...

Heuristics guide cooperative behaviors in public goods game

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongjie; Chen, Tong

2015-12-01

In public goods game (PGG), player's cooperative behavior is not pure economical rationality, but social preference and prosocial intuition play extremely important roles as well. Social preference and prosocial intuition can be guided by heuristics from one's neighbors in daily life. To better investigate the impacts of heuristics on the evolution of cooperation, four types of agents are introduced into our spatial PGG. Through numerical simulations, results show that the larger percentages of cooperators with independent thought, the easier emergence and maintenance of collective cooperative behaviors. Additionally, we find that differentia heuristic capability has great effect on the equilibrium of PGG. Cooperation can be obviously promoted, when heuristic capability of cooperators with independent thought is stronger than that of defectors with independent thought. Finally, we observe that cooperators with independent thought and defectors with independent thought are favorable for the formation of some high quality clusters, which can resist the invasion between each other. Our work may help us understand more clearly the mechanism of cooperation in real world.

26 CFR 301.7701-14 - Cooperative bank.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 18 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cooperative bank. 301.7701-14 Section 301.7701... ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE AND ADMINISTRATION Definitions § 301.7701-14 Cooperative bank. For taxable years beginning after October 16, 1962, the term “cooperative bank” means an institution without capital stock...

Internal Control Good Cooperative Governance And Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andry Arifian Rachman

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This study aims to examine the influence of internal control and good cooperative governance partially and simultaneously to the performance of cooperatives in West Java Province. The research method used in this research is descriptive and verification. The sample in this research is 22 boards as manager of cooperative in West Java Province. The data used in the research is the primary data through questionnaire collection. Validity and reliability testing is performed before hypothesis testing. This research uses multiple regression analysis technique. Based on hypothesis testing obtained 1 internal control has no significant effect on performance 2 good cooperative governance has a significant effect on performance and 3 internal control and good cooperative governance have a significant effect on performance.

Communication, coordination and cooperation in construction projects: business environment and human behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Salah Alaloul, Wesam; Shahir Liew, Mohd; Zawawi, Noor Amila Wan

2017-12-01

The accomplishment of construction projects is extremely dependent on the integration of several stakeholders; therefore none of them has the control or the ability to accomplish the project alone. Each of them may influence and be influenced by the project management approach. There is no comprehensive theoretical platform for defining Communication, Coordination and Cooperation (3Cs) in the management of construction project. This paper deliberates the function of the 3Cs different theoretical perceptions. Through an analysis of selected articles from reputable academic journals in construction management, the business environment and human behaviour were identified as two main parts. A little has been done so far about the 3Cs, and how they are correlated with construction projects performance. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to explain the definitions and the association between the 3Cs. There is a significant link between communication and coordination. Coordination alternatively, is trust-based a logic of mutual and exchange. Consequently, cooperation is much more sophisticated, which needing more time and attempts.

Attraction and cooperative behavior

OpenAIRE

Donja Darai; Silvia Grätz

2012-01-01

Being good-looking seems to generate substantial benefits in many social interactions, making the "beauty premium" a not to be underrated economic factor. This paper investigates how physical attractiveness enables people to generate these benefits in the case of cooperation, using field data from a modified one-shot prisoner's dilemma played in a high-stakes television game show. While attractive contestants are not more or less cooperative than less attractive ones, facial attractiveness pr...

On hybrid cooperation in underlay cognitive radio networks

KAUST Repository

Mahmood, Nurul Huda

2013-09-01

Cooperative communication is a promising strategy to enhance the performance of a communication network as it helps to improve the coverage area and the outage performance. However, such enhancement comes at the expense of increased resource utilization, which is undesirable; more so in the case of opportunistic wireless systems such as cognitive radio networks. In order to balance the performance gains from cooperative communication against the possible over-utilization of resources, we propose and analyze an adaptive-cooperation technique for underlay cognitive radio networks, termed as hybrid-cooperation. Under the proposed cooperation scheme, secondary users in a cognitive radio network cooperate adaptively to enhance the spectral efficiency and the error performance of the network. The bit error rate, the spectral efficiency and the outage performance of the network under the proposed hybrid cooperation scheme with amplify-and-forward relaying are analyzed in this paper, and compared against conventional cooperation technique. Findings of the analytical performance analyses are further validated numerically through selected computer-based Monte-Carlo simulations. The proposed scheme is found to achieve significantly better performance in terms of the spectral efficiency and the bit error rate, compared to the conventional amplify-and-forward cooperation scheme. © 2013 IEEE.

The emergence of cooperation in tie strength models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Bo; Yue, Yunpeng

2016-01-01

In this paper, we propose a tie strength model to explain the emergence of cooperation in spatial prisoner's dilemma games, assuming that cooperators preferentially allocate their investments to friends with strong ties. Two types of prisoner's dilemma models are examined in this study: the traditional two-strategy model considering only cooperators and defectors; the expanded three-strategy model consisting cooperators, defectors and extortioners. The results show that tie strength model contributes to the promotion of cooperation in both types of prisoner's dilemma games. However, we point out that the influence of the investment preference is quite different in the two prisoner's dilemma game settings. In the two-strategy prisoner's dilemma game, only small preference contributes to the promotion of cooperation. Once this preference exceeds a critical value, cooperation will be prohibited. We explain this phenomenon by arguing that extremely strong investment preference undermines the ability of cooperative clusters to resist defectors. Moreover, we extend the analysis into the three-strategy case and discover that the catalytic effect of extortioners can eliminate this first up and then down trend in the two-strategy model. The equilibrium fraction of cooperators is always positively correlated to the level of investment preference in three-strategy models.

A project in support of international nuclear cooperation activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jeongkong; Kim, Myungro; Choi, Pyunghoon; Kim, Kyungpyo; Jung, Sunghyon; Park, Jiyeon; Eom, Jaesik; Kim, Wangkeun; Chung, Byungsun

2011-12-15

This study contains the work undertaken to promote multilateral cooperation within the framework of international nuclear related organizations and regional cooperative agreements and the relevant forums, to enhance bilateral cooperation with foreign nuclear related research institutes as well as to promote cooperation through the exchange of foreign scientists. As for multilateral cooperation, activities for promoting cooperation within the IAEA and regional cooperative frameworks are introduced. Regarding bilateral cooperation, activities for concluding arrangements and MOUs with foreign research institutes and for participation in joint nuclear coordinating committee meetings between Korea and other countries are presented. For promoting personnel exchanges, activities for inviting and utilizing foreign scientists and mutual discussions with foreign experts, who have visited KAERI, are also described. Continuous efforts to contributing towards the international community through utilizing Korea's experience gained in the process of technical self-reliance and development of human resources are needed. Also efforts to establish the foundation of international cooperation and to make inroad into overseas nuclear markets for export of our nuclear technologies should be made. Meanwhile in the bilateral cooperation, we need to beef up cooperation with U. S. A. and Canada through the joint committee for the joint export to third countries. It is expected that this study would be utilized as a basic material for the international cooperation of nuclear energy, especially for the KAERI's international cooperation in an effective way.

Regional cooperation on nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, W.Y.; Chen, J.H.; Kim, D.H.; Simmons, R.B.V.; Surguri, S.

1985-01-01

A review has been conducted of a number of multi-national and bilateral arrangements between governments and between utility-sponsored organizations which provide the framework for international cooperation in the field of nuclear safety. These arrangements include the routine exchange operational data, experiences, technical reports and regulatory data, provision of special assistance when requested, collaboration in safety research, and the holding of international conferences and seminars. Areas which may be better suited for cooperation on a regional basis are identified. These areas include: exchange of operational data and experience, sharing of emergency planning information, and collaboration in safety research. Mechanisms to initiate regional cooperation in these areas are suggested

[Social cooperatives in Italy].

Science.gov (United States)

Villotti, P; Zaniboni, S; Fraccaroli, F

2014-06-01

This paper describes the role of social cooperatives in Italy as a type of economic, non-profit organization and their role in contributing to the economic and social growth of the country. The purpose of this paper is to learn more about the experience of the Italian social cooperatives in promoting the work integration process of disadvantaged workers, especially those suffering from mental disorders, from a theoretical and an empirical point of view. Social enterprise is the most popular and consolidated legal and organizational model for social enterprises in Italy, introduced by Law 381/91. Developed during the early 1980s, and formally recognized by law in the early 1990s, social cooperatives aim at pursuing the general interest of the community to promote the human needs and social inclusion of citizens. They are orientated towards aims that go beyond the interest of the business owners, the primary beneficiary of their activities is the community, or groups of disadvantaged people. In Italy, Law 381/91 distinguishes between two categories of social cooperatives, those producing goods of social utility, such as culture, welfare and educational services (A-type), and those providing economic activities for the integration of disadvantaged people into employment (B-type). The main purpose of B-type social cooperatives is to integrate disadvantaged people into the open labour market. This goal is reached after a period of training and working experience inside the firm, during which the staff works to improve both the social and professional abilities of disadvantaged people. During the years, B-type social co-ops acquired a particular relevance in the care of people with mental disorders by offering them with job opportunities. Having a job is central in the recovery process of people suffering from mental diseases, meaning that B-type social co-ops in Italy play an important rehabilitative and integrative role for this vulnerable population of workers. The

Gender and Cooperation in Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cardenas, Juan-Camilo; Dreber, Anna; Essen, Emma von

2014-01-01

In this article we compare cooperation among Colombian and Swedish children aged 9-12. We illustrate the dynamics of the prisoner’s dilemma in a new task that is easily understood by children and performed during a physical education class. We find no robust evidence of a difference in cooperation...

Cooperative synchronized assemblies enhance orientation discrimination.

Science.gov (United States)

Samonds, Jason M; Allison, John D; Brown, Heather A; Bonds, A B

2004-04-27

There is no clear link between the broad tuning of single neurons and the fine behavioral capabilities of orientation discrimination. We recorded from populations of cells in the cat visual cortex (area 17) to examine whether the joint activity of cells can support finer discrimination than found in individual responses. Analysis of joint firing yields a substantial advantage (i.e., cooperation) in fine-angle discrimination. This cooperation increases to more considerable levels as the population of an assembly is increased. The cooperation in a population of six cells provides encoding of orientation with an information advantage that is at least 2-fold in terms of requiring either fewer cells or less time than independent coding. This cooperation suggests that correlated or synchronized activity can increase information.

Network Coded Cooperation Over Time-Varying Channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khamfroush, Hana; Roetter, Daniel Enrique Lucani; Barros, João

2014-01-01

transmissions, e.g., in terms of the rate of packet transmission or the energy consumption. A comprehensive analysis of the MDP solution is carried out under different network conditions to extract optimal rules of packet transmission. Inspired by the extracted rules, we propose two near-optimal heuristics......In this paper, we investigate the optimal design of cooperative network-coded strategies for a three-node wireless network with time-varying, half-duplex erasure channels. To this end, we formulate the problem of minimizing the total cost of transmitting M packets from source to two receivers...... as a Markov Decision Process (MDP). The actions of the MDP model include the source and the type of transmission to be used in a given time slot given perfect knowledge of the system state. The cost of packet transmission is defined such that it can incorporate the difference between broadcast and unicast...

77 FR 26583 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Cooperative...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-04

... Production Act of 1993--Cooperative Research Group on Evaluation of Distributed Leak Detection Systems... Institute-- Cooperative Research Group on Evaluation of Distributed Leak Detection Systems--Performance... detection systems for offshore pipelines. Laboratory testing of distributed temperature and distributed...

The Globalization of Cooperative Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W; Dancey, Janet E; Wickerham, D Lawrence; Horvath, L Elise; Perez, Edith A; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D

2015-10-01

The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a longstanding history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the US-based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the United States, and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the United States or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the United States and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to US policies that restrict drug distribution outside the United States. This article serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Globalization of Cooperative Groups

Science.gov (United States)

Valdivieso, Manuel; Corn, Benjamin W.; Dancey, Janet E.; Wickerham, D. Lawrence; Horvath, L. Elise; Perez, Edith A.; Urton, Alison; Cronin, Walter M.; Field, Erica; Lackey, Evonne; Blanke, Charles D.

2015-01-01

The National Cancer Institute-supported adult cooperative oncology research groups (now officially Network groups) have a long-standing history of participating in international collaborations throughout the world. Most frequently, the U.S. based cooperative groups work reciprocally with the Canadian national adult cancer clinical trial group, NCIC CTG (previously the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group). Thus, Canada is the largest contributor to cooperative groups based in the U.S., and vice versa. Although international collaborations have many benefits, they are most frequently utilized to enhance patient accrual to large phase III trials originating in the U.S. or Canada. Within the cooperative group setting, adequate attention has not been given to the study of cancers that are unique to countries outside the U.S. and Canada, such as those frequently associated with infections in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Global collaborations are limited by a number of barriers, some of which are unique to the countries involved, while others are related to financial support and to U.S. policies that restrict drug distribution outside the U.S. This manuscript serves to detail the cooperative group experience in international research and describe how international collaboration in cancer clinical trials is a promising and important area that requires greater consideration in the future. PMID:26433551

Theoretical Outline about Cooperative Entrepreneurial Management System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angie Fernández Lorenzo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The essence of Cooperativism prints some particular characters to the cooperatives management process, especially the need to integrate the technical, economic and social edges in shaping and improving its. Considering that documented precedent studies have not led to analyze the whole process of cooperative management, but only to solve problems in specific subsystems, in this paper we the theoretical fundaments of Cooperatives Business Management System, under the criteria of integrity and balance between these edges, which is the basis for the proposal of functional subsystems to ensure the whole cooperatives performance.

Cooperative catalysis designing efficient catalysts for synthesis

CERN Document Server

Peters, René

2015-01-01

Written by experts in the field, this is a much-needed overview of the rapidly emerging field of cooperative catalysis. The authors focus on the design and development of novel high-performance catalysts for applications in organic synthesis (particularly asymmetric synthesis), covering a broad range of topics, from the latest progress in Lewis acid / Br?nsted base catalysis to e.g. metal-assisted organocatalysis, cooperative metal/enzyme catalysis, and cooperative catalysis in polymerization reactions and on solid surfaces. The chapters are classified according to the type of cooperating acti

Anti-cooperative supramolecular polymerization: a new K2-K model applied to the self-assembly of perylene bisimide dye proceeding via well-defined hydrogen-bonded dimers.

Science.gov (United States)

Gershberg, Jana; Fennel, Franziska; Rehm, Thomas H; Lochbrunner, Stefan; Würthner, Frank

2016-03-01

A perylene bisimide dye bearing amide functionalities at the imide positions derived from amino acid l-alanine and a dialkoxy-substituted benzyl amine self-assembles into tightly bound dimers by π-π-stacking and hydrogen bonding in chloroform. In less polar or unpolar solvents like toluene and methylcyclohexane, and in their mixtures, these dimers further self-assemble into extended oligomeric aggregates in an anti-cooperative process in which even numbered aggregates are highly favoured. The stepwise transition from dimers into oligomers can not be properly described by conventional K 2 - K model, and thus a new K 2 - K aggregation model has been developed, which interpretes the present anti-cooperative supramolecular polymerization more appropriately. The newly developed K 2 - K model will be useful to describe self-assembly processes of a plethora of other π-conjugated molecules that are characterized by a favored dimer species.

Nudging Cooperation in a Crowd Experiment.

Science.gov (United States)

Niella, Tamara; Stier-Moses, Nicolás; Sigman, Mariano

2016-01-01

We examine the hypothesis that driven by a competition heuristic, people don't even reflect or consider whether a cooperation strategy may be better. As a paradigmatic example of this behavior we propose the zero-sum game fallacy, according to which people believe that resources are fixed even when they are not. We demonstrate that people only cooperate if the competitive heuristic is explicitly overridden in an experiment in which participants play two rounds of a game in which competition is suboptimal. The observed spontaneous behavior for most players was to compete. Then participants were explicitly reminded that the competing strategy may not be optimal. This minor intervention boosted cooperation, implying that competition does not result from lack of trust or willingness to cooperate but instead from the inability to inhibit the competition bias. This activity was performed in a controlled laboratory setting and also as a crowd experiment. Understanding the psychological underpinnings of these behaviors may help us improve cooperation and thus may have vast practical consequences to our society.

Evolutionary dynamics of cooperation in neutral populations

Science.gov (United States)

Szolnoki, Attila; Perc, Matjaž

2018-01-01

Cooperation is a difficult proposition in the face of Darwinian selection. Those that defect have an evolutionary advantage over cooperators who should therefore die out. However, spatial structure enables cooperators to survive through the formation of homogeneous clusters, which is the hallmark of network reciprocity. Here we go beyond this traditional setup and study the spatiotemporal dynamics of cooperation in a population of populations. We use the prisoner's dilemma game as the mathematical model and show that considering several populations simultaneously gives rise to fascinating spatiotemporal dynamics and pattern formation. Even the simplest assumption that strategies between different populations are payoff-neutral with one another results in the spontaneous emergence of cyclic dominance, where defectors of one population become prey of cooperators in the other population, and vice versa. Moreover, if social interactions within different populations are characterized by significantly different temptations to defect, we observe that defectors in the population with the largest temptation counterintuitively vanish the fastest, while cooperators that hang on eventually take over the whole available space. Our results reveal that considering the simultaneous presence of different populations significantly expands the complexity of evolutionary dynamics in structured populations, and it allows us to understand the stability of cooperation under adverse conditions that could never be bridged by network reciprocity alone.

DEVELOPMENT OF MORE-EFFICIENT GAS FLOODING APPLICABLE TO SHALLOW RESERVOIRS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

William R. Rossen; Russell T. Johns; Gary A. Pope

2003-08-21

The objective of this research is to widen the applicability of gas flooding to shallow oil reservoirs by reducing the pressure required for miscibility using gas enrichment and increasing sweep efficiency with foam. Task 1 examines the potential for improved oil recovery with enriched gases. Subtask 1.1 examines the effect of dispersion processes on oil recovery and the extent of enrichment needed in the presence of dispersion. Subtask 1.2 develops a fast, efficient method to predict the extent of enrichment needed for crude oils at a given pressure. Task 2 develops improved foam processes to increase sweep efficiency in gas flooding. Subtask 2.1 comprises mechanistic experimental studies of foams with N2 gas. Subtask 2.2 conducts experiments with CO{sub 2} foam. Subtask 2.3 develops and applies a simulator for foam processes in field application.

Experiential learning implementation based on joint responsibility in women's cooperative development (Case study on Farmer Women Cooperative, Sumedang, West Java)

Science.gov (United States)

Suseno, Gijanto Purbo; Nataliningsih

2017-09-01

Cooperative extension is one form of non-formal education. The follow up of cooperative extension is a coaching that aims to cooperative boards and members apply the knowledge and skills acquired during extension. Learning from the experience (experience learning) of others combined with the concept of joint responsibility is expected to develop the participation of cooperative members as indicated by the repayment of loans on time. The research was conducted at Sumedang Farmer Women Cooperative of West Java with the stages of cooperative extension and coaching for 6 months so it can be evaluated its impact. The results showed that from 30 extension participants who stated willingness to be a member of joint responsibility group as many as 15 people (50%), which then divided into 3 groups of mutual responsibility with member of each group is 5 people. The result of impact evaluation showed the development of group dynamics of the joint liability shown by 9 people (60%) developing business, 3 people (20%) business stagnant and 3 (20%) less profitable business. Implementation of experiental learning based on the concept of mutual responsibility encourages the improvement of entrepreneurship and cooperative skills and the ability of members to pay loan installments on cooperatives in a timely manner.

Cooperation for knowledge demands know-how for cooperation

NARCIS (Netherlands)