Contested collaboration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonnenwald, Diane H.

1995-01-01

. The model describes design phases, roles, themes, and intergroup communication networks as they evolve throughout the design process and characterizes design as a process of "contested collaboration". It is a first step towards a predictive design model that suggests strategies which may help participants...

The National Solo and Ensemble Contest 1929-1937

Science.gov (United States)

Meyers, Brian D.

2012-01-01

This study is the first investigation of the nine-year history of the National Solo and Ensemble Contests, held in the United States in conjunction with the National School Band and Orchestra Contests of the late 1920s and early to mid-1930s. Primary sources used include letters from those involved with the planning of the contests, meeting…

Innovation contests to promote sexual health in China: a qualitative evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Schaffer, David; Tso, Lai Sze; Tang, Songyuan; Tang, Weiming; Huang, Shujie; Yang, Bin; Tucker, Joseph D

2017-01-14

Innovation contests call on non-experts to help solve problems. While these contests have been used extensively in the private sector to increase engagement between organizations and clients, there is little data on the role of innovation contests to promote health campaigns. We implemented an innovation contest in China to increase sexual health awareness among youth and evaluated community engagement in the contest. The sexual health image contest consisted of an open call for sexual health images, contest promotion activities, judging of entries, and celebrating contributions. Contest promotion activities included in-person and social media feedback, classroom didactics, and community-driven activities. We conducted 19 semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample to ensure a range of participant scores, experts and non-expert participants, submitters and non-submitters. Transcripts of each interview were coded with Atlas.ti and evaluated by three reviewers. We identified stages of community engagement in the contest which contributed to public health impact. Community engagement progressed across a continuum from passive, moderate, active, and finally strong engagement. Engagement was a dynamic process that appeared to have little relationship with formally submitting an image to the contest. Among non-expert participants, contest engagement increased knowledge, healthy attitudes, and empowered participants to share ideas about safe sex with others outside of the contest. Among experts who helped organize the contest, the process of implementing the contest fostered multi-sectoral collaboration and re-oriented public health leadership towards more patient-centered public health campaigns. The results of this study suggest that innovation contests may be a useful tool for public health promotion by enhancing community engagement and re-orienting health campaigns to make them more patient-centered.

Payoff Shares in Two-Player Contests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Häfner

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In imperfectly discriminating contests with symmetric valuations, equilibrium payoffs are positive shares of the value of the prize. In contrast to a bargaining situation, players’ shares sum to less than one because a residual share of the value is lost due to rent dissipation. In this paper, we consider contests with two players and investigate the relationship between these equilibrium shares and the parameters of a class of asymmetric Tullock contest success functions. Our main finding is that any players’ shares that sum up to less than one can arise as the unique outcome of a pure-strategy Nash equilibrium for appropriate parameters.

The 2016 interferometric imaging beauty contest

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Bermudez, J.; Thiébaut, E.; Hofmann, K.-H.; Heininger, M.; Schertl, D.; Weigelt, G.; Millour, F.; Schutz, A.; Ferrari, A.; Vannier, M.; Mary, D.; Young, J.

2016-08-01

Image reconstruction in optical interferometry has gained considerable importance for astrophysical studies during the last decade. This has been mainly due to improvements in the imaging capabilities of existing interferometers and the expectation of new facilities in the coming years. However, despite the advances made so far, image synthesis in optical interferometry is still an open field of research. Since 2004, the community has organized a biennial contest to formally test the different methods and algorithms for image reconstruction. In 2016, we celebrated the 7th edition of the "Interferometric Imaging Beauty Contest". This initiative represented an open call to participate in the reconstruction of a selected set of simulated targets with a wavelength-dependent morphology as they could be observed by the 2nd generation of VLTI instruments. This contest represents a unique opportunity to benchmark, in a systematic way, the current advances and limitations in the field, as well as to discuss possible future approaches. In this contribution, we summarize: (a) the rules of the 2016 contest; (b) the different data sets used and the selection procedure; (c) the methods and results obtained by each one of the participants; and (d) the metric used to select the best reconstructed images. Finally, we named Karl-Heinz Hofmann and the group of the Max-Planck-Institut fur Radioastronomie as winners of this edition of the contest.

Innovation contests to promote sexual health in china: a qualitative evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wei Zhang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Innovation contests call on non-experts to help solve problems. While these contests have been used extensively in the private sector to increase engagement between organizations and clients, there is little data on the role of innovation contests to promote health campaigns. We implemented an innovation contest in China to increase sexual health awareness among youth and evaluated community engagement in the contest. Methods The sexual health image contest consisted of an open call for sexual health images, contest promotion activities, judging of entries, and celebrating contributions. Contest promotion activities included in-person and social media feedback, classroom didactics, and community-driven activities. We conducted 19 semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample to ensure a range of participant scores, experts and non-expert participants, submitters and non-submitters. Transcripts of each interview were coded with Atlas.ti and evaluated by three reviewers. Results We identified stages of community engagement in the contest which contributed to public health impact. Community engagement progressed across a continuum from passive, moderate, active, and finally strong engagement. Engagement was a dynamic process that appeared to have little relationship with formally submitting an image to the contest. Among non-expert participants, contest engagement increased knowledge, healthy attitudes, and empowered participants to share ideas about safe sex with others outside of the contest. Among experts who helped organize the contest, the process of implementing the contest fostered multi-sectoral collaboration and re-oriented public health leadership towards more patient-centered public health campaigns. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that innovation contests may be a useful tool for public health promotion by enhancing community engagement and re-orienting health campaigns to make them more patient-centered.

Social Identity and Group Contests

OpenAIRE

Zaunbrecher, Henrik; Riedl, Arno

2016-01-01

Social identity has been shown to successfully enhance cooperation and effort in cooperation and coordination games. Little is known about the causal effect of social identity on the propensity to engage in group conflict. In this paper we explore theoretically and experimentally whether social identity increases investments in group contests. We show theoretically that increased social identity with the own group implies higher investments in Tullock contests. Empirically we find that induce...

Learning Reproducibility with a Yearly Networking Contest

KAUST Repository

Canini, Marco; Crowcroft, Jon

2017-01-01

fostered by organizing a yearly international contest. We argue that holding a contest undertaken by a plurality of students will have benefits that are two-fold. First, it will promote hands-on learning of skills that are helpful in producing artifacts

Sporting contests: seeing red? Putting sportswear in context.

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Candy; Harris, Julie M; Roberts, S Craig

2005-10-27

The shirt colour worn by sportsmen can affect the behaviour of the competitors, but Hill and Barton show that it may also influence the outcome of contests. By analysing the results of men's combat sports from the Athens 2004 Olympics, they found that more matches were won by fighters wearing red outfits than by those wearing blue; they suggest that red might confer success because it is a sign of dominance in many animal species and could signal aggression in human contests. Here we use another data set from the 2004 Olympics to show that similar winning biases occur in contests in which neither contestant wears red, indicating that a different mechanism may be responsible for these effects.

Contest ``LET your School GO Into - Space Baptism 2007

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, G.

2009-05-01

The contest ``Space Baptism 2007'' was organized with the cooperation of the Mirador de la Ciencia, a science museum associated with the local zoo in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and in collaboration with the Asociación Larense de Astronomía, a local astronomy amateur group. This contest was aimed at students of primary schools and had as a final award the chance to give a proper name to an asteroid. The ultimate goal of the contest was to promote basic and space sciences to children and the young through activities that involved the creation of stories related to astronomy, enforcing creativity and originality, and encouraging group work and solidarity. As a result, the asteroid (12758) 1993 SM3 will be known from now on as (12758) Kabudarí. The success of this initiative is demonstrated by stories about the contest that appeared in several publications in local newspapers and magazines about the school and the students who won the contest. We are currently developing plans for repetitions of the contest to name two more asteroids.

Contested Property Claims

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Property relations are such a common feature of social life that we can sometimes forget the immense complexity of the web of laws, practices, and ideas that allow a property regime to function smoothly. But we are quickly reminded of this complexity when social conflict over property erupts. When...... social actors confront a property regime – for example by squatting – they enact what can be called ‘contested property claims’. These confrontations raise crucial issues of social justice and show the ways in which property conflicts often reflect wider social conflicts. Through a series of case studies...... from across the globe, this multidisciplinary anthology exploring contested property claims brings together works from anthropologists, legal scholars, and geographers, who show how disagreements give us a privileged window onto how property regimes function and illustrates the many ways...

Contested Property Claims

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Property relations are such a common feature of social life that the complexity of the web of laws, practices, and ideas that allow a property regime to function smoothly are often forgotten. But we are quickly reminded of this complexity when conflict over property erupts. When social actors...... confront a property regime – for example by squatting – they enact what can be called ‘contested property claims’. As this book demonstrates, these confrontations raise crucial issues of social justice and show the ways in which property conflicts often reflect wider social conflicts. Through a series...... of case studies from across the globe, this multidisciplinary anthology brings together works from anthropologists, legal scholars, and geographers, who show how exploring contested property claims offers a privileged window onto how property regimes function, as well as an illustration of the many ways...

27 CFR 10.24 - Sales promotion contests.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Sales promotion contests. 10.24 Section 10.24 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS COMMERCIAL BRIBERY Commercial Bribery § 10.24 Sales promotion contests...

The 2014 interferometric imaging beauty contest

Science.gov (United States)

Monnier, John D.; Berger, Jean-Philippe; Le Bouquin, Jean-Baptiste; Tuthill, Peter G.; Wittkowski, Markus; Grellmann, Rebekka; Müller, André; Renganswany, Sridhar; Hummel, Christian; Hofmann, Karl-Heinz; Schertl, Dieter; Weigelt, Gerd; Young, John; Buscher, David; Sanchez-Bermudez, Joel; Alberdi, Antxon; Schoedel, Rainer; Köhler, Rainer; Soulez, Ferréol; Thiébaut, Éric; Kluska, Jacques; Malbet, Fabien; Duvert, Gilles; Kraus, Stefan; Kloppenborg, Brian K.; Baron, Fabien; de Wit, Willem-Jan; Rivinius, Thomas; Merand, Antoine

2014-07-01

Here we present the results of the 6th biennial optical interferometry imaging beauty contest. Taking advantage of a unique opportunity, the red supergiant VY CMa and the Mira variable R Car were observed in the astronomical H-band with three 4-telescope configurations of the VLTI-AT array using the PIONIER instrument. The community was invited to participate in the subsequent image reconstruction and interpretation phases of the project. Ten groups submitted entries to the beauty contest, and we found reasonable consistency between images obtained from independent workers using quite different algorithms. We also found that significant differences existed between the submitted images, much greater than in past beauty contests that were all based on simulated data. A novel crowd-sourcing" method allowed consensus median images to be constructed, filtering likely artifacts and retaining real features." We definitively detect strong spots on the surfaces of both stars as well as distinct circumstellar shells of emission (likely water/CO) around R Car. In a close contest, Joel Sanchez (IAA-CSIC/Spain) was named the winner of the 2014 interferometric imaging beauty contest. This process has shown that new comers" can use publicly-available imaging software to interpret VLTI/PIONIER imaging data, as long as sufficient observations are taken to have complete uv coverage { a luxury that is often missing. We urge proposers to request adequate observing nights to collect sufficient data for imaging and for time allocation committees to recognise the importance of uv coverage for reliable interpretation of interferometric data. We believe that the result of the proposed broad international project will contribute to inspiring trust in the image reconstruction processes in optical interferometry.

Contestable Licensing

OpenAIRE

Zvika Neeman; Gerhard O. Orosel

2000-01-01

We analyze a model of repeated franchise bidding for natural monopoly with contestable licensing - a franchisee halds an (exclusive) license to operate a franchise until another rm offers to pay more for it. In a world where quality is observable but not veri able, the simple regulatory scheme we describe combines market-like incentives with regulatory oversight to generate efficient outcomes.

Campaigning and Contestation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schwartz, Sander Andreas

2015-01-01

This article is a critical study of the Facebook pages of politicians as public spheres using Dahlberg’s notion of contestation. A method is implemented inspired by qualitative content analysis and including focus groups in order to study citizen comments on eight main political candidates...

The HepTestContest: a global innovation contest to identify approaches to hepatitis B and C testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Joseph D; Meyers, Kathrine; Best, John; Kaplan, Karyn; Pendse, Razia; Fenton, Kevin A; Andrieux-Meyer, Isabelle; Figueroa, Carmen; Goicochea, Pedro; Gore, Charles; Ishizaki, Azumi; Khwairakpam, Giten; Miller, Veronica; Mozalevskis, Antons; Ninburg, Michael; Ocama, Ponsiano; Peeling, Rosanna; Walsh, Nick; Colombo, Massimo G; Easterbrook, Philippa

2017-11-01

Innovation contests are a novel approach to elicit good ideas and innovative practices in various areas of public health. There remains limited published literature on approaches to deliver hepatitis testing. The purpose of this innovation contest was to identify examples of different hepatitis B and C approaches to support countries in their scale-up of hepatitis testing and to supplement development of formal recommendations on service delivery in the 2017 World Health Organization hepatitis B and C testing guidelines. This contest involved four steps: 1) establishment of a multisectoral steering committee to coordinate a call for contest entries; 2) dissemination of the call for entries through diverse media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, email listservs, academic journals); 3) independent ranking of submissions by a panel of judges according to pre-specified criteria (clarity of testing model, innovation, effectiveness, next steps) using a 1-10 scale; 4) recognition of highly ranked entries through presentation at international conferences, commendation certificate, and inclusion as a case study in the WHO 2017 testing guidelines. The innovation contest received 64 entries from 27 countries and took a total of 4 months to complete. Sixteen entries were directly included in the WHO testing guidelines. The entries covered testing in different populations, including primary care patients (n = 5), people who inject drugs (PWID) (n = 4), pregnant women (n = 4), general populations (n = 4), high-risk groups (n = 3), relatives of people living with hepatitis B and C (n = 2), migrants (n = 2), incarcerated individuals (n = 2), workers (n = 2), and emergency department patients (n = 2). A variety of different testing delivery approaches were employed, including integrated HIV-hepatitis testing (n = 12); integrated testing with harm reduction and addiction services (n = 9); use of electronic medical records to support targeted testing (n = 8

Designing Successful Science Contests for K-12

Science.gov (United States)

Schwerin, T.; Colleton, N.

2006-12-01

Contests can engage, motivate, instruct and inspire students of all grade levels and interests. What are the ingredients necessary for a successful science contest? The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) has recommendations for designing science-based competitions that are both fun and educational for for elementary and secondary students. These recommendations were developed as a result of IGES' experience gained through two annual student competitions that focus on Earth science topics: An annual art contest, for grades 2-4, challenges U.S. students to explore a specific Earth science topic. For example, past themes have included Polar Explorations: Going to Extremes (2006); Connect-4: Air, Land, Water, and Life (2005); and Picture Me: What Kind of Earth Explorer Would I Be? (2004). The contest supports national science education standards for grades K-4, and includes suggested classroom activities, books, and movies. The Thacher Scholarship was founded in 2000 by IGES in honor of the late Peter S. Thacher, a former IGES board member and leader in promoting the use of satellite remote sensing. The $4,000 scholarship is awarded to exceptional high school students displaying the best use of satellite remote sensing in understanding our changing planet.

Rethinking Eurovision Song Contest as a Clash of Cultures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeynep Merve ŞIVGIN

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Modern era’s understanding of culture overlooked culture, as a social and cultural analysis category as well as a way of life. This point of view has lost its validity and culture gained significance as an area where rulership and power struggle exists. Especially the privileged existence of popular culture; having an interdependence attachment to power relations in addition to an allowing structure for alternative discourses other than the official discourse is a cruicial asset. This article examines Eurovision Song Contest with its over 50 years of traditionaled history, as a noteworthy television program of popular culture. Despite often being considered as “kitsch”, the contest refers more than of an ordinary song competition. The artists who participate in the contest compete for the country they represent rather than an individual race which takes “national identity” more on stage. In this respect the contest has a stimulus effect on national consciousness. This alerted effect can clearly be seen on public debates just before, during and after the contest. It is claimed in this study that Turkey’s position in Eurovision Song Contest offers a view of the “cultural struggle” towards Western civilization since the beginning of the modernization process. In this framework this study primarily focuses on the relationship between identity and culture, followed by the role of popular culture in the construction of cultural identity. Afterwards the study tries to discover how does this contest became a tool of cultural struggle in Turkish society by analyzing the news and the discource of the news that took place in national print media.

Blue Marble Space Institute essay contest

Science.gov (United States)

Wendel, JoAnna

2014-04-01

The Blue Marble Space Institute of Science, based in Seattle, Wash., is inviting college students to participate in its essay contest. Essays need to address the question, "In the next 100 years, how can human civilization prepare for the long-term changes to the Earth system that will occur over the coming millennium?" According to the institute, the purpose of the contest is "to stimulate creative thinking relating to space exploration and global issues by exploring how changes in the Earth system will affect humanity's future."

The role of male contest competition over mates in speciation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna QVARNSTRÖM, Niclas VALLIN, Andreas RUDH

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Research on the role of sexual selection in the speciation process largely focuses on the diversifying role of mate choice. In particular, much attention has been drawn to the fact that population divergence in mate choice and in the male traits subject to choice directly can lead to assortative mating. However, male contest competition over mates also constitutes an important mechanism of sexual selection. We review recent empirical studies and argue that sexual selection through male contest competition can affect speciation in ways other than mate choice. For example, biases in aggression towards similar competitors can lead to disruptive and negative frequency-dependent selection on the traits used in contest competition in a similar way as competition for other types of limited resources. Moreover, male contest abilities often trade-off against other abilities such as parasite resistance, protection against predators and general stress tolerance. Populations experiencing different ecological conditions should therefore quickly diverge non-randomly in a number of traits including male contest abilities. In resource based breeding systems, a feedback loop between competitive ability and habitat use may lead to further population divergence. We discuss how population divergence in traits used in male contest competition can lead to the build up of reproductive isolation through a number of different pathways. Our main conclusion is that the role of male contest competition in speciation remains largely scientifically unexplored [Current Zoology 58 (3: 490–506, 2012].

Contestation of citizenship ’from below’

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brändle, Verena Katharina

-up’ approach to citizenship contestation according to people’s views of their relationship with political authorities as well as concerning questions of how to organise just social interaction among each other. Here, the thesis argues that online media allow people to constitute themselves as political...... citizenship, the thesis conducts an inductive comments analysis and compares them across German and Danish online news sites. Regarding EU mobiles’ citizenship contestation, it draws from two online surveys distributed in Facebook groups and analyses and compares semi-structured interviews with EU mobiles...

Experience affects the outcome of agonistic contests without affecting the selective advantage of size.

Science.gov (United States)

Kasumovic, Michael M; Elias, Damian O; Punzalan, David; Mason, Andrew C; Andrade, Maydianne C B

2009-06-01

In the field, phenotypic determinants of competitive success are not always absolute. For example, contest experience may alter future competitive performance. As future contests are not determined solely on phenotypic attributes, prior experience could also potentially alter phenotype-fitness associations. In this study, we examined the influence of single and multiple experiences on contest outcomes in the jumping spider Phidippus clarus. We also examined whether phenotype-fitness associations altered as individuals gained more experience. Using both size-matched contests and a tournament design, we found that both winning and losing experience affected future contest success; males with prior winning experience were more likely to win subsequent contests. Although experience was a significant determinant of success in future contests, male weight was approximately 1.3 times more important than experience in predicting contest outcomes. Despite the importance of experience in determining contest outcomes, patterns of selection did not change between rounds. Overall, our results show that experience can be an important determinant in contest outcomes, even in short-lived invertebrates, and that experience alone is unlikely to alter phenotype-fitness associations.

The HepTestContest: a global innovation contest to identify approaches to hepatitis B and C testing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph D. Tucker

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Innovation contests are a novel approach to elicit good ideas and innovative practices in various areas of public health. There remains limited published literature on approaches to deliver hepatitis testing. The purpose of this innovation contest was to identify examples of different hepatitis B and C approaches to support countries in their scale-up of hepatitis testing and to supplement development of formal recommendations on service delivery in the 2017 World Health Organization hepatitis B and C testing guidelines. Methods This contest involved four steps: 1 establishment of a multisectoral steering committee to coordinate a call for contest entries; 2 dissemination of the call for entries through diverse media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, email listservs, academic journals; 3 independent ranking of submissions by a panel of judges according to pre-specified criteria (clarity of testing model, innovation, effectiveness, next steps using a 1-10 scale; 4 recognition of highly ranked entries through presentation at international conferences, commendation certificate, and inclusion as a case study in the WHO 2017 testing guidelines. Results The innovation contest received 64 entries from 27 countries and took a total of 4 months to complete. Sixteen entries were directly included in the WHO testing guidelines. The entries covered testing in different populations, including primary care patients (n = 5, people who inject drugs (PWID (n = 4, pregnant women (n = 4, general populations (n = 4, high-risk groups (n = 3, relatives of people living with hepatitis B and C (n = 2, migrants (n = 2, incarcerated individuals (n = 2, workers (n = 2, and emergency department patients (n = 2. A variety of different testing delivery approaches were employed, including integrated HIV-hepatitis testing (n = 12; integrated testing with harm reduction and addiction services (n = 9; use of electronic medical records to

A national environmental design contest and capstone course for universities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhada, Ron K.; Abbas Ghassemi; Deraid Morgan, J.

1992-01-01

The Waste-management Education and Research Consortium (WERC) of New Mexico has developed and implemented an environmental design contest for competition by universities throughout America. This is the first university environmental design contest anywhere in the world. WERC is a consortium of three universities, a community college, and two national laboratories sponsored by the DOE with the mission of generating resources to address issues associated with environmental management. The contest was structured to give university student groups from all over America an opportunity to exchange information via a national contest for design, development, and testing of an environmental control process. A practical environmental problem was presented to the competing teams. Each team prepared a total plant design for the solution of the environmental problem. They further prepared a working model to demonstrate each solution on a smaller scale. The design stressed not just the technical solution, but also such factors as economics, risk analysis, regulations, public policy and communications. The judging was preformed by experts from academia, industry and government agencies. The awards were based on the written plant design, the small demonstration, as well as presentations by the competing teams. All the criteria noted above(technical excellence, risk analysis, etc.) were weighted in the judging. Seven universities from throughout the United States competed in the first contest held in April 1991. The program fully accomplished its objective of providing a design challenge as well as providing a medium of exchanging information in the environmental area between various regions of the country. Over twenty universities have signed up to compete in next year's contest. In fact many have used the contest problem as part of their capstone design course. This paper presents the experiences of the first design contest and the topic for the second year. (author)

Recommendations for a debate on the nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lung, M.

2001-10-01

This paper is devoted to people confronted with the nuclear controversy. It presents some arguments in favor of the nuclear energy and gives data and comparisons with other industrial hazards, to contest the slogan ''the nuclear is dangerous''. (A.L.B.)

Morgellons: contested illness, diagnostic compromise and medicalisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Fair, Brian

2010-05-01

The case of Morgellons illustrates how the emergence of a new medically contested illness intersected with and impacted on the diagnostic processes of an existing uncontested psychiatric condition, Delusional Parasitosis (DP). More specifically, the sociopolitical processes at play in the contested illness, Morgellons, dubiously reflect patient empowerment, as well the resilience and power of medical jurisdiction. This research offers insights into the contested illness and medicalisation literatures, and aims to bridge these two approaches towards the relationship between patient empowerment and medical authority, which I do through the notion of doctor-patient compromise. The data for this research come from a comprehensive qualitative analysis of Morgellons discourse through four key sources: the pro-Morgellons website Morgellons.org; the anti-Morgellons website Morgellonswatch.com; the popular media's portrayal of Morgellons; and the DP and Morgellons articles published in peer-reviewed medical journals, as made available on PubMed.

Means of Evidence and Evidence Collection in Contested Procedure in Kosovo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mr.Sc. Makfirete Krasniqi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to serve as a helpful tool for students, jurists, lawyers, judges and others, in the profesional and scientific aspect. In ruling a contested procedure in a professional manner, the court has to find the truth, so that the contested procedure is most efficient until reaching the final verdict. In my research, I intend to enrich the science with my knowledge in the field of contested procedure. In this study I have used analytical, comparative, synthesis, generalization and other methods. Those reading this paper will understand how evidence is the most important part in a fair trial, since failure to prove claims very often leads towards an incorrect situation; they will understand how difficult and painful would be forfeiting rights for the litigating party, which would lead to serious changes, such as losing property, losing a job, compensation of personal income, compensation for damage caused. The paper in itself contains deposited evidence, which maintain the level of estimation from the court in order to make a judgment in a contested procedure with a court verdict. In this paper I present the subject of: “Means of evidence and evidence collection in contested procedure”, where I have tried to research the theory but also the practice in contested proceedings, addressing the positive aspects, the deficiencies and novelties. In the legal provisions of the Law on Contested Procedure of theRepublicofKosovo, no. 03/L-006, of 30 June 2008, and Law no. 04/L-118, of 13 September 2012, on amendments to the Law on Contested Procedure, evidentiary means and evidence collection are included in chapter XXII.

Winning the young men over through a contest.

Science.gov (United States)

Kweeken, F A

1987-11-01

5 years ago, the Family Planning Association of Liberia (FPAL) was perturbed by the very minimal youth participation in its programs. Male participation was also at its lowest. The president of the Association then hit upon an innovative idea: a Gentleman of the Year contest. The contestants are selected on the basis of the following criteria: they must be between the ages of 21 and 30 years, at least high school graduates, sportsmen, and possessed of good character and good health. They should also have some knowledge of family planning. The contestants appear before the judges 5 times. For their 1st appearance they don sportswear; for their 2nd, African attire; and for the 5th, a business suit. During their 3rd and 4th appearances they display a talent and go through an interview. As a result of the contest, the FPAL can now boast a viable National Youth Department. The FPAL considers the National Youth Department its most valuable program. A budgetary allocation for it has been included in the Association's 3 year plan to enable the Department to function even more effectively. Plans are also being made for a youth seminar.

Most Physically Educated Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Mercier, Kevin; Howard, Thomas

2018-01-01

It is seldom that the accomplishments of secondary physical education students are celebrated. The Most Physically Educated Contest was developed to allow students from several school districts to gather for appropriate competition and to display the characteristics of physical literacy attained from participation in high-quality physical…

A Contest-Oriented Project for Learning Intelligent Mobile Robots

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hsin-Hsiung; Su, Juing-Huei; Lee, Chyi-Shyong

2013-01-01

A contest-oriented project for undergraduate students to learn implementation skills and theories related to intelligent mobile robots is presented in this paper. The project, related to Micromouse, Robotrace (Robotrace is the title of Taiwanese and Japanese robot races), and line-maze contests was developed by the embedded control system research…

The Intra-Industry Effects of Proxy Contests

OpenAIRE

Fang Chen; Jian Huang; Han Yu

2018-01-01

This paper is the first study on the intra-industry effects of proxy contests. Using a sample of proxy contests from January 1988 through December 2008, we identify a striking cross-sectional difference in market reaction to the target companies. As much as 61% of the target firms have a significant positive cumulative abnormal return (CARs) in the period (‒10, +10) around the announcement day, while 39% of the target firms have the negative CARs in the same event window. Moreover, we find th...

“Terrorists or tags”? Contested identities in media portrayal of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Contested identities in media portrayal of militants in Nigeria. ... that have been highly contested, along political, social and religious lines. ... This approach to CDA tends to link text analysis of news stories to media production processes and ...

29 CFR 2700.21 - Effect of filing notice of contest of citation or order.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Effect of filing notice of contest of citation or order... REVIEW COMMISSION PROCEDURAL RULES Contests of Citations and Orders § 2700.21 Effect of filing notice of contest of citation or order. (a) The filing of a notice of contest of a citation or order issued under...

Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2011 - The Python-DTU Team

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jørgen; Ettienne, Mikko Berggren; Vester, Steen

We provide a brief description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we plan to use in the agent contest.......We provide a brief description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we plan to use in the agent contest....

Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2012 - The Python-DTU Team

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jørgen; Jensen, Andreas Schmidt; Ettienne, Mikko Berggren

We provide a brief description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we plan to use in the agent contest.......We provide a brief description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall design, the tools and the algorithms that we plan to use in the agent contest....

Animal personality as a cause and consequence of contest behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Briffa, Mark; Sneddon, Lynne U; Wilson, Alastair J

2015-03-01

We review the evidence for a link between consistent among-individual variation in behaviour (animal personality) and the ability to win contests over limited resources. Explorative and bold behaviours often covary with contest behaviour and outcome, although there is evidence that the structure of these 'behavioural syndromes' can change across situations. Aggression itself is typically repeatable, but also subject to high within-individual variation as a consequence of plastic responses to previous fight outcomes and opponent traits. Common proximate mechanisms (gene expression, endocrine control and metabolic rates) may underpin variation in both contest behaviour and general personality traits. Given the theoretical links between the evolution of fighting and of personality, we suggest that longitudinal studies of contest behaviour, combining behavioural and physiological data, would be a useful context for the study of animal personalities. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Case study: Natural bodybuilding contest preparation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kistler, Brandon M; Fitschen, Peter J; Ranadive, Sushant M; Fernhall, Bo; Wilund, Kenneth R

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to document the physiological changes that occur in a natural bodybuilder during prolonged contest preparation for a proqualifying contest. During the 26-week preparation, the athlete undertook a calorically restrictive diet with 2 days of elevated carbohydrate intake per week, increased cardiovascular (CV) training, and attempted to maintain resistance-training load. The athlete was weighed twice a week and body composition was measured monthly by DXA. At baseline and every 2 weeks following CV structure and function was measured using a combination of ultrasound, applanation tonometry, and heart rate variability (HRV). Cardiorespiratory performance was measured by VO(2)peak at baseline, 13 weeks, and 26 weeks. Body weight (88.6 to 73.3 Kg, R(2) = .99) and percent body fat (17.5 to 7.4%) were reduced during preparation. CV measurements including blood pressure (128/61 to 113/54 mmHg), brachial pulse wave velocity (7.9 to 5.8m/s), and measures of wave reflection all improved. Indexed cardiac output was reduced (2.5 to 1.8L/m(2)) primarily due to a reduction in resting heart rate (71 to 44 bpm), and despite an increase in ejection faction (57.9 to 63.9%). Assessment of HRV found a shift in the ratio of low to high frequency (209.2 to 30.9%). Absolute VO2 was minimally reduced despite weight loss resulting in an increase in relative VO2 (41.9 to 47.7 ml/Kg). In general, this prolonged contest preparation technique helped the athlete to improve body composition and resulted in positive CV changes, suggesting that this method of contest preparation appears to be effective in natural male bodybuilders.

The Effect of Peer Pressure on Performance in Crowdsourcing Contests

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heite, Jonas; Hoisl, Karin

We investigate whether and why performance differences exist between contestants with the same abilities but who compete against more skilled or less skilled contestants. We analyze 1,677 unique coders competing in 38 software algorithm competitions with random assignment. Part of these coders co...

HIV cure research community engagement in North Carolina: a mixed-methods evaluation of a crowdsourcing contest.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathews, Allison; Farley, Samantha; Blumberg, Meredith; Knight, Kimberley; Hightow-Weidman, Lisa; Muessig, Kate; Rennie, Stuart; Tucker, Joseph

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a crowdsourcing contest to promote HIV cure research community engagement. Crowdsourcing contests are open calls for community participation to achieve a task, in this case to engage local communities about HIV cure research. Our contest solicited images and videos of what HIV cure meant to people. Contestants submitted entries to IdeaScale, an encrypted online contest platform. We used a mixed-methods study design to evaluate the contest. Engagement was assessed through attendance at promotional events and social media user analytics. Google Analytics measured contest website user-engagement statistics. Text from contest video entries was transcribed, coded and analysed using MAXQDA. There were 144 attendees at three promotional events and 32 entries from 39 contestants. Most individuals who submitted entries were black ( n =31), had some college education ( n =18) and were aged 18-23 years ( n =23). Social media analytics showed 684 unique page followers, 2233 unique page visits, 585 unique video views and an overall reach of 80,624 unique users. Contest submissions covered themes related to the community's role in shaping the future of HIV cure through education, social justice, creativity and stigma reduction. Crowdsourcing contests are feasible for engaging community members in HIV cure research. Community contributions to crowdsourcing contests provide useful content for culturally relevant and locally responsive research engagement.

Some Core Contested Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Chomsky, Noam

2015-01-01

Core concepts of language are highly contested. In some cases this is legitimate: real empirical and conceptual issues arise. In other cases, it seems that controversies are based on misunderstanding. A number of crucial cases are reviewed, and an approach to language is outlined that appears to have strong conceptual and empirical motivation, and…

Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2016 – The Python-DTU Team

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villadsen, Jørgen; Halkjær From, Andreas; Jacobi, Salvador

2018-01-01

We provide a detailed description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall system design and the tools used in the agent contest.......We provide a detailed description of the Python-DTU system, including the overall system design and the tools used in the agent contest....

Online videos to promote sun safety: results of a contest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annelise Lorelei Dawson

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Seventy-percent of Americans search health information online, half of whom access medical content on social media websites.  In spite of this broad usage, the medical community underutilizes social media to distribute preventive health information.  This project aimed to highlight the promise of social media for delivering skin cancer prevention messaging by hosting and quantifying the impact of an online video contest. In 2010 and 2011, we solicited video submissions and searched existing YouTube videos.  Three finalists were selected and ranked. Winners were announced at national dermatology meetings and publicized via a contest website. Afterwards, YouTube view counts were monitored.  No increase in video viewing frequency was observed following the 2010 or 2011 contest.  This contest successfully identified exemplary online sun safety videos; however, increased viewership remains to be seen.  Social media offers a promising outlet for preventive health messaging. Future efforts must explore strategies for enhancing viewership of online content.

Stress and strategic decision-making in the beauty contest game.

Science.gov (United States)

Leder, Johannes; Häusser, Jan Alexander; Mojzisch, Andreas

2013-09-01

Often, economic decisions do not only depend on one's own preferences, but also on the choices of others and therefore require strategizing (i.e., thinking about what others might think). In experimental economics, this has been modeled by the beauty contest game. Another typical feature of economic decisions is that they are often carried out under stress. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to examine the influence of stress on decision-making in the beauty contest game. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) or a placebo version of the TSST-G (control condition). Then, participants played four rounds of a standard beauty contest game. As a biomarker of stress, salivary cortisol was measured. As predicted, participants under stress chose higher numbers in the beauty contest game than non-stressed participants, indicating less strategizing. This effect was mediated by the stress-induced increase in cortisol. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Holiday Door Decorating Contest Brings Cheer | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

By Carolynne Keenan, Contributing Writer Other than the time of year, what do the following have in common: the leg lamp from the movie “A Christmas Story,” a compilation of silly holiday jokes, a gingerbread house, and Santa on a motorcycle? All four were among the individual door winners for the Holiday Door Decorating Contest, held at NCI at Frederick in December. Employees dressed up their office doors, hallways, and even stairwells to participate. Entries for the contest included individual office doors as well as groups. Some employees even “decked the halls” of whole office buildings to participate.

Contests with rank-order spillovers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.R. Baye (Michael); D. Kovenock (Dan); C.G. de Vries (Casper)

2012-01-01

textabstractThis paper presents a unified framework for characterizing symmetric equilibrium in simultaneous move, two-player, rank-order contests with complete information, in which each player's strategy generates direct or indirect affine "spillover" effects that depend on the rank-order of her

Contesting danger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heathershaw, John; Megoran, Nick

2011-01-01

and subsequent considerations of the region in terms of the war on terror. It considers several examples of this discourse of danger including the popular US TV drama about presidential politics, The West Wing, the policy texts of ‘Washingtonian security analysis’ and accounts of danger, insecurity and urban...... of danger is contested within the region. The example of urban violence in Osh, Kyrgyzstan and Jalalabad, Afghanistan in 2010 demonstrates how opportunities to mitigate conflict may have been lost due to the distortions of this discourse of danger. It concludes by raising the challenge to policy...

Issues and challenges of information fusion in contested environments: panel results

Science.gov (United States)

Blasch, Erik; Kadar, Ivan; Chong, Chee; Jones, Eric K.; Tierno, Jorge E.; Fenstermacher, Laurie; Gorman, John D.; Levchuk, Georgiy

2015-05-01

With the plethora of information, there are many aspects to contested environments such as the protection of information, network privacy, and restricted observational and entry access. In this paper, we review and contrast the perspectives of challenges and opportunities for future developments in contested environments. The ability to operate in a contested environment would aid societal operations for highly congested areas with limited bandwidth such as transportation, the lack of communication and observations after a natural disaster, or planning for situations in which freedom of movement is restricted. Different perspectives were presented, but common themes included (1) Domain: targets and sensors, (2) network: communications, control, and social networks, and (3) user: human interaction and analytics. The paper serves as a summary and organization of the panel discussion as towards future concerns for research needs in contested environments.

Using Soil and Water Conservation Contests for Extension: Experiences from the Bolivian Mountain Valleys

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kessler, A.; Graaff, de J.

2007-01-01

Soil and water conservation (SWC) contests among farmer groups were organized in five rural villages in the Bolivian mountain valleys. The contests were aimed at quickly achieving widespread sustainable results. This article analyzes the effectiveness of these contests as an extension tool. Mixed

Wisdom of the Crowds: Crowd-Based Development of a Logo for a Conference Using a Crowdsourcing Contest.

Science.gov (United States)

Ong, Jason J; Bilardi, Jade E; Tucker, Joseph D

2017-10-01

Crowdsourcing methods have been widely used in business, but rarely in sexual health research. We evaluated a crowdsourced logo contest as part of an international human immunodeficiency virus conference. A logo crowdsourcing contest was conducted for the 20th International Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Conference. Crowdsourcing has a group of individuals solve a task, often as part of an open contest. Semistructured interviews were conducted with key informants including contest organizers, contest contributors, and conference attendees. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a content analysis approach. In total, 22 interviews were conducted with 3 contest organizers, 7 contest contributors, and 12 conference attendees. All individuals reported that the crowdsourced logo provided benefits beyond branding the conference, including creating a shared sense of purpose among diverse conference participants and explicitly demonstrating the strong community orientation of the conference. Conference organizers and attendees all reported deeper engagement because of the story of the Tanzanian artist who won the contest. Most conference attendees (11/12) preferred the crowdsourced logo compared with the previous company-organized logo, and all (22/22) supported the logo contest continuing. Implementing a logo contest was simple and relatively inexpensive. Stakeholders identified several ways to enhance crowdsourcing logo contest methods including wider promotion of the contest to encourage broader participation, greater transparency in the selection process, and a different prize structure which acknowledges the contribution of more contestants. We found that a crowdsourcing contest helped engage local and global communities in the lead-up before and during an international conference. Similar participatory events may be useful for sexual health conferences and research projects.

Learning Reproducibility with a Yearly Networking Contest

KAUST Repository

Canini, Marco

2017-08-10

Better reproducibility of networking research results is currently a major goal that the academic community is striving towards. This position paper makes the case that improving the extent and pervasiveness of reproducible research can be greatly fostered by organizing a yearly international contest. We argue that holding a contest undertaken by a plurality of students will have benefits that are two-fold. First, it will promote hands-on learning of skills that are helpful in producing artifacts at the replicable-research level. Second, it will advance the best practices regarding environments, testbeds, and tools that will aid the tasks of reproducibility evaluation committees by and large.

Reversing the AAPT Photo Contest: A Physics Teacher Education Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Hechter, Richard P.

2016-01-01

This year while awaiting the arrival of the AAPT High School Physics Photo Contest poster, I developed an idea for my physics teacher education course that used the photo contest in a new context. While using an external source like a photograph to learn physics is not new to physics education, this article describes how we used the foundational…

Dark Side or Bright Light: Destructive and Constructive Deviant Content in Consumer Ideation Contests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gatzweiler, A.; Blazevic, V.; Piller, F.T.

2017-01-01

Firms use ideation contests to generate ideas from consumers. This type of collaboration provides access to new knowledge and reveals latent consumer needs. But it also is risky, as firms give up control to an unknown crowd. Some contestants use ideation contests to post content that is unintended

Analysis of karate injuries sustained in 295 contests.

Science.gov (United States)

McLatchie, G R

1976-11-01

The injuries sustained in 295 karate contests were analysed. It was noted that in 25 per cent of the contests there was some sort of injury, and in 10 per cent the injury was severe enough to cause the withdrawal of the participant. Injury seemed to occur most commonly among lower-grade participants and more often in the first hour of each day's competition. Protective padding of the arms, legs, feet and hands, and the use of gumshields and protective boxes appeared to reduce the incidence and severity of injury.

Introduction : Global Cultures of Contestation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peeren, E.; Celikates, R.; de Kloet, J.; Poell, T.; Peeren, E.; Celikates, R.; de Kloet, J.; Poell, T.

2018-01-01

From the popular uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East in early 2011, via the Spanish indignados and Occupy Wall Street to the Umbrella movement in Hong Kong, recent years have seen major instances of popular contestation across the world. Moving beyond positions that present a singularly

UV-green iridescence predicts male quality during jumping spider contests.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Matthew L M; Li, Daiqin

2013-01-01

Animal colour signals used in intraspecies communications can generally be attributed to a composite effect of structural and pigmentary colours. Notably, the functional role of iridescent coloration that is 'purely' structural (i.e., absence of pigments) is poorly understood. Recent studies reveal that iridescent colorations can reliably indicate individual quality, but evidence of iridescence as a pure structural coloration indicative of male quality during contests and relating to an individual's resource-holding potential (RHP) is lacking. In age- and size-controlled pairwise male-male contests that escalate from visual displays of aggression to more costly physical fights, we demonstrate that the ultraviolet-green iridescence of Cosmophasis umbratica predicts individual persistence and relates to RHP. Contest initiating males exhibited significantly narrower carapace band separation (i.e., relative spectral positions of UV and green hues) than non-initiators. Asymmetries in carapace and abdomen brightness influenced overall contest duration and escalation. As losers retreated upon having reached their own persistence limits in contests that escalated to physical fights, losers with narrower carapace band separation were significantly more persistence. We propose that the carapace UV-green iridescence of C. umbratica predicts individual persistence and is indicative of a male's RHP. As the observed UV-green hues of C. umbratica are 'pure' optical products of a multilayer reflector system, we suggest that intrasexual variations in the optical properties of the scales' chitin-air-chitin microstructures are responsible for the observed differences in carapace band separations.

UV-green iridescence predicts male quality during jumping spider contests.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew L M Lim

Full Text Available Animal colour signals used in intraspecies communications can generally be attributed to a composite effect of structural and pigmentary colours. Notably, the functional role of iridescent coloration that is 'purely' structural (i.e., absence of pigments is poorly understood. Recent studies reveal that iridescent colorations can reliably indicate individual quality, but evidence of iridescence as a pure structural coloration indicative of male quality during contests and relating to an individual's resource-holding potential (RHP is lacking. In age- and size-controlled pairwise male-male contests that escalate from visual displays of aggression to more costly physical fights, we demonstrate that the ultraviolet-green iridescence of Cosmophasis umbratica predicts individual persistence and relates to RHP. Contest initiating males exhibited significantly narrower carapace band separation (i.e., relative spectral positions of UV and green hues than non-initiators. Asymmetries in carapace and abdomen brightness influenced overall contest duration and escalation. As losers retreated upon having reached their own persistence limits in contests that escalated to physical fights, losers with narrower carapace band separation were significantly more persistence. We propose that the carapace UV-green iridescence of C. umbratica predicts individual persistence and is indicative of a male's RHP. As the observed UV-green hues of C. umbratica are 'pure' optical products of a multilayer reflector system, we suggest that intrasexual variations in the optical properties of the scales' chitin-air-chitin microstructures are responsible for the observed differences in carapace band separations.

Optical Interference Coatings Design Contest 2007: triple bandpass filter and nonpolarizing beam splitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilsch, Markus; Hendrix, Karen

2008-05-01

A triple bandpass filter (28 solutions received) and a nonpolarizing beam splitter (23 solutions received) were the subjects of the design contest held in conjunction with the 2007 Optical Interference Coatings topical meeting of the Optical Society of America. Fifteen designers participated using a wide spectrum of design approaches and optimization strategies to create the submissions. The results differ significantly, but all meet the contest requirements. Fabien Lemarchand wins both contests by submitting the thinnest (6254 nm) triple bandpass design and the widest (61.7 nm) nonpolarizing beam-splitter design. Michael Trubetskov is in second place, followed by Vladimir Pervak in both contests. The submitted designs are described and evaluated.

Winner of video contest inspired by the LHC

CERN Multimedia

Laëtitia Pedroso

2010-01-01

A video contest was launched this year to mark the 10th anniversary of the Frederick Phineas and Sandra Priest Rose Centre for Earth and Space. Luke Cahill, a 27 year-old BFA graduate, has just won the contest with a movie about CERN.   Luke, who works in the film industry in Los Angeles and also takes physics classes, came across a video promoting the contest while he was browsing the American Natural History Museum website. "It seemed like a perfect opportunity to combine my passion for science with my craft of filmmaking", says Luke. Luke decided to make a video about the LHC. To him, CERN embodies the ideals of scientific progress and discovery, continually expanding the boundaries of our knowledge. "I have never actually been to CERN but it's high on the list of places I want to visit when I travel to Europe", says Luke. There is a lot of misleading information on the Internet about CERN – especially about the LHC. Luke wanted to clarify what the ...

An Analysis of the Influence of Graph Theory When Preparing for Programming Contests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Jordán

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The subject known as Programming Contests in the Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering course focuses on solving programming problems frequently met within contests such as the Southwest Europe Regional Contest (SWERC. In order to solve these problems one first needs to model the problem correctly, find the ideal solution, and then be able to program it without making any mistakes in a very short period of time. Leading multinationals such as Google, Apple, IBM, Facebook and Microsoft place a very high value on these abilities when selecting candidates for posts in their companies. In this communication we present some preliminary results of an analysis of the interaction between two optional subjects in the Computer Science Degree course: Programming Contests (PC and Graphs, Models and Applications (GMA. The results of this analysis enabled us to make changes to some of the contents in GMA in order to better prepare the students to deal with the challenges they have to face in programming contests.

Financing bidders in takeover contests

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vladimirov, V.

2012-01-01

The paper studies a takeover contests, in which cash-constrained bidders decide on the optimal way to finance their cash bid. For both bidders and the seller this decision is at least as important as deciding on whether the payment should be in cash or in securities. The main result is that the

Ethical Concerns of and Risk Mitigation Strategies for Crowdsourcing Contests and Innovation Challenges: Scoping Review

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Stephen W; Mathews, Allison; Stein, Gabriella; Bayus, Barry; Rennie, Stuart

2018-01-01

Background Crowdsourcing contests (also called innovation challenges, innovation contests, and inducement prize contests) can be used to solicit multisectoral feedback on health programs and design public health campaigns. They consist of organizing a steering committee, soliciting contributions, engaging the community, judging contributions, recognizing a subset of contributors, and sharing with the community. Objective This scoping review describes crowdsourcing contests by stage, examines ethical problems at each stage, and proposes potential ways of mitigating risk. Methods Our analysis was anchored in the specific example of a crowdsourcing contest that our team organized to solicit videos promoting condom use in China. The purpose of this contest was to create compelling 1-min videos to promote condom use. We used a scoping review to examine the existing ethical literature on crowdsourcing to help identify and frame ethical concerns at each stage. Results Crowdsourcing has a group of individuals solve a problem and then share the solution with the public. Crowdsourcing contests provide an opportunity for community engagement at each stage: organizing, soliciting, promoting, judging, recognizing, and sharing. Crowdsourcing poses several ethical concerns: organizing—potential for excluding community voices; soliciting—potential for overly narrow participation; promoting—potential for divulging confidential information; judging—potential for biased evaluation; recognizing—potential for insufficient recognition of the finalist; and sharing—potential for the solution to not be implemented or widely disseminated. Conclusions Crowdsourcing contests can be effective and engaging public health tools but also introduce potential ethical problems. We present methods for the responsible conduct of crowdsourcing contests. PMID:29523500

Some core contested concepts.

Science.gov (United States)

Chomsky, Noam

2015-02-01

Core concepts of language are highly contested. In some cases this is legitimate: real empirical and conceptual issues arise. In other cases, it seems that controversies are based on misunderstanding. A number of crucial cases are reviewed, and an approach to language is outlined that appears to have strong conceptual and empirical motivation, and to lead to conclusions about a number of significant issues that differ from some conventional beliefs.

Holiday Decorating Contest - A Way to Meet Fellow Employees | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

The trolls from “Frozen,” a North Pole tunnel, and a Christmas tree­–shaped periodic table of elements were just a few of the decorations on display during the second annual Holiday Decorating Contest in December. The contest, sponsored by the R&W Club Frederick, awarded prizes to three groups and two individuals whose decorations were judged based on visual impact,

Observatory Sponsoring Astronomical Image Contest

Science.gov (United States)

2005-05-01

Forget the headphones you saw in the Warner Brothers thriller Contact, as well as the guttural throbs emanating from loudspeakers at the Very Large Array in that 1997 movie. In real life, radio telescopes aren't used for "listening" to anything - just like visible-light telescopes, they are used primarily to make images of astronomical objects. Now, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) wants to encourage astronomers to use radio-telescope data to make truly compelling images, and is offering cash prizes to winners of a new image contest. Radio Galaxy Fornax A Radio Galaxy Fornax A Radio-optical composite image of giant elliptical galaxy NGC 1316, showing the galaxy (center), a smaller companion galaxy being cannibalized by NGC 1316, and the resulting "lobes" (orange) of radio emission caused by jets of particles spewed from the core of the giant galaxy Click on image for more detail and images CREDIT: Fomalont et al., NRAO/AUI/NSF "Astronomy is a very visual science, and our radio telescopes are capable of producing excellent images. We're sponsoring this contest to encourage astronomers to make the extra effort to turn good images into truly spectacular ones," said NRAO Director Fred K.Y. Lo. The contest, offering a grand prize of $1,000, was announced at the American Astronomical Society's meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The image contest is part of a broader NRAO effort to make radio astronomical data and images easily accessible and widely available to scientists, students, teachers, the general public, news media and science-education professionals. That effort includes an expanded image gallery on the observatory's Web site. "We're not only adding new radio-astronomy images to our online gallery, but we're also improving the organization and accessibility of the images," said Mark Adams, head of education and public outreach (EPO) at NRAO. "Our long-term goal is to make the NRAO Image Gallery an international resource for radio astronomy imagery

The Wildlife Habitat Education Program: Moving from Contest Participation to Implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Kevin; Elmore, R. Dwayne; Harper, Craig

2013-01-01

Do members participating in the Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) apply knowledge gained by implementing wildlife management practices at the local level? 4-H members who participated in the National WHEP Contest from 2003-2005 and 2007-2011 completed an evaluation at the end of each contest. The evaluation asked participants if they…

Understanding Fear of Opportunism in Global Prize-Based Science Contests: Evidence for Gender and Age Differences.

Science.gov (United States)

Acar, Oguz Ali; van den Ende, Jan

2015-01-01

Global prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure, however, is paradoxical in nature: in order for the value of knowledge to be assessed, inventors must disclose their knowledge, but then the person who receives that knowledge does so at no cost and may use it opportunistically. This risk of potential opportunistic behavior in turn makes the inventor fearful of disclosing knowledge, and this is a major psychological barrier to knowledge disclosure. In this project, we investigated this fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests by surveying 630 contest participants in the InnoCentive online platform for science contests. We found that participants in these science contests experience fear of opportunism to varying degrees, and that women and older participants have significantly less fear of disclosing their scientific knowledge. Our findings highlight the importance of taking differences in such fears into account when designing global prize-based contests so that the potential of the contests for reaching solutions to important and challenging problems can be used more effectively.

Understanding Fear of Opportunism in Global Prize-Based Science Contests: Evidence for Gender and Age Differences.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oguz Ali Acar

Full Text Available Global prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure, however, is paradoxical in nature: in order for the value of knowledge to be assessed, inventors must disclose their knowledge, but then the person who receives that knowledge does so at no cost and may use it opportunistically. This risk of potential opportunistic behavior in turn makes the inventor fearful of disclosing knowledge, and this is a major psychological barrier to knowledge disclosure. In this project, we investigated this fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests by surveying 630 contest participants in the InnoCentive online platform for science contests. We found that participants in these science contests experience fear of opportunism to varying degrees, and that women and older participants have significantly less fear of disclosing their scientific knowledge. Our findings highlight the importance of taking differences in such fears into account when designing global prize-based contests so that the potential of the contests for reaching solutions to important and challenging problems can be used more effectively.

HGSA DNA day essay contest winner 60 years on: still coding for cutting-edge science.

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, Patrick

2013-08-01

MESSAGE FROM THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: In 2013, the Education Committee of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia (HGSA) established the DNA Day Essay Contest in Australia and New Zealand. The contest was first established by the American Society of Human Genetics in 2005 and the HGSA DNA Day Essay Contest is adapted from this contest via a collaborative partnership. The aim of the contest is to engage high school students with important concepts in genetics through literature research and reflection. As 2013 marks the 60th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick and the 10th anniversary of the first sequencing of the human genome, the essay topic was to choose either of these breakthroughs and explain its broader impact on biotechnology, human health and disease, or our understanding of basic genetics, such as genetic variation or gene expression. The contest attracted 87 entrants in 2013, with the winning essay authored by Patrick Yates, a Year 12 student from Melbourne High School. Further details about the contest including the names and schools of the other finalists can be found at http://www.hgsa-essay.net.au/. The Education Committee would like to thank all the 2013 applicants and encourage students to enter in 2014.

Robots in Action - Professional Contest 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Ciprian Patic

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The organizers of the 9th edition of the Professional Contest "ROBOTS IN ACTION" were, as usual, the Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology Faculty, "Valahia" University of Targoviste, together with the Robotics Society of Romania, Targoviste subsidiary and the Students League.

Contestability of Container Liner Shipping Market in Alliance Era

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enna Hirata

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A cross section panel model is applied to estimate the effect that the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI has on container freight rates for a sample of six major container liner shipping routes during 2009 to 2011. The estimated coefficient of HHI is non-positive and statistically insignificant, indicating that higher concentration level does not lead to high price and the container liner shipping market is contestable for the period under consideration. The suggestion that efficiency can be achieved without actual competition in a contestable market is highly significant for policy makers.

Contested claims to gardens and land

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Obika, Julaina; Adol, Ben Otto; Babiiha, Sulayman Mpisi

2018-01-01

This chapter explores how, in a patrilineal and patriarchal society recovering from two decades of war, women and men frame arguments about entitlement. Here claims to gardens (plots of land for cultivation) become a contested conversation about women’s rights of belonging to family and community...

Exploring Women's Understanding of Politics, Political Contestation ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Exploring Women's Understanding of Politics, Political Contestation and Gender ... First, researchers will explore women's political leadership and the extent to ... Sign up now for IDRC news and views sent directly to your inbox each month.

Corporal punishment contestations, paradoxes and implications for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Corporal punishment contestations, paradoxes and implications for school leadership: A case study of two South African high schools. ... South African Journal of Education. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current ...

Regulation as a political contest: the probability of conservation of a renewable resource

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Urs Steiner

2017-01-01

How do the levels of extreme positions of various interest groups influence the conservation policies in the context of a renewable resource conservation contest? To answer this question, a model is provided where conservation policy is determined as a contest between two opposing interest groups......: one in favor of conservation and another in favor of non-conservation. The levels of extreme positions for the conservationalists are determined by their demands about the severity of the conservation strategy that needs to be implemented. For the non-conservation group, the level of extreme position...... is determined by how large the current harvest of the resource should be. The main driver of the model is that resource conservation is realized only if the conservation group wins the contest, which again depends on the relative gain the two contenders receive when winning the contest. The paper derives...

Local newspaper movie contests and the creation of the first movie fans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica Leonora Whitehead

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This article explores the advent of local newspaper movie contests in the 1910s and how these contests helped to create active movie fans. Such contests increased the popularity of the new medium of film by engaging local audiences in the process of filmmaking, including fans as scriptwriters and even stars. They helped to transform film into a dominant cultural practice by creating local spaces for film patrons to become part of the national pastime of going to the show. They did so by appealing directly to female spectators, who both legitimized going to the movies and created dynamic film fan communities.

Engaging Earth- and Environmental-Science Undergraduates Through Weather Discussions and an eLearning Weather Forecasting Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, David M.; Anderson, Stuart; Seo-Zindy, Ryo

2013-06-01

For students who major in meteorology, engaging in weather forecasting can motivate learning, develop critical-thinking skills, improve their written communication, and yield better forecasts. Whether such advances apply to students who are not meteorology majors has been less demonstrated. To test this idea, a weather discussion and an eLearning weather forecasting contest were devised for a meteorology course taken by third-year undergraduate earth- and environmental-science students. The discussion consisted of using the recent, present, and future weather to amplify the topics of the week's lectures. Then, students forecasted the next day's high temperature and the probability of precipitation for Woodford, the closest official observing site to Manchester, UK. The contest ran for 10 weeks, and the students received credit for participation. The top students at the end of the contest received bonus points on their final grade. A Web-based forecast contest application was developed to register the students, receive their forecasts, and calculate weekly standings. Students who were successful in the forecast contest were not necessarily those who achieved the highest scores on the tests, demonstrating that the contest was possibly testing different skills than traditional learning. Student evaluations indicate that the weather discussion and contest were reasonably successful in engaging students to learn about the weather outside of the classroom, synthesize their knowledge from the lectures, and improve their practical understanding of the weather. Therefore, students taking a meteorology class, but not majoring in meteorology, can derive academic benefits from weather discussions and forecast contests. Nevertheless, student evaluations also indicate that better integration of the lectures, weather discussions, and the forecasting contests is necessary.

CONTESTED IDENTITIES IN MEDIA PORTRAYAL OF MILITANTS ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

MR MATTHEW

2017-02-02

Feb 2, 2017 ... been highly contested, along political, social and religious lines. ... This approach to CDA tends to link text analysis of news ... opposition materials allows the militants' view of their identity to be contrasted and compared.

Research protocol: a realist synthesis of contestability in community-based mental health markets.

Science.gov (United States)

Durham, Jo; Bains, Amara

2015-03-25

In most developed nations, there has been a shift from public services to a marketisation of public goods and services - representing a significant reform process aiming to transform the way in which community-based human services, such as health, are delivered and consumed. For services, this means developing the capacity to adapt and innovate in response to changing circumstances to achieve quality. The availability of rigorous research to demonstrate whether a market approach and contestability, in particular, is a coherent reform process is largely absent. Contestability operates on the premise that better procurement processes allow more providers to enter the market and compete for contracts. This is expected to create stimulus for greater efficiencies, innovation and improved service delivery to consumers. There is limited understanding, however, about how community-based providers morph and re-configure in response to the opportunities posed by contestability. This study focuses on the effect of a contestability policy on the community-managed mental health sector. A realist review will be undertaken to understand how and why the introduction of contestability into a previously incontestable market influences the ways in which community-based mental health providers respond to contestability. The review will investigate those circumstances that shape organisational response and generate outcomes through activating mechanisms. An early scoping has helped to formulate the initial program theory. A realist synthesis will be undertaken to identify relevant journal articles and grey literature. Data will be extracted in relation to the emerging contextual factors, mechanisms and outcomes and their configurations. The analysis will seek patterns and regularities in these configurations across the extracted data and will focus on addressing our theory-based questions. Increasingly, community-based mental health markets are moving to contestability models. Rigorous

Technical paper contest for women 1992. Space challenges: Earth and beyond

Science.gov (United States)

Orans, Robin (Editor)

1993-01-01

Two of the major concerns of the NASA Ames Research Center (NASA ARC) Advisory Committee for Women (ACW) are that recruitment of women scientists, engineers, and technicians needs to increase and that barriers to advancement need to be removed for improved representation of women in middle and upper management and scientific positions. One strategy that addressed this concern was the ACW sponsorship of a Technical Paper Contest for Women at Ames Research Center. Other sponsors of the Contest were the Ames Equal Opportunity Council and the Ames Contractor Council. The Technical Paper Contest for Women greatly increased the visibility of both the civil service women and the women who work for contractors at Ames. The women had the opportunity to hone their written and oral presentation skills. Networking among Ames women increased.

The Structure-Agency Dialectic in Contested Science Spaces: "Do Earthworms Eat Apples?"

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, Justine M.

2015-01-01

Focusing on a group of African American third graders who attend a high-poverty urban school, I explore the structure-agency dialectic within contested spaces situated in a dialogically oriented science classroom. Contested spaces entail the moments in which the students challenge each other's and their teacher's science ideas and, in the process,…

Working Paper 172 - Political Economy of Service Delivery: Monitoring versus Contestation

OpenAIRE

Kjell Hausken; Mthuli Ncube

2013-01-01

Many communities suffer limited public goods provision due to civil servants (doctors, teachers, etc) supplementing their low income with moonlighting activities. Monitors of civil servants commonly also earn low salaries from monitoring and may prefer political contestation for power and prestige. We determine an internal equilibrium for how monitors strike a balance between monitoring and political contestation. We also determine a corner solution where an unresourceful monitor does not mon...

Robots in Action - Professional Contest 2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Ciprian Patic

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The Robotics Society of Romania, Targoviste subsidiary, together with the Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology Faculty, "Valahia" University of Targoviste, held on May 30th 2017, starting from 11.00h, in the Rotonda of Engineering Faculties, the tenth edition of the professional students contest "ROBOTS IN ACTION".

Jackpot for Insurgent in Louisiana Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Cavanagh, Sean

2012-01-01

Campaigns for state school board are typically quiet affairs, eliciting only modest interest from the public and even less from political donors. But the race last fall for the District 2 seat on Louisiana's board of elementary and secondary education was a remarkable exception. The contest attracted the attention of education activists and…

Exploring Women's Understanding of Politics, Political Contestation ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Exploring Women's Understanding of Politics, Political Contestation and Gender Transformation in the Caribbean. IDRC's Democratic Governance, Women's Rights and Gender Equality initiative is supporting a body of comparative research on whether and how democratic processes and institutions are responding to ...

Sex Difference in Testosterone Response to a Video Game Contest

OpenAIRE

Mazur, Allan; Susman, Elizabeth J.; Edelbrock, Sandy

1997-01-01

Testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) were assayed from saliva samples given by young men (n = 28) and women (n = 32) before, during, and after competing with a same-sex partner in a video game. The T response to the competition is different in each sex; the C response is the same. Male results confirm prior reports of a pre-contest rise in testosterone. Male results did not confirm previous findings that after a contest, the testosterone of winners is higher than that of losers, perhaps because ...

Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2013: The Teams and the Design of Their Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ahlbrecht, Tobias; Bender-Saebelkampf, Christian; Brito, Maiquel

2013-01-01

Five teams participated in the Multi-Agent Programming Contest in 2013: All of them gained experience in 2012 already. In order to better understand which paradigms they used, which techniques they considered important and how much work they invested, the organisers of the contest compiled together...

The nuclear in the Cotentin: a successful industrial adventure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gatignol, C.

1993-01-01

The nuclear power plant of Flamanville did not be constructed without fighting, fears, but the ferocity of contestants reduced. The population accompanied the construction of this castle of nuclear era and its presence is estimated for public equipments it allowed (swimming-pools, sport grounds, tennis courts, colleges, schools, common rooms) and it will allow again

Sunflower Beauty Contest : tsvetõ zimoi / Marina Poltavtseva

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Poltavtseva, Marina

2001-01-01

Lillekleitide võistlusest Sunflower Beauty Contest Tallinna klubis Decolte. Konkursi idee on florist Tatjana Tridvornovalt. Esimese koha sai Viimsi lilleäri lilleseadjate Meri-Liis Kõivu ja Triinu Põlderi lillekleit "Talvepruut"

Contested Boundaries: psychiatry, disease, and diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenberg, Charles E

2015-01-01

Since the 19th century, we have come to think of disease in terms of specific entities--entities defined and legitimated in terms of characteristic somatic mechanisms. Since the last third of that century, we have expanded would-be disease categories to include an ever-broader variety of emotional pain, idiosyncrasy, and culturally unsettling behaviors. Psychiatry has been the residuary legatee of these developments, developments that have always been contested at the ever-shifting boundary between disease and deviance, feeling and symptom, the random and the determined, the stigmatized and the value-free. Even in our era of reductionist hopes, psychopharmaceutical practice, and corporate strategies, the legitimacy of many putative disease categories will remain contested. The use of the specific disease entity model will always be a reductionist means to achieve necessarily holistic ends, both in terms of cultural norms and the needs of suffering individuals. Bureaucratic rigidities and stakeholder conflicts structure and intensify such boundary conflicts, as do the interests and activism of an interested lay public.

Constructing and Contesting City of London Power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Andrew; Wigan, Duncan

2017-01-01

Existing literature on the City of London has tended to focus on its ‘structural power’, while neglecting political and narrative agency. This paper acts as a corrective by presenting evidence to show that since the financial crash of 2008 the political terrain the City operates on has become more...... contested, crowded and noisier. The contribution develops a middle course between a positive assessment of the role of civil society in relation to global finance, and a more pessimistic reading. We demonstrate how macro-narratives and public story-telling both construct and contest City and financial...... sector power. In a new pattern since the financial crash, NGOs have moved from campaigns of limited duration and narrow focus, to a more sustained presence on macro-structural issues. Adopting a supply–demand framework for assessing governance and regulatory change, we look at the emergence of TheCity...

Interaction location outweighs the competitive advantage of numerical superiority in Cebus capucinus intergroup contests.

Science.gov (United States)

Crofoot, Margaret C; Gilby, Ian C; Wikelski, Martin C; Kays, Roland W

2008-01-15

Numerical superiority confers a competitive advantage during contests among animal groups, shaping patterns of resource access, and, by extension, fitness. However, relative group size does not always determine the winner of intergroup contests. Smaller, presumably weaker social groups often defeat their larger neighbors, but how and when they are able to do so remains poorly understood. Models of competition between individuals suggest that location may influence contest outcome. However, because of the logistical difficulties of studying intergroup interactions, previous studies have been unable to determine how contest location and group size interact to shape relationships among groups. We address this question by using an automated radio telemetry system to study intergroup interactions among six capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) social groups of varying sizes. We find that the odds of winning increase with relative group size; one additional group member increases the odds of winning an interaction by 10%. However, this effect is not uniform across space; with each 100 m that a group moves away from the center of its home range, its odds of winning an interaction decrease by 31%. We demonstrate that contest outcome depends on an interaction between group size and location, such that small groups can defeat much larger groups near the center of their home range. The tendency of resident groups to win contests may help explain how small groups persist in areas with intense intergroup competition.

29 CFR 2700.20 - Notice of contest of a citation or order issued under section 104 of the Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Notice of contest of a citation or order issued under... MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH REVIEW COMMISSION PROCEDURAL RULES Contests of Citations and Orders § 2700.20 Notice of contest of a citation or order issued under section 104 of the Act. (a) Who may contest. (1) An...

Contested Rivers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gorm Hansen, Louise Lyngfeldt

In recent years, hydropower and the sustainability of large hydropower projects has become a contested field. While for example hydropower companies maintain that hydropower is a renewable and sustainable source of electricity, a number of NGOs sharply question this assumption. The paper explores...... policy making, decision drivers and framing of large hydropower projects in China. Hydropower is a complex and interesting field to explore as the consequences go beyond the immediate locality and interacts with local as well as the global contexts. Inspired by Tsing (2003) and Zhan (2008) the paper...... and natural scientists and Chinese hydropower companies (to name a few). The paper maps different actors’ framing of the issue to gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of hydropower policymaking in China, as well as map the local consequences of global policymaking about large hydropower...

The effects of residency and body size on contest initiation and outcome in the territorial dragon, Ctenophorus decresii.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate D L Umbers

Full Text Available Empirical studies of the determinants of contests have been attempting to unravel the complexity of animal contest behaviour for decades. This complexity requires that experiments incorporate multiple determinants into studies to tease apart their relative effects. In this study we examined the complex contest behaviour of the tawny dragon (Ctenophorus decresii, a territorial agamid lizard, with the specific aim of defining the factors that determine contest outcome. We manipulated the relative size and residency status of lizards in contests to weight their importance in determining contest outcome. We found that size, residency and initiating a fight were all important in determining outcomes of fights. We also tested whether residency or size was important in predicting the status of lizard that initiated a fight. We found that residency was the most important factor in predicting fight initiation. We discuss the effects of size and residency status in context of previous studies on contests in tawny dragons and other animals. Our study provides manipulative behavioural data in support of the overriding effects of residency on initiation fights and winning them.

The Effects of Residency and Body Size on Contest Initiation and Outcome in the Territorial Dragon, Ctenophorus decresii

Science.gov (United States)

Umbers, Kate D. L.; Osborne, Louise; Keogh, J. Scott

2012-01-01

Empirical studies of the determinants of contests have been attempting to unravel the complexity of animal contest behaviour for decades. This complexity requires that experiments incorporate multiple determinants into studies to tease apart their relative effects. In this study we examined the complex contest behaviour of the tawny dragon (Ctenophorus decresii), a territorial agamid lizard, with the specific aim of defining the factors that determine contest outcome. We manipulated the relative size and residency status of lizards in contests to weight their importance in determining contest outcome. We found that size, residency and initiating a fight were all important in determining outcomes of fights. We also tested whether residency or size was important in predicting the status of lizard that initiated a fight. We found that residency was the most important factor in predicting fight initiation. We discuss the effects of size and residency status in context of previous studies on contests in tawny dragons and other animals. Our study provides manipulative behavioural data in support of the overriding effects of residency on initiation fights and winning them. PMID:23077558

"Rape Culture" language and the news media: contested versus non-contested cases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

April COBOS

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The American news media has recently reported on several rape and sexual assault cases in various cultural settings, sparking public conversations about rape culture in different cultural contexts. The article is focused as a Critical Discourse Analysis that compares the language use in news articles from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal over a six months period in order to more clearly understand the way the news media uses language in regards to gender and sexual assault and creates a spectrum of valid versus contested reports of sexual assault in different cultural settings.

Developing Conceptions of Fair Contest Procedures and the Understanding of Skill and Luck.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorkildsen, Theresa A.; White-McNulty, Lisa

2002-01-01

Contrary to assumptions about aversive effects of competition on achievement motivation, in this study young people saw academic contests as fair. When participants completed structural interviews on fair ways to organize science contests and on differentiation of skill and luck, age-related trends in their conceptions of procedural justice were…

Globalized conflicts, globalized responses. Changing manners of contestation among indigenous communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Benyei, Petra; Turreira Garcia, Nerea; Orta-Martínez, Martí

2017-01-01

In a globalized world, environmental conflicts affecting indigenous communities (including hunter-gatherer groups) have intensified and grown in their transnational character. These changes have affected the choice of manners of contestation of these groups, favouring in some cases the emergence...... activities and confront conflicts through a truly bottom-up approach. The chapter ends discussing how, despite the potential of such new manners of contestation, the power imbalances that currently underpin many indigenous conflicts are first to be addressed....

Boundary Struggles : Contestations of Free Speech in the Norwegian Publis Sphere

OpenAIRE

2017-01-01

Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right and a core value in liberal democracies. It is also, however, one of our time’s most contested issues, constantly claimed to be either too wide-ranging, at the peril of vulnerable minority groups, or too limited, restricting dissent and democratic deliberation. Employing a sociological lens on the dynamics of the public sphere, this book investigates how the boundaries of free speech are contested and negotiated through social processes which sil...

Exploring the Effects of Contest Mechanisms on Idea Shortlisting in an Open Idea Competition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Merz, Alexander Benedikt; Seeber, Isabella; Maier, Ronald

2016-01-01

Picking the most promising from a multitude of crowd-generated ideas challenges organizations that employ open idea competitions. Hence, hosts of such contests often filter submitted ideas into shortlists to help juries selecting the winning ideas. While contest communities and rewards have been...

Cassini Scientist for a Day: an international contest in Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Solomonidou, Anezina; Moussas, Xenophon; Xystouris, Georgios; Coustenis, Athena; Lebreton, Jean-Pierre; Katsavrias, Christos; Bampasidis, Georgios; Kyriakopoulos, Konstantinos; Kouloumvakos, Athanasios; Patsou, Ioanna

2013-04-01

The Cassini Outreach Team of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is being organizing a brilliant school contest in Astronomy focusing in the Saturnian system. This essay contest provides school students all around the worlds with the opportunity to get involved in astronomy and astrophysics and planetary sciences in particular. From 2010 the 'Cassini Scientist for a Day' contest has being one of the most successful as well as important outreach activities of ESA and NASA in Greece with hundreds of participants all over Greece. The number of participants is growing rapidly every year. This type of school competition in Greece is particularly important since Astronomy and Astrophysics and Space Sciences, although very popular, are not included in the school curricula and thus students rarely have the opportunity to experience and participate actively in these subjects. For the years 2010 and 2011, the Space Physics Group of the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Mechanics section of the University of Athens in association with external colleagues has been selected as the co-ordinator of NASA for the competition in Greece. Under the guidance of Cassini Outreach team, the members of the Space Physics Group have informed, explained and spread the rules of the competition at primary, secondary and high schools all over Greece. In general, the students have the option to choose Cassini monitoring between three targets of the Saturnian system, which the participants show that will bring the best scientific result. Their arguments should be summarized in an essay of 500 words more or less. They also have the option to do team work through groups of maximum three students. The participation in the contest for 2010 was unexpectedly high and thoroughly satisfied. The winners awarded through a ceremony which was held in the largest amphitheater at the central building of the University of Athens, that was fully packed. The following year 2011 the participation increased up to 300% while

Access Contested: Security, Identity, and Resistance in Asian ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-09-30

Sep 30, 2011 ... Book cover Access Contested: Security, Identity, and Resistance in Asian ... examines the interplay of national security, social and ethnic identity, and ... Burmese media, and distributed-denial-of-service attacks and other ...

Homeostatic study of the effects of sportswear color on the contest outcome

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Jian-Qin; Liu, Timon Cheng-Yi; Wu, Ren-Le; Ruan, Chang-Xiong; He, Li-Mei; Liu, Song-Hao

2008-12-01

There are effects of sportswear color on the contest outcome. It has been explained from the psychological and perceptual viewpoints, respectively. It was studied by integrating the homeostatic theory of exercise training and autonomic nervous model of color vision in this paper. It was found that the effects of sportswear color on the contest outcome depend on autonomic nervous homeostasis (ANH). Color can be classified into hot color such as red, orange and yellow and cold color such as green, blue and violet. If the athletes have been in ANH, there are no effects of sportswear color on the contest outcome. If the autonomic nervous system is far from ANH due to exercise induced fatigue, wearing cold color had no predominance for cold-hot matches, and wearing white had no predominance for white-color matches.

Evidence for the influence of the mere-exposure effect on voting in the Eurovision Song Contest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diarmuid B. Verrier

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The mere exposure, or familiarity, effect is the tendency for people to feel more positive about stimuli to which they have previously been exposed. The Eurovision Song Contest is a two-stage event, in which some contestants in the final will be more familiar to viewers than others. Thus, viewers' voting is likely to be influenced by this effect. Previous work attempting to demonstrate this effect in this context has been unable to control for contestant quality. The current study, which used a novel procedure to analyse the way in which contestant countries distributed their points (a function of how viewers voted in those countries between 2008 and 2011, showed that contestants did better if they previously appeared in a semifinal that was seen by voters. This is evidence that the mere exposure effect, alongside previously studied factors such as cultural and geographical closeness, influences the way viewers vote in the Eurovision.

1993 Technical Paper Contest for Women. Gear Up 2000: Women in Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Orans, Robin (Editor); Duckett, Sophie (Editor); White, Susan (Editor)

1994-01-01

The NASA Ames Research Center Advisory Committee for Women (ACW) sponsored the second ACW Technical paper Contest for Ames women in order to increase the visibility of, and to encourage writing for publication by Ames women scientists, engineers, and technicians. The topics of the contest paper mirrored in the topics of the 1993 Society for Women Engineers (SWE) National Convention, which included technological, workplace, global, and family issues.

Re-Packaging FPIC: Contesting the Shape of Corporate Responsability,Sate Authority, and Indigenous Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Szablowski

2010-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, I propose to examine how rival global governmentalprojects are asserted and contested by decentralized networks thatlink actors operating at different scales. I argue that Tsing’s notionof «travelling packages» provides a useful way of conceptualizingthe means by which elements of these projects are diffused, translated,taken up, and adapted into different localities around theworld. I explore these dynamics in relation to the contestation of agovernance model based on the principle that the free, prior andinformed consent (FPIC of an indigenous people is required toauthorize actions that may affect upon indigenous territory or indigenousrights. Through the assertion of different versions of FPIC,networked actors are contesting the nature and shape of corporatesocial responsibility, the authority of the state, and the significanceof indigenous governance. I propose to explore the implicationsof different packaging strategies on the contestation between rivalgovernance models and on their propensity for uptake in local sites.

Contending with contest in academic literacy. | Murray ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Stellenbosch Papers in Linguistics Plus. Journal Home · ABOUT THIS JOURNAL · Advanced Search · Current Issue · Archives · Journal Home > Vol 29 (1996) >. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register. Contending with contest in academic literacy. H Murray ...

Contestation and Continuity in Educational Reform: A Critical Study of Innovations in Environmental Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Robottom, Ian Morris

Contestation can be defined as a process in which self-interested individuals and groups in a social organization cooperate, compete, and negotiate in a complex interaction aimed at solving social problems. This dissertation explores the notion of contestation in the field of environmental education. In the first part of the document a framework…

Contesting 'Patriotic History': Zimbabwe's liberation war history and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Remarkably, the article observes that the exclusively women authored anthology on liberation war history offers an inventory of a gender based trajectory of memory, thus ... On the other hand, the sidelined demographic categories contest narrow 'patriotic history' by engineering counter discursive historical accounts.

Hmong transnational identity: the gendering of contested discourses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Julian

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Hmong women throughout the diaspora are increasingly expressing ‘what it means to be Hmong’ and ‘what it means to be a Hmong woman’ in a variety of media that constitute western popular culture. At the same time, Hmong women residing in different nation-states live Hmong femininity differently. This paper explores the contested nature of Hmong identity through an exploration of discourses and practices at global and local levels, with a particular emphasis on their gendered dimensions. The paper argues that global narratives of Hmong identity are analytically distinct from, but empirically intertwined with, the constructions of Hmong identities across transnational social spaces. Through a focus on Hmong in Australia and the United States, the paper highlights the significance of place, generation, gender, religion, class and status as axes of contestation and debate in the construction of Hmong identities.

Robots in Action - Proffesional Contest 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Ciprian Patic

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information Technology Faculty, "Valahia" University of Targoviste, together with the Robotics Society of Romania, Targoviste subsidiary and the Students League, held the 7th edition of the Professional Contest "ROBOTS IN ACTION" on June 5th 2014, starting from 12.00h, in the Faculty hall. Students and teams of students participated, exposing 10 practical applications in the fields of robotics and mechatronics.

Multitemporal Very High Resolution From Space: Outcome of the 2016 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mou, L.; Zhu, X.; Vakalopoulou, M.; Karantzalos, K.; Paragios, N.; Saux, Le B.; Moser, G.; Tuia, D.

2017-01-01

In this paper, the scientific outcomes of the 2016 Data Fusion Contest organized by the Image Analysis and Data Fusion Technical Committee of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society are discussed. The 2016 Contest was an open topic competition based on a multitemporal and multimodal dataset,

Corporate contestability and corporate expropriation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Hadi Zulkafli

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This paper presents evidence on the role of ownership in dealing with corporate expropriation of listed companies in Malaysia. From the perspective of expropriation, a single controlling shareholder is always associated with such behavior due to their power and control at the expense of minority shareholder. However, subsequent individual or coalition of large shareholders can be an important corporate governance tool by providing effective monitoring that would lessen the possibility of expropriation by the controlling shareholder. Relating to that, this study evaluates the role of controlling and large shareholders in dealing with corporate expropriation. It is found that there is a negative relationship between single controlling shareholders and dividend payout ratio indicating that firms with only controlling shareholder will pay a lower dividend due to possible expropriation through profit diversion by controlling shareholder. Using Herfindahl Index as a proxy for ownership contestability, the presence of large shareholders along with controlling shareholder has a positive relationship with dividend payout implying that increased contestability helps to curb the power of controlling shareholder to expropriate fund for their own benefit. In accordance with agency theory, the outcome suggests that large shareholders play a monitoring role in minimizing the Type II agency problem. It is also verifying the argument made based on the Catering Theory of Dividend that the presence of large shareholder brings benefit to all shareholders as they are able to reduce profit diversion by demanding for higher dividend

Olfactory signaling of aggressive intent in male-male contests of cave crickets (Troglophilus neglectus; Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataša Stritih

Full Text Available In animal contests, communicating aggressive motivation is most often mediated by visual or acoustic signals, while chemical signals are not expected to serve such a function since they are less able to be modulated by the sender during the changing behavioral context. We describe a rare example of ephemeral olfactory signals in terrestrial animals, signals that are emitted via protrusive scent glands in male cave crickets Troglophilus neglectus (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae to reflect the state of the signaler's aggression. We correlate the intensity of behaviorally expressed aggression of the individuals in dyadic contests with the frequency and extent of their gland tissue protrusion, the latter serving as an indication of the amount of released odor. We detected large amounts of odor release during brief gland protrusions, and the absence of its release during gland retraction. Males protruded the glands during and after encountering a rival, with the degree of protrusion increasing with the intensity of the signalers' aggression. During the encounters, the degree of gland protrusion increased most strongly with the occurrence of the elevated body posture, directly preceding the attack. This degree was significantly higher in encounter winners than in losers displaying such posture, suggesting the highly important role of the released odor for contest resolution. After the encounters, glands were protruded almost exclusively by winners, apparently announcing victory. We tested for the function of the olfactory signals also directly, by preventing gland tissue protrusion in symmetric and asymmetric treatments of the contestants. Treating only the dominant individuals decreased the percentage of encounters they won by over 60%, while treating both contestants elicited a significant increase in the frequency and duration of fights. During contests, the olfactory signals of T. neglectus apparently function as a highly effective threat, which

Law as a Second-Order Essentially Contested Concept

NARCIS (Netherlands)

W. van der Burg (Wibren)

2016-01-01

markdownabstractSince Gallie introduced the notion of essentially contested concepts, it has given rise to considerable debate and confusion. The aim of this paper is to bring clarity to these debates by offering a critical reconstruction of the notion of essential contestedness. I argue that we

Contested Norms in the Process of EU Enlargement: Non-Discrimination and Minority Rights

OpenAIRE

Antje Wiener; Guido Schwellnus

2004-01-01

This paper analyses the adoption of EU conditions regarding non-discrimination and minority protection in three applicant countries: Romania, Hungary and Poland. While non-discrimination is a well established EU norm, minority rights are a contested norm and not enshrined in the acquis communautaire. It is argued that contestation over norm meaning highlights the importance of norm resonance and domestic norm construction in processes of norm diffusion, and that the conceptual tension between...

Writing Freedom: The Art of Contesting Incarceration | Maina ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Human existence and interaction is essentially characterized by a contest between individuals who at times have diametrically opposed social, political, and economic ideals. Due to the forceful nature of our idiosyncrasies, we always perceive our ideals infallible and hence as fit of being enforced on others. This attempt ...

Evaluating the Operational Content of Contestable Market Theory.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-12-01

Aurelius , Marcus , Meditations. Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books, Ltd., 1964. Bailey, Elizabeth and John Panzar. "The Contestability of Airline...must have as its sole aim the service and harmony of all." ( Aurelius , Book 7, Verse 5) I also thank my reader, Dr. Dennis Quinn. Accession For %’A

Understanding fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests : Evidence for gender and age differences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

O.A. Acar (Oguz); J.C.M. van den Ende (Jan)

2015-01-01

textabstractGlobal prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure,

The first mathematical models of dynamic meteorology: The Berlin prize contest of 1746

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Egger, J.; Pelkowski, J. [Muenchen Univ. (Germany). Meteorologisches Inst.

2008-02-15

The first models of dynamic meteorology were published in 1747 as a result of a prize contest of the Academy of Prussia. The topic of the contest concerned the determination of the winds 'if the Earth were surrounded everywhere by an ocean'. D'Alembert formulated a shallow water model for the first time in his prize-winning contribution and attempted to calculate tidal motions within the fluid layers. Daniel Bernoulli viewed the atmosphere as a boundary layer wherein the winds rotating with the earth at low elevations have to adjust their motion to a solar atmosphere at large heights. He is first in applying the principle of angular momentum conservation in continuum geophysics when calculating the zonal wind profile. An account of the historical background of the contest is given, as well as some later reactions to d'Alembert's solution. (orig.)

Conservation narratives and contested protected areas in Zambia: a ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Conservation narratives and contested protected areas in Zambia: a political ecological analysis. ... Mgbakoigba: Journal of African Studies ... This paper uses a political ecological perspective to examine the link between environmental conservation narratives and resource conflicts and degradation in Zambia's protected ...

CIP's Eighth Annual Educational Software Contest: The Winners.

Science.gov (United States)

Donnelly, Denis

1997-01-01

Announces the winners of an annual software contest for innovative software in physics education. Winning entries include an application to help students visualize the origin of energy bands in a solid, a package on the radioastronomy of pulsars, and a school-level science simulation program. Also includes student winners, honorable mentions,…

Nuclear energy: exit or revival? International aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-11-01

This colloquium took place less than 1 year after the decision of the US of revival of their nuclear program. Thus the international context has changed, even if nuclear contestation remains as strong as in the past. Among governments, some positions preach the banishment of nuclear energy while others consider the nuclear option as the only solution to meet the growing up energy demand and the future environmental and economical stakes. This report makes a synthesis of the different talks given by the participants during the 3 round tables of the colloquium on the future of nuclear energy: the ecological stake, the democratic stake, and the energy policy stake. Four talks of French government representatives open and conclude the debates of the different round tables. (J.S.)

Reagan's concept of federalism and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Axelrod, R.S.; Wilson, H.A.

1991-01-01

The 'New Federation' of the Reagan Administration was a doctrine to reduce regulations and devolve government functions to State and local governments. However, when these goals competed with other substantive goals, eg the promotion of nuclear power, the Administration chose to advance the latter. State and local governments utilized the NRC requirement for their participation in the planning and implementation of an evacuation plan to prevent the licensing of the Shoreham nuclear power plant. This strategy was contested by the national Administration which insisted on licensing the plant. The licensing of the Long Island Lighting Company's Shoreham nuclear power plant provides an opportunity to examine the role of nuclear power in highlighting the contradictions in Reagan's 'New Federation'. (author)

5 CFR 890.1055 - Contesting a denial of reinstatement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS PROGRAM Administrative Sanctions Imposed Against... reconsideration of the initial decision. A provider may contest OPM's decision to deny a reinstatement application... present oral arguments to the debarring official. The provider may be accompanied by counsel when making a...

Social licence, corporate social responsibility and coal seam gas: framing the new political dynamics of contestation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curran, Giorel

2017-01-01

This paper explores the contestation dynamics between the unconventional gas mining sector and its challengers through the prism of the social licence to operate. Social licence is a dominant narrative in the mining sector today and as a signifier of the sector's CSR credentials, the term is an influential one. Its capacity to confer project legitimacy, and hence avoid the risks of community opposition, helps explain why most companies seek to gain one. Today both gas proponents and opponents talk the language of social licence: the former to defend their projects, the latter to challenge them. Yet, beyond rhetoric, the precise meaning of social licence remains elusive. This paper uses a case study of community opposition to primarily coal seam gas projects in an eastern Australian region to explore how the absence of a precise meaning for social licence has created a strategic opportunity space for the industry's opponents to invest social licence with a potent democracy frame. This democracy framing has proved particularly effective as a contestation tool and helps explain the outcomes in this case. - Highlights: • Unconventional gas exploration and mining is becoming increasingly contested. • A key way of managing this contestation is through the social licence to operate. • Both proponents and opponents of gas mining use social licence strategically. • Social licence has become increasingly politicised. • A democratic frame assists the effectiveness of contestation.

78 FR 21180 - Announcement of the 2013 SBA-Visa Export Video Contest Under the America COMPETES Reauthorization...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-09

... submitted per business. Videos must not contain violence, profanity, sex, images of a prurient nature, or... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Announcement of the 2013 SBA-Visa Export Video Contest Under the... the ``Cosponsors'') announce a video contest for eligible small businesses to showcase the advantages...

Contest success function with the possibility of a draw: axiomatization

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Blavatskyy, Pavlo R.

-, č. 208 (2004), s. 1-21 ISSN 1424-0459 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z7085904 Keywords : contest success function * logit * irrelevant alternatives Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.iew.unizh.ch/wp/iewwp208.pdf

Does popularity matter in a TV song competition? Evidence from a national music contest

OpenAIRE

Budzinski, Oliver; Pannicke, Julia

2017-01-01

There is a considerable amount of literature analyzing factors of success in music contests, in particular those where the audience votes for the winner. However, one factor that is highlighted by the economic theory of stardom is generally neglected in the literature. In this paper, we tackle this research gap by focusing on a national music contest in Germany and investigating how popularity of the participating artists influences the final voting results. We employ two different concepts o...

Another Tale of Two Cities: Contestation of Globalization in Odia ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Another Tale of Two Cities: Contestation of Globalization in Odia Ofeimun's ... state, in all its social, economic and cultural aspirations, coupled with its trappings of ... as a result of such issues as capitalism, race, nationality, identity and nativity.

Unravelling the Contested Nature of Carbon Capture and Storage

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Egmond, Sander

2016-01-01

Our climate is changing. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) has been identified as an important technology to reduce CO2 emissions in order to avoid dangerous climate change. The implementation of CCS is however slow and CCS is publicly contested. This thesis focuses on the debate on this technology.

Mathematical Modeling in the People's Republic of China--Indicators of Participation and Performance on COMAP's Modeling Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xiaoxi

2014-01-01

In recent years, Mainland Chinese teams have been the dominant participants in the two COMAP-sponsored mathematical modeling competitions: the Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) and the Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM). This study examines five factors that lead to the Chinese teams' dramatic increase in participation rate and…

Positive Affect Relevant to Epistemic Curiosity to Reflect Continuance Intention to Join a Hands-On Making Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Jon-Chao; Hwang, Ming-Yueh; Szeto, Elson; Tai, Kai-Hsin; Tsai, Chi-Ruei

2016-01-01

Hands-on making (e.g., "Maker") has become prevalent in current educational settings. To understand the role that students' epistemic curiosity plays in hands-on making contests, this study explored its correlation to students' positive affect and continuance intention to participate in a hands-on making contest called…

Open Data for Global Multimodal Land Use Classification: Outcome of the 2017 IEEE GRSS Data Fusion Contest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yokoya, Naoto; Ghamisi, Pedram; Xia, Junshi; Sukhanov, Sergey; Heremans, Roel; Tankoyeu, Ivan; Bechtel, Benjamin; Saux, Le Bertrand; Moser, Gabriele; Tuia, Devis

2018-01-01

In this paper, we present the scientific outcomes of the 2017 Data Fusion Contest organized by the Image Analysis and Data Fusion Technical Committee of the IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society. The 2017 Contest was aimed at addressing the problem of local climate zones classification based on

Contesting “Iraq”: a social constructivist explanation | Bailie ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Using social constructivism as a theoretical lens of inquiry, sense is made of this migration. The empirical evidence that accompanies this theoretical work is drawn from the debate over the conflict in Iraq. This debate is used as a means by which to bring the contestation over the notion of “civil war” to the fore and reveal the ...

Comparison of Periorbital Anthropometry Between Beauty Pageant Contestants and Ordinary Young Women with Korean Ethnicity: A Three-Dimensional Photogrammetric Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Chul; Kwon, Jin Geun; Kim, Sung Chan; Huh, Chang Hun; Kim, Hee Jin; Oh, Tae Suk; Koh, Kyung S; Choi, Jong Woo; Jeong, Woo Shik

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the differences in the periorbital anthropometry between national Beauty Pageant Contestants and Ordinary Young Women with Korean ethnicity. Forty-three Beauty Pageant Contestants who were elected for the national beauty contest and forty-eight Ordinary Young Women underwent 3D photography. The authors analyzed 3D photogrammetric measures regarding periorbital soft tissue. The palpebral fissure width was significantly higher in the Beauty Pageant Contestants than the Ordinary Young Women (27.7 ± 1.2 vs. 26.3 ± 1.6 mm) (p Beauty Pageant Contestants (11.5. ± 1.0 vs. 9.1 ± 1.2 mm) (p Beauty Pageant Contestants (intercanthal width, 34.3 ± 1.86 mm vs. 36.7 ± 3.1 mm; upper eyelid height, 11.5 ± 1.4 mm vs. 13.4 ± 2.3 mm) (p Beauty Pageant Contestants (nasal width, 38.0 ± 1.8 vs. 39.5 ± 2.2 mm; midfacial width 144.5 ± 3.9 vs. 146.9 ± 5.2 mm) (p Beauty Pageant Contestants are wide-set eyes, larger palpebral fissure in width and height, relatively small upper eyelid height and intercanthal width, and relatively small nose and facial width compared to normal women. Our anthropometric results can be referable values for Asian eyelid surgery and help surgeons to establish individualized surgical planning. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Giving Back — IDRC photo contest winner shares prize with ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-01-28

Jan 28, 2011 ... Giving Back — IDRC photo contest winner shares prize with Senegalese colleagues ... South or the developed world are tackling the challenges of urban living. ... Upon his return to Canada, the 26-year-old wrote to IDRC the ...

Guobin Yang (ed.), China’s Contested Internet,

OpenAIRE

Arsène, Séverine

2016-01-01

China’s Contested Internet is a collective book composed of 10 chapters, seven of which were previously published in a special issue of China Information in July 2014. With case studies ranging from around 2006 to 2013, this collection of papers covers some of the most salient phenomena that have characterised the Chinese Internet over the last decade: e-government initiatives such as public consultation on the health system reform project (Steven J. Balla), and municipal microblogs (Jesper S...

Contestation in multi-level party systems with institutional constraints: A look at ethnically divided countries in Central and Eastern Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bochsler, Daniel

2011-01-01

Contestation is one of the main dimensions of democratic representation. Mainly, research has focused on contestation at the national level, however the concept equally applies for regional and for local politics. This paper discusses the effect of restrictive national-level institutions...... on political plurality in elections at the subnational level. Its argument is two-fold; firstly, the effect of restrictive political institutions spans over different levels of elections, and therefore restrictive national institutions also restrict political competition in subnational elections. This effect...... might hamper political contestation at the local and regional level if restrictive national institutions meet territorially structured political conflicts. Secondly, where free and politically relevant elections are fought, there is a genuine need for political contestation. Where the multi-level logic...

The Cultural Ideological Contestation in National Examination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerta Adhi Made

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to find out the forms and the factors leading to the contestation of cultural ideology in National Examination. This research utilized Qualitative Research method and the approach of Cultural Studies. Based on the analysis, it was found that the forms of ideological contestation, specifically, centralistic, prioritizing on the result of cognitive domain, and imaging. The factors which caused consisted of political of education, state policies, and socio-cultural. The implications of this research were (1 There was shifting of educational values into capitalism, (2 The meaning of learning became limited in which it was just purposed at facing National Examination, (3 Educational services have shifted from humanist public services to commodification of education, with the result that honesty was marginalized. Eventhough the government has developed sophisticated system and very tight supervision, if the character of the subjects are not formed and cultured, accordingly, the National Examination stated honest and achievement oriented will be just a slogan. Therefore, the education system needs to be improved. The education paradigm which is more emphasized on the increasing of intellectual intelligence by multiple choice tests and scores needs to be deconstructed by adjusting with Indonesian cultural values based on “Pancasila” as ideological foundation and developing character education to the children from early age.

Contestation des Nobel une tradition aussi ancienne que leur attribution

CERN Document Server

Sevestre, G

2003-01-01

"La contestation des Nobel, avec cette annee la campagne lancee par un Americain afin de faire reconnaitre son role dans la mise au point de l'imagerie a resonance magnetique (IRM), constitue une tradition, quasiment aussi ancienne que l'attribution de ces distinctions" (1 page).

Evolving Governance and Contested Water Reforms in Australia’s Murray Darling Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jason Alexandra

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the ways water governance adapts to changing social values and political imperatives by examining the case of water policy reforms in Australia’s Murray Darling Basin. Over more than two decades, Australia’s water reforms have explicitly aimed to promote ecological sustainability and economic efficiency, attempting to balance pro-market, micro-economic reforms with broader social and sustainability goals. Despite the formality of Australia’s intergovernmental agreements, water reforms have been expensive and heavily contested, experiencing many implementation challenges. However, water market reforms have generally been regarded as successful, enabling the reallocation of water for environmental and extractive uses, contributing to flexibility and adaptive capacity. Recognising that discursive contestation is central to policy development, the paper documents the way the reform processes have attempted to broker compromises between three competing policy paradigms—national development, economic rationalism and environmentalism. These inherent tensions resulted in prolonged contests for influence over policy directions long after formal statements of policy intent by Governments. Given that climate change is driving the need for water governance reforms, the paper looks to what lessons can be learnt about the redesigns of meta-governance arrangements, including through structured commitments to independent audits and evaluations that can provide the feedback needed for adaptive governance and policy learning.

Photowalk contest winners

CERN Multimedia

Roberto Cantoni

2010-01-01

The local winners of the global particle physics Photowalk have been announced by the five participating laboratories. At CERN, Diego Giol and Christian Stephani were the jury’s favourites, and their photos will now go forward to the global vote, competing against the local winners from DESY in Germany, Fermilab in the US, KEK in Japan and TRIUMF in Canada. Two prizes are to be awarded, one selected by a global jury, the other by popular vote – it’s time to get voting!   Diego Giol #1 The global winners of the Photowalk contest will be revealed by the second week of October, but the local CERN winners were announced last week. After three weeks of work, two meetings of the jury and three successive selections, 20 photos were chosen from the 792 entries. The three highest-ranked will participate in the final competition. The public can vote for their favourite photos on the interactions.org website until 8 October. Only two photographers took the three winning photo...

ECMS--Educational Contest Management System for Selecting Elite Students

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, Thorsten

2004-01-01

Selecting elite students out of a huge collective is a difficult task. The main problem is to provide automated processes to reduce human work. ECMS (Educational Contest Management System) is an online tool approach to help--fully or partly automated--with the task of selecting such elite students out of a mass of candidates. International tests…

Does Blue Uniform Color Enhance Winning Probability in Judo Contests?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, P.D.; Preenen, P.T.Y.; Essen, H. van

2018-01-01

The color of an athlete's uniform may have an effect on psychological functioning and consequently bias the chances of winning contests in sport competition. Several studies reported a winning bias for judo athletes wearing a blue outfit relative to those wearing a white outfit. However, we argue

The Effects of Ocean Acidification on Feeding and Contest Behaviour by the Beadlet Anemone Actinia equina

Science.gov (United States)

Bamber, Tess Olivia; Jackson, Angus Charles; Mansfield, Robert Philip

2018-05-01

Increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide are causing oceanic pH to decline worldwide, a phenomenon termed ocean acidification. Mounting experimental evidence indicates that near-future levels of CO2 will affect calcareous invertebrates such as corals, molluscs and gastropods, by reducing their scope for calcification. Despite extensive research into ocean acidification in recent years, the effects on non-calcifying anthozoans, such as sea anemones, remain little explored. In Western Europe, intertidal anemones such as Actinia equina are abundant, lower trophic-level organisms that function as important ecosystem engineers. Changes to behaviours of these simple predators could have implications for intertidal assemblages. This investigation identified the effects of reduced seawater pH on feeding and contest behaviour by A. equina. Video footage was recorded for A. equina feeding at current-day seawater (pH 8.1), and the least (pH 7.9) and most (pH 7.6) severe end-of-century predictions. Footage was also taken of contests over ownership of space between anemones exposed to reduced pH and those that were not. No statistically significant differences were identified in feeding duration or various aspects of contest behaviour including initiating, winning, inflating acrorhagi, inflicting acrorhagial peels and contest duration. Multivariate analyses showed no effect of pH on a combination of these variables. This provides contrast with other studies where anemones with symbiotic algae thrive in areas of natural increased acidity. Thus, novel experiments using intraspecific contests and resource-holding potential may prove an effective approach to understand sub-lethal consequences of ocean acidification for A. equina, other sea anemones and more broadly for marine ecosystems.

Contested water rights in post-apartheid South Africa: The struggle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2010-03-25

Mar 25, 2010 ... the redistribution of water resources is contested by the elite. The paper identifies ... implementation of the South African National Water Act by presenting empirical ... The participation in decision making on water management ...... Even more striking is the lack of an integrated approach across sectors ...

Perspectives on ... Multiculturalism and Library Exhibits: Sites of Contested Representation

Science.gov (United States)

Reece, Gwendolyn J.

2005-01-01

This article analyzes a multicultural library exhibit presenting the Palestinian/Israeli conflict as a site of contested representation. Qualitative methodology is used to interrogate the exhibit and its audience reception. Drawing on insights from critical pedagogy, implications for libraries arising from this case study are given and suggestions…

A Comparison between the Swedish 3G Beauty Contest and the UK 3G Auction

OpenAIRE

Welin, Erik

2006-01-01

This thesis compares the two different version of public franchise bidding for awarding 3G licenses used in Sweden and the UK, respectively a beauty contest and an auction. The fact is that the Swedish beauty contest has failed to tackle many of the problems discussed in connection with public franchise bidding in an effective way. Sweden has first of all had problems with enforcing the ambitious coverage criteria. The UK has on the other hand succeeded in tackling the problems and raised gov...

Contested Norms in Inter-National Encounters: The ‘Turbot War’ as a Prelude to Fairer Fisheries Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antje Wiener

2016-08-01

Full Text Available This article is about contested norms in inter-national encounters in global fisheries governance. It illustrates how norms work by reconstructing the trajectory of the 1995 ‘Turbot War’ as a series of inter-national encounters among diverse sets of Canadian and European stakeholders. By unpacking the contestations and identifying the norms at stake, it is suggested that what began as action at cross-purposes (i.e. each party referring to a different fundamental norm, ultimately holds the potential for fairer fisheries governance. This finding is shown by linking source and settlement of the dispute and identifying the shared concern for the balance between the right to fish and the responsibility for sustainable fisheries. The article develops a framework to elaborate on procedural details including especially the right for stakeholder access to regular contestation. It is organised in four sections: section 1 summarises the argument, section 2 presents the framework of critical norms research, section 3 reconstructs contestations of fisheries norms over the duration of the dispute, and section 4 elaborates on the dispute as a prelude to fairer fisheries governance. The latter is based on a novel conceptual focus on stakeholder access to contestation at the meso-layer of fisheries governance where organising principles are negotiated close to policy and political processes, respectively. The conclusion suggests for future research to pay more attention to the link between the ‘is’ and the ‘ought’ of norms in critical norms research in International Relations theories (IR.

Evolution of the nuclear law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Virot, L.

2000-01-01

The jurist has to tackle the nuclear domain with modesty because this domain largely exceeds the boundaries of law. The nuclear energy has been successively the domain of the scientists, through its contribution to the development of the civilization, and then of the army and of the industry for which the nuclear energy is a symbol of power. The jurist has to translate these contradictory feelings and from this point of view, the international texts are significant: the fear of the applications follows the enthusiasm of the intentions. The jurist has a huge field of research at his disposition and assists in a relatively brief delay to the invention of a legal system. Moreover, the jurist has to question himself about his role: is it limited to the elaboration of the reactions imposed by the catastrophe? Will the scientific revolution of the nuclear domain lead to a revolution of the legal approach? And is the jurist capable of giving some answers to expectations and contestation? (J.S.)

CERN Photo Club (CPC) / Canon Contest - My View of CERN

CERN Multimedia

Steyaert, Didier

2016-01-01

The CERN Photo Club has organized in collaboration with Canon Switzerland a photo contest open to all members of the CERN (Persons with a CERN access card). The only restriction is that the photos must have been taken with a CANON camera (DSLR, bridge or compact) between 1 and 31 October 2016.

Changes in heart rate associated with contest outcome in agonistic encounters in lobsters.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernáindez-Falcón, Jesús; Basu, Alo C; Govindasamy, Siddhartan; Kravitz, Edward A

2005-03-01

Agonistic contests between lobsters housed together in a confined space progress through encounters of increasing intensity until a dominance relationship is established. Once this relationship is established, losing animals continually retreat from the advances of winners. These encounters are likely to consume much energy in both winning and losing animals. Therefore, one might expect involvement of many physiological systems before, during and after fights. Here, we report effects of agonistic encounters on cardiac frequency in winning and losing adult lobsters involved in dyadic interactions. The results show that: (i) small but significant increases in heart rate are observed upon chemical detection of a conspecific; (ii) during agonistic interactions, further increases in heart rate are seen; and (iii) ultimate winners exhibit greater increases in heart rate lasting longer periods of time compared to ultimate losers. Heart rate in winners remains elevated for at least 15 min after the contests have ended and animals have been returned to their home tanks. Reduced effects are seen in second and third pairings between familiar opponents. The sustained changes in heart rate that we observe in winning lobsters may result from hormonal modulation of cardiac function related to the change in social status brought about by contest outcome.

CONTESTATION OF RELIGIOUS PUBLIC SPACE: CHRISTIANS VS MUSLIMS CASES IN PAPUA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuly  Qadir

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The land of Papua has often been associated with the Papua Independence Movement (GPM, in addition to the Independent Papua Organization (OPM which has been known since the 1990s. The battle between the civil society of Papua against the military seems to keep happening. Killing and shooting each other has always been a public discussion and media coverage. However, the thing that escapes people’s attention is a contestation that occured between the adherents of the religion of the indigenous Papuans who claim to adhere to Christianity, known as the ‘mountain people’, and the Muslims, known as the coastal and inland people who are regarded as non-natives of Papua. The contestation took place observably in public spaces like the streets, mountains, fields and various religious activities that involved mobs such as Kebaktian Kebangkitan Rohani (Spiritual Awakening Mass among the Christians, as well as talbligh akbar (huge gathering among the Muslims where they bring in speakers from outside Papua as an attraction. Such contestation has been going on since 1998 that sometimes triggered massive demonstrations and bans on religious activities as well as the establishment of a Muslim school. In the Papuan society, a lot of trouble is religious matters, coming both from the internal and external followers. To data were obtained through direct observations, in-depth interviews with a number of key informants, literature study and written documents related to the issue. The data were processed using interpretative approach as commonly used by Clifford and Geertz in the socio-anthropological tradition or social sciences in general.

Nuclear power, society and environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1997-01-01

This rubric reports on 12 short notes about sociological and environmental aspects of nuclear power in France and other countries: the epidemiological inquiry widened to all French nuclear sites; the sanitary and radioecological effects of nuclear activities in Northern Cotentin (France); the WONUC (World National Council of Nuclear Workers) anger with the French government about the shutdown of Superphenix reactor; the new more informative promotional campaign of Electricite de France (EdF) for nuclear power; the scientific and research prices attributed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) to its searchers; the creation of a committee of inquiry in the French senate for the careful examination of the economical, social and financial consequences of the shutdown of Superphenix; the 31.2% increase of CEA-Industrie benefits for 1997; the decrease of nuclear contestation in Germany; the French-German communication efficiency during the Fessenheim accident simulation in October 7, 1997; the 3.5% increase of CO 2 emissions in the USA; the decommissioning of 3 Russian reactors for military plutonium production; Greenpeace condemnation for abusive purposes against British Nuclear Fuel plc (BNFL) and its activities at Sellafield (UK). (J.S.)

Contributions of basic nuclear physics to the nuclear waste management

Science.gov (United States)

Flocard, Hubert

2002-04-01

Nuclear fission is presently a contested method of electricity production. The issue of nuclear waste management stands out among the reasons why. On the other hand, the nuclear industry has demonstrated its capacity to reliably generate cheap electricity while producing negligible amounts of greenhouse gases. These assets explain why this form of energy is still considered among the options for the long term production of electricity at least in developed countries. However, in order to tackle the still not adequately answered question of the waste, new schemes may have to be considered. Among those which have been advanced recently, the less polluting cycles such as those based on Thorium rather than Uranium and/or the transmutation of the minor actinides and some long lived fission products of the present cycle have been actively investigated. In both cases, it turns that the basic knowledge underlying these methods is either missing or incomplete. This situation opens a window of opportunity for useful contributions from basic nuclear physicists. This article describes some of them and presents the ongoing activities as well as some of the projects put forth for the short or medium term. .

THE CONSTRUCTION AND CONTESTATION OF ISLAMIC IDENTITY OF THE BAJO PEOPLE IN WAKATOBI ISLANDS, SOUTH EAST SULAWESI, INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benny Baskara

2014-02-01

Full Text Available On the one one hand, the Bajo people are well-known as ‘the sea people’ who have their own indigenous belief system – belief in the Lord of the Sea. On the other hand, they also acknowledge themselves as Muslims. Thus, the religious identity of the Bajo people reflects a unique combination of Islamic teachings and their indigenous beliefs. This unique combination is not only expressed in their religious life, in their rituals and worship practices, but also in the values found in their customary practices (adat as a guiding system for their life. This paper examines the construction and contestation of the religious identity of the Bajo people, especially how they construct their identities in relation to their natural, social, and religious environments. The contestation of the Bajo religious identity covers three aspects: the contestation of the Islam of ‘the sea people’ against the Islam of ‘the land people’, the contenstation of the ‘official’ Islam against the ‘traditional’ Islam, and the challenges of modernity, especially the commodification of the Bajo religious expressions. This contestation, in turn, reconstructs their religious identity into a more adaptive one.

Using contests to allocate pollution rights

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacKenzie, Ian A.; Hanley, Nick; Kornienko, Tatiana

2009-01-01

In this paper we advocate a new initial allocation mechanism for a tradable pollution permit market. We outline a Permit Allocation Contest (PAC) that distributes permits to firms based on their rank relative to other firms. This ranking is achieved by ordering firms based on an observable 'external action' where the external action is an activity or characteristic of the firm that is independent of their choice of emissions in the tradable permit market. We argue that this mechanism has a number of benefits over auctioning and grandfathering. Using this mechanism efficiently distributes permits, allows for the attainment of a secondary policy objective and has the potential to be more politically appealing than existing alternatives.

Contested spacing: International non-profit organizations and the mobility of asylum seekers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albu, Oana Brindusa

The importance of examining space from an organizational standpoint is timely, not the least because the use of this concept has critical and often unintended social, and political effects (Mengis, Nicolini & Gorli, 2016). The global refugee crisis following the post-2015 Syrian conflict is perhaps...... one indicative situation of the highly contested ways in which international non-profit organizations (INGOs) create spaces for their organizational activities (e.g., build informal settlements to provide emergency aid), and thus affect how individuals (e.g., asylum seekers) get re-settled, confined...... to, or even restricted from living in such spaces. These matters are relevant since in the contexts where both the opportunities to move freely and being at peace are challenged, space is not only a neutral structure in which such contested organizing takes place (Mengis et al., 2016). Rather...

Preemption Contested: Suspect Spaces and Preventability in the July 7 Inquest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Goede, M.

2014-01-01

The London Coroner's Inquest into the deaths of July 7 2005 unequivocally rejected the notion that the security services could and should have been able to identify the 7/7 perpetrators as potential future terrorists before July 2005. These findings contest powerful post-9/11 security logics of

State and nuclear power: conflict and control in the western world

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camilleri, J.A.

1984-01-01

An analysis of the political, cultural, and international dimensions of the nuclear power conflict, this book focuses on the role of the advanced capitalist state in the establishment and subsequent development of the nuclear industry. The author examines the mode, extent, and efficacy of state intervention in nuclear decision making and the political contest which has emerged between pro- and anti-nuclear elements in society, which have confronted the state with a new challenge to its authority. Separate chapter headings are: (1) Origins of the Peaceful Atom, (2) The Emerging Nuclear State, (3) The State's Authority under Challenge, (4) The State and the Crisis of Legitimacy, (5) The Impact of Recession, (6) The Politics of the Fuel Cycle, (7) International Nuclear Politics, and (8) Nuclear Power and the Crisis of Capitalism. 47 references, 1 figure, 3 tables

The dynamic of the “Coffee Quality Paraná” contest in the production of specialty coffees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorian Voigt-Gair

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In Paraná, the concentration of efforts of various organizations have collaborated to improve the image of coffee. This work aims to study the coffee samples, through the sensory attributes scored in the “Test Cup” Contest of “Coffee Quality Paraná” from 2004 to 2009 and to prove the qualification of rural extension technicians and producers in order to obtain a differentiated with high quality product, linked to the methodology of marketing strategy. The study was conducted with 570 samples from 55 municipalities and analyzed in state steps of this contest. It was concluded that the methodology used in the Contest “Coffee Quality Paraná” encourages constant improvement and disseminates technical and scientific innovations in various links in the productive chain, having as the final result the increasing of the amount of coffee produced in Paraná with excellent quality drink.

Residency in white-eared hummingbirds (Hylocharis leucotis and its effect in territorial contest resolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verónica Mendiola-Islas

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background Territory owners usually defeat intruders. One explanation for this observation is the uncorrelated asymmetry hypothesis which argues that contests might be settled by an arbitrary convention such as “owners win.” We studied the effect of territorial residency on contest asymmetries in the white-eared hummingbird (Hylocharis leucotis in a fir forest from central Mexico. Methods Twenty white-eared male adult hummingbird territories were monitored during a winter season, recording the territorial behavior of the resident against intruding hummingbirds. The size and quality of the territory were related to the probability that the resident would allow the use of flowers by the intruder. Various generalized models (logistical models were generated to describe the probabilities of victory for each individual resident depending on the different combinations of three predictor variables (territory size, territory quality, and intruder identity. Results In general, small and low quality territory owners tend to prevent conspecific intruders from foraging at a higher rate, while they frequently fail to exclude heterospecific intruders such as the magnificent hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens or the green violetear hummingbird (Colibri thalassinus on any territory size. Our results showed that the identity of the intruder and the size and quality of the territory determined the result of the contests, but not the intensity of defense. Discussion Initially, the rule that “the resident always wins” was supported, since no resident was expelled from its territory during the study. Nevertheless, the resident-intruder asymmetries during the course of a day depended on different factors, such as the size and quality of the territory and, mainly, the identity of the intruders. Our results showed that flexibility observed in contest tactics suggests that these tactics are not fixed but are socially plastic instead and they can be adjusted to

Residency in white-eared hummingbirds (Hylocharis leucotis) and its effect in territorial contest resolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendiola-Islas, Verónica; Lara, Carlos; Corcuera, Pablo; Valverde, Pedro Luis

2016-01-01

Territory owners usually defeat intruders. One explanation for this observation is the uncorrelated asymmetry hypothesis which argues that contests might be settled by an arbitrary convention such as "owners win." We studied the effect of territorial residency on contest asymmetries in the white-eared hummingbird ( Hylocharis leucotis ) in a fir forest from central Mexico. Twenty white-eared male adult hummingbird territories were monitored during a winter season, recording the territorial behavior of the resident against intruding hummingbirds. The size and quality of the territory were related to the probability that the resident would allow the use of flowers by the intruder. Various generalized models (logistical models) were generated to describe the probabilities of victory for each individual resident depending on the different combinations of three predictor variables (territory size, territory quality, and intruder identity). In general, small and low quality territory owners tend to prevent conspecific intruders from foraging at a higher rate, while they frequently fail to exclude heterospecific intruders such as the magnificent hummingbird ( Eugenes fulgens ) or the green violetear hummingbird ( Colibri thalassinus ) on any territory size. Our results showed that the identity of the intruder and the size and quality of the territory determined the result of the contests, but not the intensity of defense. Initially, the rule that "the resident always wins" was supported, since no resident was expelled from its territory during the study. Nevertheless, the resident-intruder asymmetries during the course of a day depended on different factors, such as the size and quality of the territory and, mainly, the identity of the intruders. Our results showed that flexibility observed in contest tactics suggests that these tactics are not fixed but are socially plastic instead and they can be adjusted to specific circumstances.

Contested Hydrohegemony: Hydraulic Control and Security in Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeroen Warner

2008-10-01

The present analysis suggests that Turkey’s basin and regional hegemony is contested and constrained from different sides, not least at home. Its water projects are a flashpoint of domestic, basin as well as global politics. It argues that the need to access capital in the international market to realise these ambitions necessitated a 'passive revolution' in Turkey which opened a window of opportunity utilised by the internationalised counter-hegemonic moves against Turkey’s dam projects in Southeast Anatolia, notably the ongoing Ilisu dam on the Tigris.

Food Security: The Elaboration of Contested Claims to a Consensus Frame

Science.gov (United States)

Mooney, Patrick H.; Hunt, Scott A.

2009-01-01

This article demonstrates Gamson's claim that behind the apparent agreement implied by "consensus frames" lies considerable dissensus. Ironically, the very potency of consensus frames may generate contested claims to the ownership of a social problem. Food security is a potent consensus frame that has generated at least three distinct collective…

Contested Space of Transborder Fishing in Timor and Arafura Seas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiskha Prabawaningtyas

2017-06-01

This paper examines the transformation of transborder fishing in Timor and Arafura Sea to demonstrated the contested space of which interplayed by local, state and international actor. State regulations had transformed transborder fishing into political space of authority competition relied on territorial sovereignty, while socio-cultural heritage reminds exploited within fluid space of livelihood survival when state function is just absent.

Martin Luther King Jr. contest winning posters to be displayed in downtown Blacksburg

OpenAIRE

Shannon, Kelly Baker

2010-01-01

Each year as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at Virginia Tech area kindergarten through 12th grade students are invited to participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. poster contest.

[Health education in schools in Argentina: an art contest as a motivating activity].

Science.gov (United States)

Darnaud, Raquel; Dato, María Isabel

2009-02-01

The purpose of this study was to plan health education efforts that integrate the health and education sectors. From March to November 2004, an art contest was held for 7th-9th grade students in 109 schools in 11 of Argentina's provinces. The contest allowed improvements in knowledge to be measured and adjustments to be made to the curriculum. The students created works of art featuring tuberculosis. To evaluate knowledge acquired, two provinces were chosen at random. Student knowledge had increased from 67.2% to 96.4%. The administrators and teachers testified to the usefulness of the materials developed. These results show that when the efforts of health and education sectors are coordinated and the appropriate materials are leveraged, the efforts of educators can be substantially bolstered.

The politics of power, pleasure and prayer in the Eurovision Song Contest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bolman Filip V.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Since the first annual Eurovision Song Contest in 1956, politics and popularity have intersected to influence the ways in which Eurovision songs have reflected the complex forms of European nationalism. With the Eurovision victory of Marija Šerifović’s ′Molitva′ at the 52nd Eurovision in Helsinki the politics of regionalism and nationalism fully enveloped Southeastern Europe, creating the impression that old and new European alignments, from Habsburg nostalgia to an emerging Balkan brotherhood, overwhelmed the criteria that would otherwise mean that the grand prix would go to the best song. Taking Marija Šerifović’s ′Molitva′ 2007 as a point of departure, this article examines the extremely complex set of networks that intersect at the Eurovision Song Contest and the national rituals and competitions that transform the power and pleasure driving European popular song in the twenty-first century.

Beyond Contesting Limits: Land, Access, and Resistance at the Virunga National Park

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephan Hochleithner

2017-01-01

Full Text Available After almost two decades of violent conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC – during which time the Virunga National Park was focused mainly on 'mere survival' – nature conservation practices in the Park began following strategies of re-enclosure in 2003. These practices are being contested by local population groups using a variety of different strategies. While local and trans-local elites employ more overt, explicit forms of (political contestation, peasants resort to 'weapons of the weak', engaging in more covert, implicit forms of everyday resistance, whereby the customary mode of organising access to land works –among other functions– as a vehicle for resistance. This paper argues that this multi-dimensional resistance ties in with general conflict dynamics in eastern DRC, while at the same time reproducing them within the realm of nature conservation, tightly interwoven with global dynamics.

Heightened aggression and winning contests increase corticosterone but decrease testosterone in male Australian water dragons.

Science.gov (United States)

Baird, Troy A; Lovern, Matthew B; Shine, Richard

2014-07-01

Water dragons (Intellegama [Physignathus] lesueurii) are large (to >1m) agamid lizards from eastern Australia. Males are fiercely combative; holding a territory requires incessant displays and aggression against other males. If a dominant male is absent, injured or fatigued, another male soon takes over his territory. Our sampling of blood from free-ranging adult males showed that baseline levels of both testosterone and corticosterone were not related to a male's social tactic (territorial versus non-territorial), or his frequency of advertisement display, aggression, or courtship behavior. Even when we elicited intense aggression by non-territorial males (by temporarily removing territory owners), testosterone did not increase with the higher levels of aggression that ensued. Indeed, testosterone levels decreased in males that won contests. In contrast, male corticosterone levels increased with the heightened aggression during unsettled conditions, and were higher in males that won contests. High chronic male-male competition in this dense population may favor high testosterone levels in all adult males to facilitate advertisement and patrol activities required for territory maintenance (by dominant animals), and to maintain readiness for territory take-overs (in non-territorial animals). Corticosterone levels increased in response to intense aggression during socially unstable conditions, and were higher in contest winners than losers. A positive correlation between the two hormones during socially unstable conditions suggests that the high stress of contests decreased androgen production. The persistent intense competition in this population appears to exact a high physiological cost, which together with our observation that males sometimes lose their territories to challengers may indicate cycling between these two tactics to manage long-term energetic costs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear power: the decision makers speak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, R.L.; Lichter, S.R.

1983-01-01

In October 1980, the authors surveyed selected scientific experts, decision-makers in financial and regulatory communities and Congress, and directors of major activist groups for national environmental organizations. Questions concerned policy preferences for and general attitudes toward nuclear energy, problems, energy resources, and considerations important to most influential groups in nuclear development. The survey revealed, surprisingly, that most regulators, congressional leaders, outside experts, and financiers are as united in their support of nuclear energy development as are industry executives, Three Mile Island notwithstanding. The antinuclear perspective is represented almost entirely by the heads of activist groups and a few scattered allies in Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy. A relatively few dissenters have played a major role in blocking nuclear development. Implications for the regulatory process from these survey results are that cost-benefit analyses and empirical findings on nuclear power issues will not convince activists and their followers; it appears that they have acquired a kind of veto over nuclear development. Through actively political behavior in the contest for nuclear energy's future, and through sympathetic media, activists have won the American public to their side. 7 tables

2011 IEEE Visualization Contest Winner: Visualizing Unsteady Vortical Behavior of a Centrifugal Pump

KAUST Repository

Otto, Mathias; Kuhn, Alexander; Engelke, Wito; Theisel, Holger

2012-01-01

In the 2011 IEEE Visualization Contest, the dataset represented a high-resolution simulation of a centrifugal pump operating below optimal speed. The goal was to find suitable visualization techniques to identify regions of rotating stall

Resistance and Contingent Contestations to Large-Scale Land Concessions in Southern Laos and Northeastern Cambodia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ian G. Baird

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Over the last decade, there have been considerable concerns raised regarding the social and environmental impacts of large-scale land concessions for plantation development in various parts of the world, especially in the tropics, including in Laos and Cambodia. However, there is still much to learn about the various connections and interactions associated with reactions to what are often referred to as “land grabs”, and the ways they are associated or not associated with broader social movements and networks opposed to land grabbing. There is also the need to develop language for discussing these circumstances, something I aim to contribute to in this article. Here, I present four different cases of types of resistance, or what I refer to as contingent contestations, to land concessions in southern Laos and northeastern Cambodia (two from each country, focusing on the perspectives and associated strategies of smallholder farmers, but without ignoring broader issues. I consider the roles of locals in these contestations, through emphasizing the importance of histories, identities/ethnicities, politics, and geography in determining the types of responses to these land deals that emerge, and the strategies that are adopted for contesting these developments.

Contesting history and identity formation in Paul and in South Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study compares dynamics in the contestation of history and identity between Paul to post-1994 white Afrikaners in South Africa. In reference to Paul, I am interested in how the followers of the nascent Hellenistic Gentile Christian movement claimed legitimacy as the true Jews, usurping the monopoly of the identity 'true ...

"But we're not hypochondriacs": the changing shape of gluten-free dieting and the contested illness experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Lauren Renée

2014-03-01

"Gluten free" exploded onto the American foodscape in recent years: as of January 2013, 30 percent of U.S. adults reported reducing or eliminating gluten in their diets. How do individuals participate in the expansion of gluten-free dieting, and what are the implications of that expansion? This article is based on 31 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted between May and October 2012 with gluten-free and -restricted persons. I identify three interrelated factors contributing to the expansion of gluten-free dieting among non-celiacs. Participants broaden the lay understanding of gluten-related disorders, undermine biomedical authority, and diagnose others. Such participant-driven change, termed self-ascriptive looping, is one factor in the diet's rapid popularization. I show how participants question the doctor-patient relationship and increase social contestability for other dieters. My findings challenge previous work on contested illness and suggest food intolerances may require a reconceptualization of contested illness experience. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Systems contestability in electricity distribution networks. An analysis from the telecommunications models within the neoclassical economic paradigm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schweickardt, Gustavo Alejandro; Pistonesi, Hector

2008-01-01

The introduction of contestability conditions in the market of electricity distribution, following the dominant economic paradigm (Neoclassical or Marginalist) and solidary to the commercialization segment, it doesn't exhibit satisfactory solutions at the present time. This asseveration, of general character, have special incumbency for those countries of Latin America that, from regulatory schemes, try to define a deregulated market for certain kind of user (denominated eligible). A eligible user is characterized by to have demands equal or higher than a preset threshold value of electric power/ energy. In this work, considering the models implemented in the telecommunications networks, the problem of allocation of distribution costs, as the first step toward a contestable offer in the retail energy service, is discussed to establishing access prices in the distribution networks (non contestable markets). The analysis is focalized to definition of two market segments: one regulated and other competitive. Their methodological and instrumentation difficulties, are presented, concluding in the necessity of an alternative paradigm.

Second memorandum with considerations on nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-11-01

In the Netherlands, government policy with regard to the building of nuclear power plants, among which possibly a fast sodium-cooled breeder reactor plant will be built, is often contested by citizens or societies who are worried about the risks and unsolved problems. A discussion piece is presented giving an evaluation of coal-generated power as opposed to nuclear power on the basis of possible savings on electrical energy consumption, as well as aspects of employment, safety, health hazards, social security, investment and costs. A plea for reviewing the originally-intended policy is made. In the appendix, a detailed survey is given of the ways and means to economise on electricity consumption in domestic and industrial situations

People's practices : exploring contestation, counter-development, and rural livelihoods : ...cases from Muktinagar, Bangladesh

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huq, H.

2000-01-01

People's Practices: Exploring contestation, Counter - development, and rural livelihoods

The central problems explored in the thesis concern the vulnerability of disadvantaged local people, especially women, and their agency; development discourses and counter-development

Classroom Environment as Related to Contest Ratings among High School Performing Ensembles.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamann, Donald L.; And Others

1990-01-01

Examines influence of classroom environments, measured by the Classroom Environment Scale, Form R (CESR), on vocal and instrumental ensembles' musical achievement at festival contests. Using random sample, reveals subjects with higher scores on CESR scales of involvement, affiliation, teacher support, and organization received better contest…

Contest in Nanai Shamanic Tales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiana Diomidovna Bulgakova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The tale motif of the shamanic tale competition is examined with due regard for the interpretation given by the Nanai storyteller-shamans from the standpoint of their personal spiritual experience. In shamanic practice it is not the personal ability (skill or physical power that provides a challenger victory in conflict, but obtaining spirits-helpers more powerful than those of his or her rival. The predominate role of these fantastic personages/helpers in tales that represent invisible spirit helpers perform real shamanic praxis, explains the loser’s unconditional submission and readiness to sacrifice their freedom or life to the winner. It also clarifies the motivation of the initiators of these contests and games: by means of gathering a great number of competitors, such shamans solve their personal spiritual problems, such as the need to overcome their adversaries or find allies in the struggle against their opponents.

Psychology: red enhances human performance in contests.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Russell A; Barton, Robert A

2005-05-19

Red coloration is a sexually selected, testosterone-dependent signal of male quality in a variety of animals, and in some non-human species a male's dominance can be experimentally increased by attaching artificial red stimuli. Here we show that a similar effect can influence the outcome of physical contests in humans--across a range of sports, we find that wearing red is consistently associated with a higher probability of winning. These results indicate not only that sexual selection may have influenced the evolution of human response to colours, but also that the colour of sportswear needs to be taken into account to ensure a level playing field in sport.

Contested water rights in post-apartheid South Africa: The struggle for

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The National Water Act (1998) of South Africa provides strong tools to redress inequities inherited from the past. However, a decade after the introduction of the Act, access to water is still skewed along racial lines. This paper analyses the various ways in which the Water Act is contested, based on empirical data detailing ...

"Much More than a Song Contest": Exploring Eurovision 2014 as Potlatch

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morten Krogh Petersen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available As economic and budgetary scandals reached Danish front pages in 2014 over the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC held that year in Copenhagen, many bystanders questioned the sense of the event, proclaiming it a massive waste of public money. In this article, we introduce the concept of "potlatch" to explore the valuation and values of this event, seeing it as a "total social phenomenon" in which more than merely economic matters are at stake. Framing Eurovision as a cross-sectoral innovation project, we show how a wide array of actors from the public and private sector collaboratively sought to turn the event into "much more than a song contest." This "much more" is investigated by describing the partnering actors' arduous work to create value through different project logics. Where other valuations of the event put little work into bringing forth values which transgress the realm of the economic and quantifiable, we argue that a more caring engagement enacts non-economic event outcomes usually made invisible or, at best, perceived as "intangible."

Local contestation against the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mahr, Ewa

2018-01-01

This article examines local contestation against the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), manifesting itself in local actors publicly demanding a change in the mission’s mandate and/or its operations. The article investigates how EULEX’s actions and its effectiveness are perceived

Geography, culture, and religion: Explaining the bias in Eurovision song contest voting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spierdijk, L.; Vellekoop, M.H.

This paper analyses votes cast in the Eurovision Song Contest in the period 1975 - 2003. We test whether accusations of 'political' voting among participants can be substantiated by looking at geographical influences. Our approach differs in two ways from earlier studies. First, we take into account

Nuclear metaphors: Why risk communication and public education haven't worked

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flank, S.; Hansen, K.

1991-01-01

Broad public acceptability is a necessary condition for the future success of nuclear power in the US and will be determined by the way the public perceives nuclear power - specifically, through nuclear power's metaphoric equivalences. A content analysis of a cross section of the debate over nuclear power shows that the public does not share a single concept of what nuclear power is - nuclear energy has yet to be firmly anchored in a particular context or caught in a web of relations to the rest of society. The political battleground for the contest over nuclear power is not patterns of risk perception or shortcomings in public education but rather nuclear power as metaphor. For example, is nuclear power a factory producing electricity, or is it indistinguishable from nuclear weapons? By highlighting the metaphors that underlie competing conceptions of nuclear power, one can illuminate parts of the political debate that otherwise are consigned to psychology, irrationality, or ignorance. Understanding these metaphors also makes clear the kind of deep changes that would be necessary to secure public acceptance of nuclear power

Optical Interference Coatings Design Contest 2013: angle-independent color mirror and shortwave infrared/midwave infrared dichroic beam splitter.

Science.gov (United States)

Hendrix, Karen; Kruschwitz, Jennifer D T; Keck, Jason

2014-02-01

An angle-independent color mirror and an infrared dichroic beam splitter were the subjects of a design contest held in conjunction with the 2013 Optical Interference Coatings topical meeting of the Optical Society of America. A total of 17 designers submitted 63 designs, 22 for Problem A and 41 for Problem B. The submissions were created through a wide spectrum of design approaches and optimization strategies. Michael Trubetskov and Weidong Shen won the first contest by submitting color mirror designs with a zero color difference (ΔE00) between normal incidence and all other incidence angles up to 60° as well as the thinnest design. Michael Trubetskov also won the second contest by submitting beam-splitter designs that met the required transmission while having the lowest mechanical coating stress and thinnest design. Fabien Lemarchand received the second-place finish for the beam-splitter design. The submitted designs are described and evaluated.

Contesting a linguistic space: A case in the teaching and learning of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The paper aims to highlight a contesting linguistic space, investigating the impact and the significance of code-switching in the teaching and learning of African languages in private schools. This research was undertaken in three private schools in the Limpopo Province in South Africa. In these schools English is prescribed ...

Nuclear energy: exit or revival? International aspects; Energie nucleaire: sortie ou relance? Aspects internationaux

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-11-01

This colloquium took place less than 1 year after the decision of the US of revival of their nuclear program. Thus the international context has changed, even if nuclear contestation remains as strong as in the past. Among governments, some positions preach the banishment of nuclear energy while others consider the nuclear option as the only solution to meet the growing up energy demand and the future environmental and economical stakes. This report makes a synthesis of the different talks given by the participants during the 3 round tables of the colloquium on the future of nuclear energy: the ecological stake, the democratic stake, and the energy policy stake. Four talks of French government representatives open and conclude the debates of the different round tables. (J.S.)

Contested Space of Transborder Fishing in Timor and Arafura Seas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiskha Prabawaningtyas

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The continuity of Indonesian transborder fishing activities into Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ highlights the rooted dispute of maritime border when contested space of boundary shared by local, state and international actor is confronted. Therefore, the prevailing of multilayer perspective of maritime boundary should not be easily neglected. The colonial project in early 19th century in Southeast Asia that initiated the foundation of modern state-formation had challenged the prior-political and economic construction of the region, specifically on the issue of territoriality. The modernization of shipping and fishing activities of which relied on technology and capitals had generated political and economic competitions and later persuaded state’s actors of applying the strategy of the territorialisation of the sea in order to ensure control. Unavoidably, securitization of transborder fishing became preferable solution. Transborder fishings are further subjected into state control relied on territorial sovereignty. This paper examines the transformation of transborder fishing in Timor and Arafura Sea to demonstrated the contested space of which interplayed by local, state and international actor. State regulations had transformed transborder fishing into political space of authority competition relied on territorial sovereignty, while socio-cultural heritage reminds exploited within fluid space of livelihood survival when state function is just absent.

Privacy is an essentially contested concept: a multi-dimensional analytic for mapping privacy

Science.gov (United States)

Koopman, Colin; Doty, Nick

2016-01-01

The meaning of privacy has been much disputed throughout its history in response to wave after wave of new technological capabilities and social configurations. The current round of disputes over privacy fuelled by data science has been a cause of despair for many commentators and a death knell for privacy itself for others. We argue that privacy’s disputes are neither an accidental feature of the concept nor a lamentable condition of its applicability. Privacy is essentially contested. Because it is, privacy is transformable according to changing technological and social conditions. To make productive use of privacy’s essential contestability, we argue for a new approach to privacy research and practical design, focused on the development of conceptual analytics that facilitate dissecting privacy’s multiple uses across multiple contexts. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The ethical impact of data science’. PMID:28336797

Für das Spielen lernen wir – Konzept und Evaluation des internationalen Medizinstudierendenwettbewerbs "Benjamin Franklin Contest" [Learning for the game – concept and evaluation of the international medical student competition "Benjamin Franklin Contest"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tolxdorff, Thomas

2010-08-01

Full Text Available [english] Objective: In 1998 an international contest for medical students called “Benjamin Franklin Contest” was initiated by the former university hospital of Freie Universität Berlin on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of its foundation in 1968. Since then, seven teams from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland have been competing against each other every year. Five medical students per team match up in paper cases, diagnosis of medical images, multiple choice tests, and practical skills.Methods: All participants of the 11th Benjamin Franklin Contest (2009 were asked about their motivation, preparation strategy, and experience with the contest. Results: In total 92% (32 of 35 participated in the evaluation study. We show that improvement of medical knowledge is one of the key motivating factors behind participation in the competition. The teams were trained by self-study, tutorials, and learning groups. Remarkably, students invested 54.2 hours (SD 32 hours of their free time to prepare for the contest. Conclusions: The Benjamin Franklin Contest is an innovative approach to facilitate self-directed learning and develope medical competencies. [german] Zielsetzung: Im Jahr 1998 wurde am damaligen Universitätsklinikum Benjamin Franklin der Freien Universität (FU in Berlin der internationale Medizinstudierendenwettbewerb „Benjamin Franklin Contest“ (BFC initiiert. Anlass war damals der 30. Jahrestag der Gründung der Universitätsmedizin an der FU. Seitdem findet jedes Jahr ein Wettbewerb zwischen sieben Teams von medizinischen Fakultäten aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz statt. Jeweils fünf Studierende messen sich in den Kategorien Papierfälle, Blickdiagnosen, Auswahlfragen und praktische Fähigkeiten.Methodik: Ziel dieser Arbeit ist die Beschreibung des Projektes BFC und eine erste Evaluation der Erfahrung von Teilnehmenden. Dazu wurden alle Teilnehmenden des 11. BFC (2009 mittels eines selbst entwickelten Fragebogens

Nuclear energy in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heinrich, D.O.

1978-01-01

The way the electricity supply in West Germany is organised is outlined. A summary is given of the development of commercial reactors, of FBRs and HTRs and of their role in present and future nuclear generating capacity. The link-up between manufacturers and companies within the industry is illustrated. Procedures for licensing of plant and the role of administrative courts in dealing with public contestations following the issues of licenses is described. Reference is made to plans for reprocessing. (UK)

Flags, funerals and fanfares : Herero and missionary contestations of the acceptable, 1900-1940

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gewald, J.B.

2002-01-01

This article describes the contested relationship that existed between the Herero and German missionaries in Namibia between 1900 and 1940. It argues that Herero converted to Christianity with specific aims and intentions, which were not necessarily the same as those envisaged or intended by German

20 CFR 726.307 - Form of notice of contest and request for hearing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Form of notice of contest and request for hearing. 726.307 Section 726.307 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF.... In particular, the person must indicate his agreement or disagreement with: (i) The Director's...

Relationships among Moral and Contesting Variables and Prosocial and Antisocial Behavior in Sport

Science.gov (United States)

Shields, David Light; Funk, Christopher D.; Bredemeier, Brenda Light

2018-01-01

The current study of US intercollegiate athletes (n = 1066) involved in multiple sports investigated relationships among moral (moral reasoning maturity, moral value evaluation [MVE], and moral identity), contesting (partnership and war orientations) and behavioral (prosocial and antisocial) variables in sport. Among other relationships, results…

Discourse over a contested technology on Twitter: A case study of hydraulic fracturing.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopke, Jill E; Simis, Molly

2015-10-04

High-volume hydraulic fracturing, a drilling simulation technique commonly referred to as "fracking," is a contested technology. In this article, we explore discourse over hydraulic fracturing and the shale industry on the social media platform Twitter during a period of heightened public contention regarding the application of the technology. We study the relative prominence of negative messaging about shale development in relation to pro-shale messaging on Twitter across five hashtags (#fracking, #globalfrackdown, #natgas, #shale, and #shalegas). We analyze the top actors tweeting using the #fracking hashtag and receiving @mentions with the hashtag. Results show statistically significant differences in the sentiment about hydraulic fracturing and shale development across the five hashtags. In addition, results show that the discourse on the main contested hashtag #fracking is dominated by activists, both individual activists and organizations. The highest proportion of tweeters, those posting messages using the hashtag #fracking, were individual activists, while the highest proportion of @mention references went to activist organizations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Making Bengali Brick Lane: claiming and contesting space in East London.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Claire

2011-06-01

Based on a recent empirical project on 'the Bengal diaspora', the paper explores the construction and contestation of meanings around the iconic East London street, Brick Lane. Taking the 2006 protests around the film Brick Lane as its starting point, the paper draws on original interviews conducted in 2008 with a range of Bengali community representatives, to examine the narratives of space, community and belonging that emerge around the idea of Brick Lane as the 'cultural heartland' of the British Bangladeshi community. By exploring the representation, production and contestation of 'social space' through everyday practices, the paper engages with and contests the representation of minority ethnic 'communities' in the context of contemporary multicultural London and examines the process of 'claiming' and 'making' space in East London. In so doing, the paper contributes to a critical tradition that challenges essentialising and pathologizing accounts of ethnic communities and racialized spaces, or that places them outside of broader social and historical processes - redolent, for example, in contemporary discussions about 'parallel lives' or 'the clash of civilizations'. By contrast, this paper views social space as made through movement and narration, with a particular emphasis on the social agency of local Bengali inhabitants and the multiple meanings that emerge from within this 'imagined community'. However, rather than simply stressing the unfinished and processual nature of spatial meanings, the paper insists on the historical, embodied and affective dimensions of such meaning making, and a reckoning with the broader social and political landscape within which such meanings take shape. The focus on Brick Lane provides an empirically rich, geographically and historically located lens through which to explore the complex role of ethnicity as a marker of social space and of spatial practices of resistance and identity. By exploring Bengali Brick Lane through

Contested environmental policy infrastructure: socio-political acceptance of renewable energy, water, and waste facilities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolsink, M.

2010-01-01

The construction of new infrastructure is hotly contested. This paper presents a comparative study on three environmental policy domains in the Netherlands that all deal with legitimising building and locating infrastructure facilities. Such infrastructure is usually declared essential to

Identification of potential inhibitors based on compound proposal contest: Tyrosine-protein kinase Yes as a target.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiba, Shuntaro; Ikeda, Kazuyoshi; Ishida, Takashi; Gromiha, M Michael; Taguchi, Y-H; Iwadate, Mitsuo; Umeyama, Hideaki; Hsin, Kun-Yi; Kitano, Hiroaki; Yamamoto, Kazuki; Sugaya, Nobuyoshi; Kato, Koya; Okuno, Tatsuya; Chikenji, George; Mochizuki, Masahiro; Yasuo, Nobuaki; Yoshino, Ryunosuke; Yanagisawa, Keisuke; Ban, Tomohiro; Teramoto, Reiji; Ramakrishnan, Chandrasekaran; Thangakani, A Mary; Velmurugan, D; Prathipati, Philip; Ito, Junichi; Tsuchiya, Yuko; Mizuguchi, Kenji; Honma, Teruki; Hirokawa, Takatsugu; Akiyama, Yutaka; Sekijima, Masakazu

2015-11-26

A search of broader range of chemical space is important for drug discovery. Different methods of computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) are known to propose compounds in different chemical spaces as hit molecules for the same target protein. This study aimed at using multiple CADD methods through open innovation to achieve a level of hit molecule diversity that is not achievable with any particular single method. We held a compound proposal contest, in which multiple research groups participated and predicted inhibitors of tyrosine-protein kinase Yes. This showed whether collective knowledge based on individual approaches helped to obtain hit compounds from a broad range of chemical space and whether the contest-based approach was effective.

Into the black. 1993 Hospital Turnaround Contest winners.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerne, F; Bergman, R

1993-07-20

Turning a hospital around takes a lot more than adjusting the financials, as the winners and finalists in the Great Comebacks 1993: The Hospital Turnaround Contest demonstrate. In every case we report on, the hospital being recognized has worked intensively with its community to reassess the services needed by its patients, build support for major management and delivery changes, and articulate the reasons for the strategies being used. Each of the eight hospital organizations we profile, which are spread across the country from Texas to Wisconsin to Maine to North Carolina--has put together its own version of success--in other words, eight lessons in innovation and progress.

Does Blue Uniform Color Enhance Winning Probability in Judo Contests?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter D. Dijkstra

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The color of an athlete's uniform may have an effect on psychological functioning and consequently bias the chances of winning contests in sport competition. Several studies reported a winning bias for judo athletes wearing a blue outfit relative to those wearing a white outfit. However, we argue there is no winning bias and that previous studies were confounded and based on small and specific data sets. We tested whether blue biases winning in judo using a very extensive judo data set (45,874 contests from all international judo tournaments between 2008 and 2014. In judo, the first called athlete for the fight used to wear the blue judogi but this was changed to the white judogi in 2011. This switch enabled us to compare the win bias before and after this change to isolate the effect of the color of the judogi. We found a significant win bias for the first called athlete, but this effect was not significantly related to the color of the judogi. The lack of a significant win effect of judogi color suggests that blue does not bias winning in judo, and that the blue-white pairing ensures an equal level of play. Our study shows the importance of thoroughly considering alternative explanations and using extensive datasets in color research in sports and psychology.

Does Blue Uniform Color Enhance Winning Probability in Judo Contests?

Science.gov (United States)

Dijkstra, Peter D; Preenen, Paul T Y; van Essen, Hans

2018-01-01

The color of an athlete's uniform may have an effect on psychological functioning and consequently bias the chances of winning contests in sport competition. Several studies reported a winning bias for judo athletes wearing a blue outfit relative to those wearing a white outfit. However, we argue there is no winning bias and that previous studies were confounded and based on small and specific data sets. We tested whether blue biases winning in judo using a very extensive judo data set (45,874 contests from all international judo tournaments between 2008 and 2014). In judo, the first called athlete for the fight used to wear the blue judogi but this was changed to the white judogi in 2011. This switch enabled us to compare the win bias before and after this change to isolate the effect of the color of the judogi . We found a significant win bias for the first called athlete, but this effect was not significantly related to the color of the judogi . The lack of a significant win effect of judogi color suggests that blue does not bias winning in judo, and that the blue-white pairing ensures an equal level of play. Our study shows the importance of thoroughly considering alternative explanations and using extensive datasets in color research in sports and psychology.

Bitcoin Mining as a Contest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Dimitri

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a simple game theoretic framework, assuming complete information, to model Bitcoin mining activity. It does so by formalizing the activity as an all-pay contest: a competition where participants contend with each other to win a prize by investing in computational power, and victory is probabilistic. With at least two active miners, the unique pure strategy Nash equilibrium of the game suggests the following interesting insights on the motivation for being a miner: while the optimal amount of energy consumption depends also on the reward for solving the puzzle, as long as the reward is positive the decision to be an active miner depends only on the mining costs. Moreover, the intrinsic structure of the mining activity seems to prevent the formation of a monopoly, because in an equilibrium with two miners, both of them will have positive expected profits for any level of the opponent’s costs. A monopoly could only form if the rate of return on investment were higher outside bitcoin.

Frame contestation in the news: national identity, cultural resonance, and U.S. drone policy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rowling, C.M.; Sheets, P.; Jones, T.M.

2013-01-01

Scholarship suggests that disagreement among political officials significantly impacts how the press covers a particular policy issue and how the public perceives and comes to understand it. An unexplored area of research in the framing effects literature asks to what extent frame contestation

Does Blue Uniform Color Enhance Winning Probability in Judo Contests?

OpenAIRE

Dijkstra, Peter D.; Preenen, Paul T. Y.; van Essen, Hans

2018-01-01

The color of an athlete's uniform may have an effect on psychological functioning and consequently bias the chances of winning contests in sport competition. Several studies reported a winning bias for judo athletes wearing a blue outfit relative to those wearing a white outfit. However, we argue there is no winning bias and that previous studies were confounded and based on small and specific data sets. We tested whether blue biases winning in judo using a very extensive judo data set (45,87...

Boundary-making in the public sphere: Contestations of free speech

OpenAIRE

Midtbøen, Arnfinn Haagensen; Steen-Johnsen, Kari; Thorbjørnsrud, Kjersti

2017-01-01

Freedom of speech is a fundamental human right and considered a core value in liberal democracies. However, it is also one of our time’s most contested issues, constantly claimed either to be too wide-ranging, allowing continuous repression of minority groups, or too limited – restricting dissent and democratic deliberation. In this book we depart from conventional approaches of free speech, which tend to focus on whether specific types of public talk should be considered legally allowed or n...

How a Braille Contest Serendipitously Accelerated the Use of Digital Audio Players

Science.gov (United States)

Niebrugge, Nancy

2012-01-01

When Braille Institute in Los Angeles conceived The Braille Challenge contest more than a decade ago, the goal was to create an innovative way to promote braille literacy. Now that more than 4,500 students over the last 12 years from across the United States and Canada have chosen to participate in The Challenge, it is safe to say that it has been…

The Internet as a Global/Local Site of Contestation : The Case of Iran

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alimardani, M.; Milan, S.; Peeren, E.; Celikates, R.; de Kloet, J.; Poell, T.

2018-01-01

This chapter sheds light on the role of the internet as a site of contestation capable of connecting the local and the global dimension of a protest in countries with a virtually closed political arena. It takes Iran as an exemplary case for the study of the technology-related protest cultures that

Contested Science in the Media: Linguistic Traces of News Writers' Framing Activity

Science.gov (United States)

Dahl, Trine

2015-01-01

Science reporting in the media often involves contested issues, such as, for example, biotechnology, climate change, and, more recently, geoengineering. The reporter's framing of the issue is likely to influence readers' perception of it. The notion of framing is related to how individuals and groups perceive and communicate about the…

When David beats Goliath: the advantage of large size in interspecific aggressive contests declines over evolutionary time.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul R Martin

Full Text Available Body size has long been recognized to play a key role in shaping species interactions. For example, while small species thrive in a diversity of environments, they typically lose aggressive contests for resources with larger species. However, numerous examples exist of smaller species dominating larger species during aggressive interactions, suggesting that the evolution of traits can allow species to overcome the competitive disadvantage of small size. If these traits accumulate as lineages diverge, then the advantage of large size in interspecific aggressive interactions should decline with increased evolutionary distance. We tested this hypothesis using data on the outcomes of 23,362 aggressive interactions among 246 bird species pairs involving vultures at carcasses, hummingbirds at nectar sources, and antbirds and woodcreepers at army ant swarms. We found the advantage of large size declined as species became more evolutionarily divergent, and smaller species were more likely to dominate aggressive contests when interacting with more distantly-related species. These results appear to be caused by both the evolution of traits in smaller species that enhanced their abilities in aggressive contests, and the evolution of traits in larger species that were adaptive for other functions, but compromised their abilities to compete aggressively. Specific traits that may provide advantages to small species in aggressive interactions included well-developed leg musculature and talons, enhanced flight acceleration and maneuverability, novel fighting behaviors, and traits associated with aggression, such as testosterone and muscle development. Traits that may have hindered larger species in aggressive interactions included the evolution of morphologies for tree trunk foraging that compromised performance in aggressive contests away from trunks, and the evolution of migration. Overall, our results suggest that fundamental trade-offs, such as those

5 CFR 890.1069 - Information the debarring official must consider in deciding a provider's contest of proposed...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL... deciding a provider's contest of proposed penalties and assessments. (a) Documentary material and written...

Contested Regional Orders and Institutional Balancing in the Asia Pacific

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

He, Kai

2015-01-01

. On the basis of institutional balancing theory, I argue that (i) China’s rise has led to a competition among different regional orders, that is, the US-led bilateralism versus ASEAN-centered and China-supported multilateralism. However, conflicts or wars are not inevitable since the contested regional orders...... can coexist in the Asia Pacific. (ii) The deepening economic interdependence has encouraged regional powers, including the United States, China and ASEAN, to rely on different institutional balancing strategies to pursue security after the Cold War....

Peroxide accumulation and cell death in filamentous fungi induced by contact with a contestant.

Science.gov (United States)

Silar, Philippe

2005-02-01

Podospora anserina and Coprinopsis cinerea (syn. Coprinus cinereus) are endowed with a defence system able to differentiate self vs. non-self and involving the generation of peroxide. Indeed, they produce peroxide when confronted with a filamentous fungus, only in non-self confrontations. Both species are not able to recognize yeasts and show a differential response to bacteria. The accumulation of peroxides in the ascomycete Podospora anserina requires an NADPH oxidase and a MAP kinase cascade, previously shown to be involved in fruit body formation, cell differentiation and cell degeneration. Confrontation is accompanied by the death of the contestant hyphae only in specific combinations of species. As in animals and plants, data suggest that peroxide is likely involved in signalling rather than playing a direct toxic role. Fungi display more complex behaviours than generally acknowledged, i.e. they are able to recognize potential contestants and built up defence reactions involving evolutionary conserved enzymes.

Democracy: Between the essentially contested concept and the agonistic practice: Connolly, Mouffe, Tully

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sladeček Michal

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The text considers points of view of theoreticians of the radical pluralism (democracy: Connolly (William Connolly, Mouffe (Chantal Mouffe and Tully (James Tully with regard to the status and the nature of concepts in the political discourse, as well as the consequences of these conceptual presumptions to understanding democracy. The three authors emphasize the essential contestability of political concepts, the paradox of liberal democracy and the need to revise standard rational consensus theories of democracy. Also, the three authors take over the specific interpretation of Vittgenstein to the direction of political theory the centre of which consists of everyday contingent practices of politics as well as dissent about their assessment. The text analyzes the extent to which this reading is compatible to Wittgenstein's position. The author defends the opinion that the essential contestability does not imply agonism and denial of the significance of rules and tries to indicate to the points of illegitimate transition from antiessentialism to unconsensus rules. Also, the text underlines the flaws of dissent conception of democracy and social integration.

Contesting silence : the ban on drumming and the musical politics of Pentecostalism in Ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijk, van R.A.

2001-01-01

During the Fourth Republic in Ghana there has been an unprecedented growth in Pentecostalism. The chief message of Pentecostalism is the contestation of tradition. It encourages members to abandon the past and traditions and to adopt a completely new way of life, unemcumbered by the sins of the

Contested Conversations: Presentations, Expectations, and Responsibility at the National Museum of the American Indian

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Joanne; Dumont, Clayton

2006-01-01

This article interrogates the politics of representation, expectation, and responsibility at the new National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) in Washington, DC. The authors explore the interpretive contests (between and among Natives and non-Natives) provoked by the museum's representational strategies. They think that NMAI has positioned…

The role of status and leadership style in sales contests: A natural field experiment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verbeke, W.; Bagozzi, R.P.; Belschak, F.D.

2016-01-01

This paper addresses the question whether status alone, as compared to a combined financial/status incentive, is strong enough to motivate team members taking part in a retail sales contest to sell more goods to customers. Using a two-phase natural field experiment, we studied the impact of a sales

Paramountcy, Family Rights and Contested Adoption: Does Contact with Birth Relatives Balance the Scales?

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Mandi; McLoughlin, Priscilla

2016-01-01

This article combines practitioner insight and research evidence to chart how principles of partnership and paramountcy have led to birth family contact becoming the expected norm following contested adoption from care in Northern Ireland. The article highlights how practice has adapted to the delay in proposed reforms to adoption legislation…

The NASA Tournament Laboratory (NTL): Improving Data Access at PDS while Spreading Joy and Engaging Students through 16 Micro-Contests

Science.gov (United States)

LaMora, Andy; Raugh, A.; Erickson, K.; Grayzeck, E. J.; Knopf, W.; Morgan, T. H.

2012-01-01

NASA PDS hosts terabytes of valuable data from hundreds of data sources and spans decades of research. Data is stored on flat-file systems regulated through careful meta dictionaries. PDS's data is available to the public through its website which supports data searches through drill-down navigation. While the system returns data quickly, result sets in response to identical input differ depending on the drill-down path a user follows. To correct this Issue, to allow custom searching, and to improve general accessibility, PDS sought to create a new data structure and API, and to use them to build applications that are a joy to use and showcase the value of the data to students, teachers and citizens. PDS engaged TopCoder and Harvard Business School through the NTL to pursue these objectives in a pilot effort. Scope was limited to Small Bodies Node data. NTL analyzed data, proposed a solution, and implemented it through a series of micro-contests. Contest focused on different segments of the problem; conceptualization, architectural design, implementation, testing, etc. To demonstrate the utility of the completed solution, NTL developed web-based and mobile applications that can compare targets, regardless of mission. To further explore the potential of the solution NTL hosted "Mash-up" challenges that integrated the API with other publically available assets, to produce consumer and teaching applications, including an Augmented Reality iPad tool. Two contests were also posted to middle and high school students via the NoNameSite.com platform, and as a result of these contests, PDS/SBN has initiated a Facebook program. These contests defined and implemented a data warehouse with the necessary migration tools to transform legacy data, produced a public web interface for the new search, developed a public API, and produced four mobile applications that we expect to appeal to users both within and, without the academic community.

Towards reinforcing or contesting the vision of the rule of law?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myriam Senn

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The UN Declaration of 24 September 2012 reaffirming the commitment of Heads of State and Government to the Rule of Law reflects the current uneasiness accompanying the application of just the concept. This paper argues that it is also due to discrepancies in its worldwide understanding and to the rise of non-state, transnational regulatory regimes. Presumably they are not compelled to apply it as such. Thus, a governance issue arises to either reinforce or contest the rule of law

Contesting a National Cinema in Becoming: The Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival (2005-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emerald O. Flaviano

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Since its birth in 2005, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival has proven itself a major force in the Philippine f ilm industry. Established with the twin goals of “[encouraging] the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers—works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity” and “[invigorating] Philippine filmmaking by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers,” Cinemalaya has been instrumental in the recent rise of what Tiongson (“The Rise of the Philippine New Wave Indie Film” has called the “New Wave Indie” films. This recent wave of independent cinema, in turn, is taken to be the next significant moment in the history of Philippine national cinema. By considering the film festival—a spatiotemporally demarcated event and a unique discoursegenerating institution—as point of entry, this article discusses the contested process of constructing a coherent narrative of becoming of a national cinema. This process is found, more than ever, to surface resistance to any singular notion of “national cinema,” not least because of the inescapably transnational nature of all film production and consumption. It is within this context that any discussion about “saving” a Philippine national cinema is framed, particularly as to how international recognition has legitimized local independent cinema and influenced local spectatorship practices. Cinemalaya has helped revive a failing industry by giving shape to a new film movement, essentially def ined by contestation, as the f ilm festival’s experience in moderating the controversies it has found itself embroiled in has proven. More than anything, these contestations have brought to the fore previously unchallenged assumptions about what cinema a national public deserves to see.

The Indian IVF saga: a contested history

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditya Bharadwaj

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The politics of conception in India can be traced back to the birth of the world’s first test-tube baby in 1978. This article focuses on an incident where scientists and clinicians were involved in a heated contest over ascription of intellectual credit for the birth of the first test-tube baby in India. It traces the controversy surrounding claims and counter-claims within the medical domain that appear to have emerged as a corollary to the rapid expansion of assisted conception in India. The article emphasizes the fact that this contentious issue played out largely in the media and shows that the generation of scientific credibility and reward is produced and ascribed both inside and outside the scientific domain. In so doing the article offers a glimpse into the unique ability of cultural activity to shape and recast the perception of science and scientific outcomes.

Fourth Annual Holiday Decorating Contest Features Sharks, Santas, Toys, and More | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

The 2017 holiday season brought cold temperatures and heated competition to NCI at Frederick as 14 groups faced off in the R&W Club of Frederick’s Fourth Annual Holiday Decorating Contest. Keeping with tradition, many of the competitors sought to outdo not just each other’s themed entries, but also their own decorations from previous years. Accordingly, this year’s themes ranged from childhood memories to local landscapes to the downright outlandish.

Graph and model transformation tools for model migration : empirical results from the transformation tool contest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rose, L.M.; Herrmannsdoerfer, M.; Mazanek, S.; Van Gorp, P.M.E.; Buchwald, S.; Horn, T.; Kalnina, E.; Koch, A.; Lano, K.; Schätz, B.; Wimmer, M.

2014-01-01

We describe the results of the Transformation Tool Contest 2010 workshop, in which nine graph and model transformation tools were compared for specifying model migration. The model migration problem—migration of UML activity diagrams from version 1.4 to version 2.2—is non-trivial and practically

The NASA Tournament Laboratory (“NTL”): Improving Data Access at PDS while Spreading Joy and Engaging Students through 16 Micro-Contests

Science.gov (United States)

LaMora, Andy; Raugh, A.; Erickson, K.; Grayzeck, E. J.; Knopf, W.; Lydon, M.; Lakhani, K.; Crusan, J.; Morgan, T. H.

2012-10-01

NASA PDS hosts terabytes of valuable data from hundreds of data sources and spans decades of research. Data is stored on flat-file systems regulated through careful meta dictionaries. PDS’s data is available to the public through its website which supports data searches through drill-down navigation. While the system returns data quickly, result sets in response to identical input differ depending on the drill-down path a user follows. To correct this issue, to allow custom searching, and to improve general accessibility, PDS sought to create a new data structure and API, and to use them to build applications that are a joy to use and showcase the value of the data to students, teachers and citizens. PDS engaged TopCoder and Harvard Business School through the NTL to pursue these objectives in a pilot effort. Scope was limited to Small Bodies Node data. NTL analyzed data, proposed a solution, and implemented it through a series of micro-contests. Contest focused on different segments of the problem; conceptualization, architectural design, implementation, testing, etc. To demonstrate the utility of the completed solution, NTL developed web-based and mobile applications that can compare targets, regardless of mission. To further explore the potential of the solution NTL hosted “Mash-up” challenges that integrated the API with other publically available assets, to produce consumer and teaching applications, including an Augmented Reality iPad tool. Two contests were also posted to middle and high school students via the NoNameSite.com platform, and as a result of these contests, PDS/SBN has initiated a Facebook program. These contests defined and implemented a data warehouse with the necessary migration tools to transform legacy data, produced a public web interface for the new search, developed a public API, and produced four mobile applications that we expect to appeal to users both within and without the academic community.

77 FR 12845 - Announcement of Requirements and Registration for Surgeon General's (SG) Youth Video Contest

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-02

... of the Contest and their immediate family (spouse, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-siblings, and children and step- children) and household members (people who share the same residence at... conjunction with the launch of the new SG Report, the Surgeon General will be releasing a Consumer Piece in...

Iceland’s contested European Policy : the footprint of the past - a small and insular society

OpenAIRE

Thorhallsson, Baldur; University of Malta. Institute for European Studies; Pace, Roderick

2013-01-01

This paper will address the political developments in Iceland since the 2008 economic crash and place it in a historical context. The aim is to understand Iceland’s present foreign policy and, in particular, the highly contested decision by its government in 2009 to apply for membership of the European Union.

Mitosis detection in breast cancer histological images An ICPR 2012 contest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludovic Roux

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In the framework of the Cognitive Microscope (MICO project, we have set up a contest about mitosis detection in images of H and E stained slides of breast cancer for the conference ICPR 2012. Mitotic count is an important parameter for the prognosis of breast cancer. However, mitosis detection in digital histopathology is a challenging problem that needs a deeper study. Indeed, mitosis detection is difficult because mitosis are small objects with a large variety of shapes, and they can thus be easily confused with some other objects or artefacts present in the image. We added a further dimension to the contest by using two different slide scanners having different resolutions and producing red-green-blue (RGB images, and a multi-spectral microscope producing images in 10 different spectral bands and 17 layers Z-stack. 17 teams participated in the study and the best team achieved a recall rate of 0.7 and precision of 0.89. Context: Several studies on automatic tools to process digitized slides have been reported focusing mainly on nuclei or tubule detection. Mitosis detection is a challenging problem that has not yet been addressed well in the literature. Aims: Mitotic count is an important parameter in breast cancer grading as it gives an evaluation of the aggressiveness of the tumor. However, consistency, reproducibility and agreement on mitotic count for the same slide can vary largely among pathologists. An automatic tool for this task may help for reaching a better consistency, and at the same time reducing the burden of this demanding task for the pathologists. Subjects and Methods: Professor Frιdιrique Capron team of the pathology department at Pitiι-Salpκtriθre Hospital in Paris, France, has selected a set of five slides of breast cancer. The slides are stained with H and E. They have been scanned by three different equipments: Aperio ScanScope XT slide scanner, Hamamatsu NanoZoomer 2.0-HT slide scanner and 10 bands

Contested issues game structuring approach - CIGAS workshop Houston report, results and reflection : Exploring stakeholder-based joint commitment to action for flood protection decision-making in the Houston Galveston Bay Area

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kothuis, B.L.M.; Slinger, J.H.; Cunningham, S.W.

2014-01-01

CIGAS stands for Contested Issues Game Structuring Approach. CIGAS is a practice developed specifically for contested environments, which strives to enhance participant’s insight by means of game structuring and system modeling techniques. Within this practice participants are understood to have

Contesting facts about wind farms in Australia and the legitimacy of adverse health effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Shannon; Botterill, Linda Courtenay

2017-02-01

The development of wind energy in Australia has been subject to ongoing public debate and has been characterised by concerns over the health impacts of wind turbines. Using discursive psychology, we examine 'wind turbine syndrome' as a contested illness and analyse how people build and undermine divergent arguments about wind-farm health effects. This article explores two facets of the dispute. First, we consider how participants construct 'facts' about the health effects of wind farms. We examine rhetorical resources used to construct wind farms as harmful or benign. Second, we examine the local negotiation of the legitimacy of health complaints. In the research interviews examined, even though interviewees treat those who report experiencing symptoms from wind farms as having primary rights to narrate their own experience, this epistemic primacy does not extend to the ability to 'correctly' identify symptoms' cause. As a result, the legitimacy of health complaints is undermined. Wind turbine syndrome is an example of a contested illness that is politically controversial. We show how stake, interest and legitimacy are particularly relevant for participants' competing descriptions about the 'facts' of wind turbine health effects.

Chameleons communicate with complex colour changes during contests: different body regions convey different information.

Science.gov (United States)

Ligon, Russell A; McGraw, Kevin J

2013-01-01

Many animals display static coloration (e.g. of feathers or fur) that can serve as a reliable sexual or social signal, but the communication function of rapidly changing colours (as in chameleons and cephalopods) is poorly understood. We used recently developed photographic and mathematical modelling tools to examine how rapid colour changes of veiled chameleons Chamaeleo calyptratus predict aggressive behaviour during male-male competitions. Males that achieved brighter stripe coloration were more likely to approach their opponent, and those that attained brighter head coloration were more likely to win fights; speed of head colour change was also an important predictor of contest outcome. This correlative study represents the first quantification of rapid colour change using organism-specific visual models and provides evidence that the rate of colour change, in addition to maximum display coloration, can be an important component of communication. Interestingly, the body and head locations of the relevant colour signals map onto the behavioural displays given during specific contest stages, with lateral displays from a distance followed by directed, head-on approaches prior to combat, suggesting that different colour change signals may evolve to communicate different information (motivation and fighting ability, respectively).

Contesting the Neoliberal Project for Agriculture: Productivist and Multifunctional Trajectories in the European Union and Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Dibden, Jacqui; Potter, Clive; Cocklin, Chris

2009-01-01

The liberalisation of agricultural trade is strongly contested as an international policy project. In the context of the current World Trade Organisation (WTO) Doha trade round, concerns revolve around the implications of freer trade for rural livelihoods and environments. Analysis of this complex and morally charged issue offers important…

Queer to be kind: Exploring Western media discourses about the “Eastern bloc” during the 2007 and 2014 Eurovision Song Contests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexej Ulbricht

2015-05-01

Full Text Available This article examines the voting results and Western European media coverage of the 2007 and 2014 Eurovision Song Contests. The Austrian drag act Conchita Wurst (the alter ego of an openly gay man won in 2014, whilst Serbian entrant Marija Šerifović, portrayed in Western European media as lesbian at the time, won in 2007. We first explore the extent to which there was an East-West voting divide in both contests. In 2014, while there was some elite hostility against Conchita in Eastern Europe, the popular support was on a similar level to that in Western Europe. In 2007, we find no significant geographic divide in support for Šerifović. However, when we examine mainstream UK and German media coverage during and after both contests, we find strong anti-Eastern European discourses that are at odds with the similarity in the public voting. We employ the concept of homonationalism to interrogate inconsistent Western media discourses: the East was depicted as a site of homophobia and the West as a site of tolerance in 2014, whilst the queer aesthetic / identity of Šerifović was largely overlooked in 2007.

Problems arising in connection with the commissioning of experts in conflict-oriented implementation of nuclear law. The legal status of expert opinions in administrative procedures under the Atomic Energy Act

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiebig, T.H.

1995-01-01

Court decisions available so far do not primarily consider the problems linked to the commissioning of an expert and his mandate, as well as the legal status of the commissioning of an expert as an administrative act which might be legally contestable. Thus there are at present no court decisions that would create legal certainty in matters of the act of commissioning a nuclear expert opinion. The current legal situation is such that an independent order for commissioning of an expert opinion in compliance with section 19 III AtG (Atomic Energy Act), which in general is given in response to the refusal of the facility operator to do so, can be independently contested on the basis of section 44 a, sentence 2 VwGO (Rules of Administrative Courts). The current practice of conflict-oriented, or nuclear power phase-out-oriented, implementation of the nuclear law poses a threat to our constitutional state and to our democracy. The supply of energy as a common good is of essential importance and thus deserves fair and objective treatment free of emotions, including the matter of nuclear energy. In cases of nuclear licensing procedures meeting with impedimental treatment by a Land government favouring the nuclear power phase-out, this treatment however not fitting into the Land governments' overall political line, there is reason to call upon the Federal Government to take action for clarifying the situation. (orig./HP) [de

Weighing both sides: morality, mortality, and framing contests over obesity.

Science.gov (United States)

Saguy, Abigail C; Riley, Kevin W

2005-10-01

Despite recent and growing media attention surrounding obesity in the United States, the so-called obesity epidemic remains a highly contested scientific and social fact. This article examines the contemporary obesity debate through systematic examination of the claims and claimants involved in the controversy. We argue that four primary groups-antiobesity researchers, antiobesity activists, fat acceptance researchers, and fat acceptance activists-are at the forefront of this controversy and that these groups are fundamentally engaged in framing contests over the nature and consequences of excess body weight. While members of the fat acceptance groups embrace a body diversity frame, presenting fatness as a natural and largely inevitable form of diversity, members of the antiobesity camp frame higher weights as risky behavior akin to smoking, implying that body weight is under personal control and that people have a moral and medical responsibility to manage their weight. Both groups sometimes frame obesity as an illness, which limits blame by suggesting that weight is biologically or genetically determined but simultaneously stigmatizes fat bodies as diseased. While the antiobesity camp frames obesity as an epidemic to increase public attention, fat acceptance activists argue that concern over obesity is distracting attention from a host of more important health issues for fat Americans. We examine the strategies claimants use to establish their own credibility or discredit their opponents, and explain how the fat acceptance movement has exploited structural opportunities and cultural resources created by AIDS activism and feminism to wield some influence over U.S. public health approaches. We conclude that notions of morality play a central role in the controversy over obesity, as in many medical disputes, and illustrate how medical arguments about body weight can be used to stymie rights claims and justify morality-based fears.

STUDY CONTESTING TAX RULES ON SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS BY TAXPAYERS FROM ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrian Doru BÎGIOI

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The management bodies of companies must know and correctly apply tax law. There are, however, the practical situations, when, although they want to respect this, taxpayers are penalized by the tax authorities, because it did not comply with tax obligations. There are many factors that can determine this, among which: circumvent tax rules in order to avoid paying taxes and incorrect application of law. In this study was approached the second factor, namely: analysis of the most common situations in which both taxpayers as well fiscal authorities erroneously apply tax law. To achieve these results, was developed a study regarding the determination degree of contesting the tax rules, in area of social security contributions. Data subject research was extracted in the database officially published by competent insitutions tax. The research was conducted for the period January 1, 2004 and until February 28, 2015. In terms of research methodology, were used both quantitative methods and qualitative methods. Finally, data were centralized by type of articles, they are sorted according to the extent of contestation obtained. The final conclusion is that imprecise definition of the terms tax is one of the main causes which determines incorrect application of tax law. The results can be used especially by the subjects of tax legal relationship, to avoid situations the tax law is applied incorrectly, aspects that may lead to negative situations, both companies and the state institutions.

Contested understandings of recovery in mental health.

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, Rhiannah; Whittington, Richard; Cramond, Laura; Perkins, Elizabeth

2018-05-17

The concept of recovery is contested throughout the existing literature and in mental health services. Little research exists that gives voice to service user perspectives of recovery. This paper explores how service users in two recovery oriented services run by the National Health Service in North West England talked about recovery and what it meant to them. 14 service users accessing these services took part in semi-structured qualitative interviews focusing on the concept of recovery. Data were analysed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis approach. Service users talked about recovery as a dynamic, day to day process as well as an outcome; specifically related to being discharged from inpatient settings. A number of factors including relationships and medication were cited to have the potential to make or break recovery. The study highlights the continued dominance of the biomedical model in mental health services. Service users appear to have internalised staff and services' understanding of recovery perhaps unsurprisingly given the power differential in these relationships. Implications for clinical practice are explored.

Interrogating the Contested Spaces of Rural Aging: Implications for Research, Policy, and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Skinner, Mark W; Winterton, Rachel

2018-01-18

Informed by a critical turn underway in rural gerontology, this article explores how the intersection of global and local trends relating to population aging and rural change create contested spaces of rural aging. The aim is to build our understanding of rural as a dynamic context within which the processes, outcomes, and experiences of aging are created, confronted, and contested by older adults and their communities. A review of key developments within gerontology and rural studies reveals how competing policies, discourses, and practices relating to healthy aging and aging in place, rural citizenship and governmentality, and social inclusion and inequality combine in particular ways to empower or disempower a diverse range of older rural adults aging in a diverse range of rural communities. The article provides a contextually sensitive perspective on potential sources of conflict and exclusion for older adults in dynamic rural spaces and further enhances our understanding of how rural physical and social environments are constructed and experienced in older age. A framework for interrogating emergent questions about aging in rural contexts is developed and implications for advancing research, policy, and practice are discussed. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The everyday lives of energy transitions: Contested sociotechnical imaginaries in the American West.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jessica M; Tidwell, Abraham Sd

2016-06-01

This article brings together two growing literatures - on sociotechnical imaginaries in science and technology studies and on resource materialities in anthropology - to explore how two energy-producing communities in the American West understand the moral salience of energy systems and the place of labor within them. Studies of energy sociotechnical imaginaries overwhelmingly focus on the role that state and transnational actors play in shaping perceptions of the 'good society', rather than how these imaginaries inform and are transformed in the lived experience of everyday people. We illuminate the contested dimension of sociotechnical imaginaries and their positioning within structures of power that inform visions of moral behavior and social order. Whereas the role of energy in national imaginaries is grounded almost entirely in the consumption it enables, examining the everyday ethics of people who live and work in Colorado's uranium-rich Western Slope and Wyoming's coal-rich Powder River Basin reveals an insistence that 'good' energy systems also provide opportunities for dignified and well-paid blue-collar work. This imaginary, we argue, remains 'bounded' at a local scale rather than circulating more widely to gain national or international traction. Theorizing this boundedness illustrates not only the contested nature of sociotechnical imaginaries, but also the constraints that material assemblages and sediments of the past place on imagined futures.

Public opinions and antinuclear contestations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silveira, P.R.N. da

1978-01-01

With the aim of demonstrating the importance of public opinion in the development of a nuclear program, a historical analysis of the different forms of anti-technological reactions is shown, starting with a study of the general aspects of mass communication and public opinion. The world-wide communication strategy adopted in the implantation of nuclear programs is discussed and, finally, the nuclear energy issue and public opinion in Brazil are analysed. (F.E.) [pt

Implementing the strategy of multileveled PI activities to promote rapid nuclear power development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Gang

2005-01-01

The first two decades of the 21st century is the golden time for nuclear power development in China. According to the nuclear power development program laid down by the State Development and Reform Commission, nearly 30 units of 1000MW will be built in the next 15 years, so as to meet fastgrowing energy demand, to optimize energy mix and to alleviate environmental pollution. Under such a new situation, based on the public information practice and experience during the construction and operation of Qinshan Nuclear Power Complex where the first commercial NPP originated in the Mainland of China, this paper emphasizes on the necessity of establishment of an active and open strategy of multileveled nuclear energy public information activities and implementation of the strategy with adoption of various forms of nuclear energy popularization means, including seminars, contests, exhibitions, site tour to nuclear power plants, reports by mass media, hosting questions-answering dialogue by experts via Internet, TV and radio programs, newspapers and journals , etc.. Thus through the nuclear energy public information activity the recognition and confidence of the public, especially the local community and the public in vicinity of new nuclear power sites on the nuclear energy can be enhanced, and the nuclear power program can gain their support. Furthermore, the fine social environment for nuclear power development can be fostered. (authors)

Humanity as a Contested Concept: Relations between Disability and ‘Being Human’

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul van Trigt

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This editorial presents the theme and approach of the themed issue “Humanity as a Contested Concept: Relations between Disability and ‘Being Human’”. The way in which the concept of humanity is or must be related to disability is critically investigated from different disciplinary perspectives in the themed issue, which is, moreover, situated in the field of disability studies and related to discussions about posthumanism. The argument is made that humanity is a concept that needs to be constantly reflected upon from a disability studies perspective. Finally, the contributions of the themed issue are briefly outlined.

Local negotiation on compensation siting of the spent nuclear fuel repository in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kojo, Matti

2007-01-01

The aim of the paper is to analyse the local negotiation process between the Municipality of Eurajoki and the nuclear power company Teollisuuden Voima (TVO) and the nuclear waste management company Posiva Oy. The aim of the negotiations was to find an acceptable form of compensation for siting a spent nuclear fuel repository in Olkiluoto, Finland. The paper includes background information on the siting process in Finland, the local political setting in the Municipality of Eurajoki and a description of the negotiation process. The analysis of the negotiations on compensation is important for better understanding the progress of the Finnish siting process. The paper describes the picture of the contest to host the spent nuclear fuel repository. It also provides more information on the relationship between the Municipality of Eurajoki and the power company TVO. The negotiations on compensation and the roles of various players in the negotiations have not been studied in detail because the minutes of the Vuojoki liaison group were not available before the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court in May 2006. (author)

Contesting Border/Frontier Studies in China and Beyond: The Prospects and Pitfalls of Zomia as a Metaphor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jinba Tenzin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Megan Bryson. Goddess on the Frontier: Religion, Ethnicity, and Gender in Southwest China. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2016. 264 pp. $60 (cloth. Xiaofei Kang and Donald S. Sutton. Contesting the Yellow Dragon: Ethnicity, Religion, and the State in the Sino-Tibetan Borderland. Leiden: Brill, 2016. 494 pp. $202 (cloth/e-book.

De-sportization of fighting contests. The Origins and Dynamics of No Holds Barred Events and the Theory of Sportization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Johan Heilbron; Drs. Maarten van Bottenburg

2006-01-01

On the basis of an empirical analysis of the recent emergence, spread and transformation of No Holds Barred fighting contests, it is argued that Norbert Elias's model of sportization provides a fruitful but insufficiently differentiated framework for understanding the development of sports and

Nuclear works. Book of abstracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Candel, Danielle; Calberg-Challot, Marie; Alexander, Catherine; Bergsman, Anne; Meyer, Morgan; Taebi, Behnam; Kloosterman, Jan Leen; Kelfaoui, Mahdi; Gingras, Yves; Laborie, Leonard; Beltran, Alain; Bouvier, Yves; Raineau, Laurence; Poirot-Delpech, Sophie; Ollivon, Franck; Mueller, Birgit; Lemarchand, Frederick; Rivat, Emmanuel; Mormont, Marc; Aparicio, Luis; Fassert, Christine; Lehtonen, Markku; Billet, Philippe; Girard, Berenice; Fournier, Pierre; Marion, Richard; Lot, Nicolas

2012-01-01

The interdisciplinary conference 'How can the social sciences help us understand the nuclear world?' seeks to reassess the relations between nuclear and social science research. It has two objectives. First, it seeks to take stock of and build on existing research by making explicit the theoretical approaches, the research methods, the difficulties met by researchers and by possibly identifying aspects of the nuclear phenomenon that may have been neglected or left out by existing research. Second, it wishes to question the relevance of social science to contemporary nuclear debates and policy making. The conference was organized in 6 sessions dealing with: 1 - Nuclear discourses - Contents and legitimacies: Nuclear terminology: from the dictionary to industrial practices (Danielle Candel, Marie Calberg-Challot), The problem of recognizing nuclear objects (Catherine Alexander), Demonstrating safety (Anne Bergsman, Morgan Meyer), Designing for nuclear safety, security and sustainability: a philosophical discourse of the nuclear reactor (Behnam Taebi, Jan Leen Kloosterman); 2 - History, time and space. Tropes of nuclear activity: The Gentilly-1 NPP history: a technological failure? (Mahdi Kelfaoui, Yves Gingras), Nuclear history: experience and research prospects (Leonard Laborie, Yves Bouvier, Alain Beltran), Temporality clash in front of radioactive wastes disposal (Laurence Raineau, Sophie Poirot-Delpech), Canadian nuclear from the standpoint of territoriality: how a NPP shapes space? (Franck Ollivon); 3 - Citizen mobilizations and the experience of disaster: 'We could make a moonscape out of the whole country...' Anti-Nuclear Activism at the Czech - Austrian Border (Birgit Mueller), From a catastrophe to the other: living with nuclear (Frederick Lemarchand), Nuclear contestation: between information, confrontation and political communication - 1970-2010 (Emmanuel Rivat); 4 - Social science meets the nuclear industry: Renegotiating repository safety: the history of

Contested psychiatric ontology and feminist critique

Science.gov (United States)

Angel, Katherine

2012-01-01

In this article I discuss the emergence of Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) within American psychiatry and beyond in the postwar period, setting out what I believe to be important and suggestive questions neglected in existing scholarship. Tracing the nomenclature within successive editions of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), I consider the reification of the term ‘FSD’, and the activism and scholarship that the rise of the category has occasioned. I suggest that analysis of FSD benefits from scrutiny of a wider range of sources (especially since the popular and scientific cross-pollinate). I explore the multiplicity of FSD that emerges when one examines this wider range, but I also underscore a reinscribing of anxieties about psychogenic aetiologies. I then argue that what makes the FSD case additionally interesting, over and above other conditions with a contested status, is the historically complex relationship between psychiatry and feminism that is at work in contemporary debates. I suggest that existing literature on FSD has not yet posed some of the most important and salient questions at stake in writing about women’s sexual problems in this period, and can only do this when the relationship between ‘second-wave’ feminism, ‘post-feminism’, psychiatry and psychoanalysis becomes part of the terrain to be analysed, rather than the medium through which analysis is conducted. PMID:23355764

Contested ‘relational policy spaces’ in two European border regions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dörry, Sabine; Walther, Olivier

2015-01-01

Cross-border cooperation to promote economic development and political integration has been among the EU’s key themes since the 1990s, and contemporary policy networks are considered useful organisational solutions. Focusing on transport policies in the border regions of Basel and Luxembourg, we...... analyse measures of persistency of national preferences among policy actors, mapping their perceived ‘policy spaces of action’ and conceptualising these policy spaces as relational. We discuss two empirical findings: The networks’ various actors on either side of the border appear to perceive the actual...... ‘policy spaces’ very differently. Therefore, and due to the networks’ terminability, these policy spaces are highly contested and frequently negotiated between the actors. Based on a combination of in-depth interviews, sketch maps, and social network analysis, we show that large spatiocultural differences...

Creative contributory contests (CCC) to spur innovation in sexual health: Two cases and a guide for implementation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ye; Kim, Julie A.; Liu, Fengying; Tso, Lai Sze; Tang, Weiming; Wei, Chongyi; Bayus, Barry L.; Tucker, Joseph D.

2015-01-01

Sexual health campaigns are often designed “top-down” by public health experts, failing to engage key populations. Using the power of crowdsourcing to shape a “bottom-up” approach, this note describes two creative contributory contests (CCC) to enhance sexual health campaigns. We provide guidance for designing CCCs to improve HIV and other STD testing. PMID:26462186

Contestations and complexities of nurses’ participation in policy-making in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prudence Ditlopo

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Background: There has been increased emphasis globally on nurses’ involvement in health policy and systems development. However, there has been limited scholarly attention on nurses’ participation in policy-making in South Africa. Objective: This paper analyses the dynamics, strengths, and weaknesses of nurses’ participation in four national health workforce policies: the 2008 Nursing Strategy, revision of the Scope of Practice for nurses, the new Framework for Nursing Qualifications, and the Occupation-Specific Dispensation (OSD remuneration policy. Design: Using a policy analysis framework, we conducted in-depth interviews with 28 key informants and 73 frontline nurses in four South African provinces. Thematic content analysis was done using the Atlas.ti software. Results: The study found that nurses’ participation in policy-making is both contested and complex. The contestation relates to the extent and nature of nurses’ participation in nursing policies. There was a disjuncture between nursing leadership and frontline nurses in their levels of awareness of the four policies. The latter group was generally unaware of these policies with the exception of the OSD remuneration policy as it affected them directly. There was also limited consensus on which nursing group legitimately represented nursing issues in the policy arena. Shifting power relationships influenced who participated, how the participation happened, and the degree to which nurses’ views and inputs were considered and incorporated. Conclusions: The South African health system presents major opportunities for nurses to influence and direct policies that affect them. This will require a combination of proactive leadership, health policy capacity and skills development among nurses, and strong support from the national nursing association.

Individual performance and leader's laterality in interactive contests.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Satyam

2017-05-01

Left-handedness is known to provide an intrinsic and tactical advantage at top level in many sports involving interactive contests. Again, most of the renowned leaders of the world are known to have been left-handed. Leadership plays an important role in politics, sports and mentorship. In this paper we show that Cricket captains who bat left-handed have a strategic advantage over the right-handed captains in One Day International (ODI) and Test matches. The present study involving 46 left-handed captains and 148 right-handed captains in ODI matches, reveal a strong relation between leader's laterality and team member performance, demonstrating the critical importance of left-handedness and successful leadership. The odds for superior batting performance in an ODI match under left-handed captains are 89% higher than the odds under right-handed captains. Our study shows that left-handed captains are more successful in extracting superior performance from the batsmen and bowlers in ODI and Test matches; perhaps indicating left-handed leaders are better motivators as leaders when compared to right-handed captains.

The Colour of Skill: Contesting a Racialised Regime of Skill from the Experience of Recent Immigrants in Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Shibao

2015-01-01

This article contests a racialised skills regime in Canada. Canadian studies of the labour market transitions of skilled immigrants are analysed through the lens of critical race theory. The analysis shows that knowledge and skills of recent immigrants in Canada are racialised and materialised on the basis of ethnic and national origins. Skin…

Diversity and Contested Social Identities in Multilingual and Multicultural Contexts of the University of the Western Cape, South Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Banda, Felix; Peck, Amiena

2016-01-01

We draw on Rampton's "Crossing: Language and Ethnicity Among Adolescents" (2014. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge) notion of "crossing" to explore contestations in ethnolinguistic, cultural and racial affiliations at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), a university built for "Coloureds" in apartheid South Africa, but…

De-sportization of fighting contests : The Origins and Dynamics of No Holds Barred Events and the Theory of Sportization

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bottenburg, M.; Heilbron, Johan

2006-01-01

On the basis of an empirical analysis of the emergence, spread and transformation of No Holds Barred fighting contests during the 1990s, we argue that Norbert Elias’s model of sportization represents a fruitful but not sufficiently differentiated framework for understanding the recent development of

Robillard, Amy E. and Ron Fortune (eds. Authorship Contested. Cultural Challenges to the Authentic Autonomous Author (New York, and London: Routledge, 2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Ciorogar

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A review of Amy E. Robillard and Ron Fortune's (eds Authorship Contested: Cultural Challenges to the Authentic Autonomous Author. New York, and London: Routledge, 2015. 214 pp. £100.

Culinary Contests in Periodicals as Reflection of Russians’ Everyday Life in Conditions of Modern Economic Reforms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ольга Дмитриевна Попова

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the analysis of publications of culinary recipes contests in various periodicals. They demonstrate the specificity of Russians’ everyday life in conditions of economic reforms in the country. The published recipes reflect the dynamics of the socio-economic life of the population. These publications demonstrate various ways of doing housekeeping in conditions of the changing economic situation, which influenced the peculiarities of cooking food.

Corporal Punishment Contestations, Paradoxes and Implications for School Leadership: A Case Study of Two South African High Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Makhasane, Sekitla Daniel; Chikoko, Vitallis

2016-01-01

The continued use of corporal punishment in some South African schools and the reasons advanced for it make this subject topical even now, twenty years after the abolition of this practice. Corporal punishment is a worrying issue among human rights activists and scholars. This paper reports on contestations and paradoxes regarding the use of…

Book Review: Jandl, Thomas, Vietnam in the Global Economy – The Dy-namics of Integration, Decentralization and Contested Politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adam Fforde

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Book Review of the Monograph: Thomas Jandl (2013, Vietnam in the Global Economy – The Dynamics of Integration, Decentralization and Contested Politics. Plymouth: Lexington Books, ISBN 978-0-7391-7786-0, 312 pages

Gender and power contestations over water use in irrigation schemes: Lessons from the lake Chilwa basin

Science.gov (United States)

Nkhoma, Bryson; Kayira, Gift

2016-04-01

Over the past two decades, Malawi has been adversely hit by climatic variability and changes, and irrigation schemes which rely mostly on water from rivers have been negatively affected. In the face of dwindling quantities of water, distribution and sharing of water for irrigation has been a source of contestations and conflicts. Women who constitute a significant section of irrigation farmers in schemes have been major culprits. The study seeks to analyze gender contestations and conflicts over the use of water in the schemes developed in the Lake Chilwa basin, in southern Malawi. Using oral and written sources as well as drawing evidence from participatory and field observations conducted at Likangala and Domasi irrigation schemes, the largest schemes in the basin, the study observes that women are not passive victims of male domination over the use of dwindling waters for irrigation farming. They have often used existing political and traditional structures developed in the management of water in the schemes to competitively gain monopoly over water. They have sometimes expressed their agency by engaging in irrigation activities that fall beyond the control of formal rules and regulations of irrigation agriculture. Other than being losers, women are winning the battle for water and land resources in the basin.

Purposeful collective action in ambiguous and contested situations: exploring ‘enabling capacities’ and cross-level interplay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Patterson

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purposeful collective action is important for sustainably managing many kinds of natural resource issues in social-ecological systems. However, cultivating purposeful collective action is challenging in ambiguous and contested situations involving multiple issues, actors, levels, and drivers, and weak or missing feedback. A particular example is the problem of managing waterway health in large and diverse landscapes. This paper analyses the emergence of purposeful collective action for managing waterway health, focusing on a case study of a large and diverse region in Australia. It applies a heuristic developed to guide inquiry into 'enabling capacities' underpinning purposeful collective action, to analyse three local cases embedded within a broader regional landscape. A diverse range of enabling capacities at both local and regional levels, and cross-level interplay between these levels, are shown to be important. Findings imply that efforts to generate purposeful collective action require building enabling capacities across multiple levels of organisation, from which contextually-appropriate and adaptive action can emerge. Moreover, findings indicate the need for a practice-focused ‘knowledge-action perspective’ that recognises the importance of intersubjectivity and agency. The paper demonstrates a promising approach for investigating purposeful collective action in ambiguous and contested water and environmental governance situations.

Staging and Engaging with Media Events: A Study of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skey, Michael; Kyriakidou, Maria; McCurdy, Patrick

2016-01-01

, in particular, notes how this shaped responses to a controversial incident involving the Russian entry. While those with an ongoing interest, including organizers and fans, tended to emphasize personal narratives and individual freedom of expression, mainstream media and audiences adopted a far more cynical...... addresses this lacuna with reference to the biggest nonsporting live TV event in the world, the Eurovision Song Contest. Drawing on data from the 2014 competition in Copenhagen, Denmark, it examines the varying levels of commitment to the event among organizers, fans, broadcasters, and journalists and...

Numerology in the second nuclear age

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krepon, M.

2009-07-01

The nuclear numbers game has changed. During the Cold War - the first nuclear age - deterrence strategists such as Henry Kissinger, Paul Nitze and Albert Wohlstetter claimed that the nuclear balance mattered, even at extraordinarily high numbers. ' As a result, one great irony of the first nuclear age was that the 'absolute' weapon still lent itself to the twin impulses of seeking advantage and seeking to avoid being placed at a disadvantage. This factor, among others, led to the production of approximately 125,000 U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Nuclear 'numerology' during the Cold War centered around deployed capabilities in various categories, especially 'prompt hard-target kill' capabilities, missile 'throw-weight' and nuclear exchange ratios. By this musty logic, the United States now has more deterrence leverage against Russia than at any time since the Soviet nuclear build-up in the 1960's. This may help explain why the Kremlin feels so protective of its large stocks of tactical nuclear weapons, despite Washington's preferences. US leverage on Moscow also appears to be limited on other matters pertaining to the nuclear order, including ways to persuade North Korea and Iran to adhere to UN Security Council resolutions. Critics of the Obama administration ascribe this lack of suasion to 'soft' leadership that does not command respect or compel preferred behavior. But the 'hard' policies they preferred during the presidency of George W. Bush produced, to put it charitably, mixed results. Whatever value the nuclear numbers game had during the first nuclear age related primarily to contests played out with computers and hand calculators, not to real battlefields where nuclear-armed states fought with weaker foes, including contests between states with and without nuclear weapons. Numerical imbalances have been far more profound between the United States and China. For

Numerology in the second nuclear age

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krepon, M.

2009-01-01

The nuclear numbers game has changed. During the Cold War - the first nuclear age - deterrence strategists such as Henry Kissinger, Paul Nitze and Albert Wohlstetter claimed that the nuclear balance mattered, even at extraordinarily high numbers. ' As a result, one great irony of the first nuclear age was that the 'absolute' weapon still lent itself to the twin impulses of seeking advantage and seeking to avoid being placed at a disadvantage. This factor, among others, led to the production of approximately 125,000 U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons during the Cold War. Nuclear 'numerology' during the Cold War centered around deployed capabilities in various categories, especially 'prompt hard-target kill' capabilities, missile 'throw-weight' and nuclear exchange ratios. By this musty logic, the United States now has more deterrence leverage against Russia than at any time since the Soviet nuclear build-up in the 1960's. This may help explain why the Kremlin feels so protective of its large stocks of tactical nuclear weapons, despite Washington's preferences. US leverage on Moscow also appears to be limited on other matters pertaining to the nuclear order, including ways to persuade North Korea and Iran to adhere to UN Security Council resolutions. Critics of the Obama administration ascribe this lack of suasion to 'soft' leadership that does not command respect or compel preferred behavior. But the 'hard' policies they preferred during the presidency of George W. Bush produced, to put it charitably, mixed results. Whatever value the nuclear numbers game had during the first nuclear age related primarily to contests played out with computers and hand calculators, not to real battlefields where nuclear-armed states fought with weaker foes, including contests between states with and without nuclear weapons. Numerical imbalances have been far more profound between the United States and China. For financial and other reasons, Beijing did not play the nuclear numbers game

Why are U.S. nuclear weapon modernization efforts controversial?

Science.gov (United States)

Acton, James

2016-03-01

U.S. nuclear weapon modernization programs are focused on extending the lives of existing warheads and developing new delivery vehicles to replace ageing bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and ballistic missile submarines. These efforts are contested and controversial. Some critics argue that they are largely unnecessary, financially wasteful and potentially destabilizing. Other critics posit that they do not go far enough and that nuclear weapons with new military capabilities are required. At its core, this debate centers on three strategic questions. First, what roles should nuclear weapons be assigned? Second, what military capabilities do nuclear weapons need to fulfill these roles? Third, how severe are the unintended escalation risks associated with particular systems? Proponents of scaled-down modernization efforts generally argue for reducing the role of nuclear weapons but also that, even under existing policy, new military capabilities are not required. They also tend to stress the escalation risks of new--and even some existing--capabilities. Proponents of enhanced modernization efforts tend to advocate for a more expansive role for nuclear weapons in national security strategy. They also often argue that nuclear deterrence would be enhanced by lower yield weapons and/or so called bunker busters able to destroy more deeply buried targets. The debate is further fueled by technical disagreements over many aspects of ongoing and proposed modernization efforts. Some of these disagreements--such as the need for warhead life extension programs and their necessary scope--are essentially impossible to resolve at the unclassified level. By contrast, unclassified analysis can help elucidate--though not answer--other questions, such as the potential value of bunker busters.

ITER, an artificial sun at the hand? Myths and realities on researches in the field of nuclear fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

This document, published by the French association 'Sortir du nucleaire' (Get out of nuclear), gives some information on what is the nuclear fusion, the obstacles to produce nuclear fusion on Earth (why reinventing the sun?), the false promises of the experimental reactor ITER (it will not produce electricity, it will cost 10 billion euros, it will use tritium and will not be safe, it will produce 30 000 tonnes of radioactive wastes), the installation of ITER in Provence (it will cause new damages to the environment, will create jobs at a high cost and to the detriment of clean energies), the vision of ITER as a prestigious project for France with essentially military goals, a research program that is contested by several high profile physicists and is extremely expensive, etc. The paper reviews 20 years of negotiations for the ITER project, and recommends other ways to take up the energy challenge

Crimea and the quest for energy and military hegemony in the Black Sea region: governance gap in a contested geostrategic zone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blockmans, S.

2015-01-01

Russia’s annexation of Crimea and its destabilization of Eastern Ukraine have radically altered the European security order, with the Black Sea region becoming an acutely contested geostrategic zone. Russia’s strategic interests in the Black Sea region, especially in terms of energy and military

Design Disruption in Contested, Contingent and Contradictory Future-Making

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoko Akama

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to problematize how we step into situations that are often contested, contingent and contradictory. In this context, how can we sharpen our sensitivity of the role design plays in generating understanding and future-making possibilities? Here, we employ the term disruption as a way to question our own knowledge construction and research practices in Design Anthropology and Participatory Design. We pursue disruption as a political and necessary consciousness when Design Anthropology meets Participatory Design and discuss the generative, reflexive and analytical dimensions of disruption through three vignettes. These vignettes raises questions of how we interrogate disruptions of power to consider different ways in which this manifests when entering into and participating in ongoing changing process. They also highlight the need to displace existing knowledge, rather than pursuing ‘mutual learning’ that had been a defining commitment of Participatory Design. Lastly, the vignettes reveal the need to disrupt the designer-researcher in order to surrender to contradiction and contingency as part of future-making.

Contested collaboration: A descriptive model of intergroup communication in information system design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonnenwald, D.H.

1995-01-01

. The model describes design phases, roles, themes, and intergroup communication networks as they evolve throughout the design process and characterizes design as a process of ''contested collaboration.'' It is a first step towards a predictive design model that suggests strategies which may help participants......Many information system design situations today include users, designers, and developers who, with their own unique group and individual perspectives, need to interact so that they can come to a working understanding of how the information system being developed will coexist with and ideally...... support patterns of work activities, social groups, and personal beliefs. In these situations, design is fundamentally an interactive process that requires communication among users, designers, and developers. However, communication among these groups is often difficult although of paramount importance...

Erotic Enclaves and Contested Beds: Gardens in Pu Songling’s Chuanqi Tales

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Jin

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract:             This article examines the literary garden depicted by Pu Songling (1640-1715 in his' Liaozhai zhiyi '聊齋誌異 (Liaozhai's records of the strange; 1766. These enchanted, deserted, and haunted gardens function as metaphors for the contested ground on which some key Ming-Qing intellectual issues are debated. The article examines Pu’s depiction of 'qing'情,an important concept reflecting the philosophical and literary trends of the time, and shows that in the process of constructing literary gardens, Pu challenges the intellectual issues of his time and dissolves the boundaries between normal and abnormal, reality and ideal, death and life, and order and disorder.

The Brazilian electric power industry restructuring: an evaluation of the competition through the contestable market theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vinhaes, Elbia; Santana, Edvaldo de

1999-01-01

The central issue of debate was the need to align the energy sector's options and organization with changing global patterns of economic and social development, characterized by the increasing role played by the private sector, greater integration in the world economy, and new economic and social priorities such as efficiency, decentralization, deregulation, and a closer attention to environmental issues. The aim of the work is to evaluate the competition in the Brazilian electric power industry through the Contestable Market Theory proposed by Baumol

Relationship among Students' Problem-Solving Attitude, Perceived Value, Behavioral Attitude, and Intention to Participate in a Science and Technology Contest

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Neng-Tang Norman; Chiu, Li-Jia; Hong, Jon-Chao

2016-01-01

The strong humanistic and ethics-oriented philosophy of Confucianism tends to lead people influenced by these principles to undervalue the importance of hands-on practice and creativity in education. GreenMech, a science and technology contest, was implemented to encourage real-world, hands-on problem solving in an attempt to mitigate this effect.…

The hijab as a phenomenon of constructing and contesting identity: the example of contemporary Novi Pazar

OpenAIRE

Miloš Đurović

2016-01-01

This paper represents a consideration and an analysis of the relationship between the hijab as an article of clothing and the female body which can be understood as a field of social relations and struggles. The covered body of Muslim women and the meanings it carries can be understood and represented through a number of aspects. The paper explains the phenomenon of the hijab as a place of constructing and contesting identity using the example of contemporary Novi Pazar. The issue of the ban ...

Balancing collaboration with coordination: Contesting eradication in the Australian plant pest and disease biosecurity system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan Robert Jeff McAllister

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The logistical challenge of coordinating natural resource management actions across large scales is typically complicated by the diversity of stakeholders’ interests. Devising a plan is difficult. Getting diverse stakeholders to agree to and adhere to any logistical solution is harder still. Hence logistical solutions to large-scale problems involve a combination of coordination, and trust-building and contestation which are two key features of collaboration. We studied networks based on stakeholder participation in institutional responses to agricultural pest and disease incursions, where the spatial complexity of response is further challenged by the need to design and implement plans quickly in order to stop the spread of incursions. Using data from the 2010 Australian myrtle rust incursion, we used novel statistical network methods which showed that policy forums at national scales, where higher-level decisions are made, were associated with denser overlapping stakeholder interactions signifying collaboration (bondingcapital, high transaction-costs. Our qualitative data unpacked this, showing how at times uncertainty in process and information is used by some stakeholders to contest decisions at national scales. We failed to find statistical evidence that at local scales, where plans are implemented more-or-less at face value, networks exhibited lower-transaction cost interactions associated with the socially cheaper task of coordination (bridging-capital, low transaction-costs. By identifying the mix of coordination and collaboration in networks for solving environmental problems, capacity building can be more targeted, and rules-of-behaviour can be developed that better fit the requirements of the diverse tasks involved.

The Political Geographies of Europeanisation: Mapping the Contested Conceptions of Europeanisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florent Marciacq

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This article questions why Europeanisation is such a contested notion, by exploring the different politico-geographical structures of meaning on which the different conceptions of Europeanisation can be mapped. It starts with the contention that the political geography of Europeanisation has long been determined by European Union (EU integration alone. This produced an EU, inward-looking bias in Europeanisation research, which a paradigmatic shift towards governance perspectives helped mitigate. Such a shift is not only progressive in terms of concept formation; it also explains why the concept of Europeanisation has developed multifaceted contours. Using three ideal types of European governance (Westphalian, neo-Westphalian, post-Westphalian, the article shows that conceptions and spaces of Europeanisation are multiple in essence. It concludes that defining Europeanisation is a social act having politico-geographical motivations. But it nonetheless denies the claim that all conceptions of Europeanisation are equally good.

Sowing Resilience and Contestation in Times of Crises: The Case of Urban Gardening Movements in Barcelona

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Camps-Calvet

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Urban gardens have been observed to multiply in response to crises. However, the meaning and motivations behind the emergence of gardening movements varies greatly over space and time. In this paper we argue that bottom up urban gardening initiatives taking place in Southern European countries in form of land occupation and communalization represent forms of resistance that enhance social cohesion and collective action in times of need. Specifically, this research examines the role of urban gardens in (i building community resilience and (ii articulating forms of resistance and contestation to development pressure and commodified urban lifestyles. Our research is based on data collected among 27 urban gardening initiatives in Barcelona, Spain, including 13 self-governed community gardens and 14 public gardens. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with gardeners and with staff from the Barcelona City Council. Our results show mechanisms through which urban gardens can contribute to build resilience by nurturing social and ecological diversity, generating and transmitting local ecological knowledge, and by creating opportunities for collective action and self-organization. We further examine collectively managed gardens as urban commons that emerge as a form of resistance to the privatization of public urban space, and that offer opportunities to experiment with new models of urban lifestyles. We show how gardening initiatives can be seen to represent an emerging form of urban green commons that provides a suitable ground to ‘sow’ resilience and contestation in times of crises and socio-ecological deterioration.

Heterogeneous information sharing of sensor information in contested environments

Science.gov (United States)

Wampler, Jason A.; Hsieh, Chien; Toth, Andrew; Sheatsley, Ryan

2017-05-01

The inherent nature of unattended sensors makes these devices most vulnerable to detection, exploitation, and denial in contested environments. Physical access is often cited as the easiest way to compromise any device or network. A new mechanism for mitigating these types of attacks developed under the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, ASD(R and E) project, "Smoke Screen in Cyberspace", was demonstrated in a live, over-the-air experiment. Smoke Screen encrypts, slices up, and disburses redundant fragments of files throughout the network. Recovery is only possible after recovering all fragments and attacking/denying one or more nodes does not limit the availability of other fragment copies in the network. This experiment proved the feasibility of redundant file fragmentation, and is the foundation for developing sophisticated methods to blacklist compromised nodes, move data fragments from risks of compromise, and forward stored data fragments closer to the anticipated retrieval point. This paper outlines initial results in scalability of node members, fragment size, file size, and performance in a heterogeneous network consisting of the Wireless Network after Next (WNaN) radio and Common Sensor Radio (CSR).

The ‘wild and woolly’ world of exercise referral schemes: contested interpretations of an exercise as medicine programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henderson, Hannah; Evans, Adam Brian; Allen-Collinson, Jacquelyn

2017-01-01

conflicting and inconsistent stakeholder accounts within and across groups, suggesting participants attached specific, interdependent and sometimes contradictory meanings to ERS. This created conflict and generated interesting unintended consequences. Perceived divisions between strategic and local levels...... insights into the meanings attached to ERS, and their contestation through service delivery models. Thematic analysis generated salient themes regarding divergent interpretations of ERS goals, and conflict within both service delivery pathways and perceptions of programme impact. Data highlighted...

The ‘wild and woolly’ world of exercise referral schemes: contested interpretations of an exercise as medicine programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henderson, Hannah; Evans, Adam Brian; Allen-Collinson, Jacquelyn

2018-01-01

conflicting and inconsistent stakeholder accounts within and across groups, suggesting participants attached specific, interdependent and sometimes contradictory meanings to ERS. This created conflict and generated interesting unintended consequences. Perceived divisions between strategic and local levels...... insights into the meanings attached to ERS, and their contestation through service delivery models. Thematic analysis generated salient themes regarding divergent interpretations of ERS goals, and conflict within both service delivery pathways and perceptions of programme impact. Data highlighted...

Relations between scientists and government: the case of nuclear energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katz, J E

1982-05-01

This article discusses the role and influence of the scientific communities in less-developed countries (LDC) on national high-technology policy by examining the particular case of nuclear energy. This area has been largely overlooked by other literature on LDC's scientific development. Based on an examination of scientific involvement in nuclear energy policy in selected countries, it becomes clear that the influence of scientists can range from making cardinal decisions about programs to simply legitimating or implementing decisions made by political or bureaucratic leaders. Within governmental structures, there are opportunities for scientists to incrementally shape technology policies, despite the fact that the magnitude of this influence is circumscribed by domestic considerations, not only of physical resources, but also intangibles such as national prestige and security. While a scientist can on rare occasion seize opportunities to dramatically restructure a nation's scientific or nuclear program, the overwhelming majority of scientists never exercise any such power. But even in day-to-day operations of government scientists can exert subtle influence, not only on nuclear energy programs, but also in an indirect way on the fabric of a nation's culture. Despite this significant impact, in any direct contest between the scientist and the politician, the scientist inevitably loses. In conclusion, scientists seem much more aware of their limitations rather than their potential to influence national technology policy, and tend to act in accord with priorities and goals as defined by their nation-state. 18 references.

Contested environmental policy infrastructure: Socio-political acceptance of renewable energy, water, and waste facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolsink, Maarten

2010-01-01

The construction of new infrastructure is hotly contested. This paper presents a comparative study on three environmental policy domains in the Netherlands that all deal with legitimising building and locating infrastructure facilities. Such infrastructure is usually declared essential to environmental policy and claimed to serve sustainability goals. They are considered to serve (proclaimed) public interests, while the adverse impact or risk that mainly concerns environmental values as well is concentrated at a smaller scale, for example in local communities. The social acceptance of environmental policy infrastructure is institutionally determined. The institutional capacity for learning in infrastructure decision-making processes in the following three domains is compared: 1.The implementation of wind power as a renewable energy innovation; 2.The policy on space-water adaptation, with its claim to implement a new style of management replacing the current practice of focusing on control and 'hard' infrastructure; 3.Waste policy with a focus on sound waste management and disposal, claiming a preference for waste minimization (the 'waste management hierarchy'). All three cases show a large variety of social acceptance issues, where the appraisal of the impact of siting the facilities is confronted with the desirability of the policies. In dealing with environmental conflict, the environmental capacity of the Netherlands appears to be low. The policies are frequently hotly contested within the process of infrastructure decision-making. Decision-making on infrastructure is often framed as if consensus about the objectives of environmental policies exists. These claims are not justified, and therefore stimulating the emergence of environmental conflicts that discourage social acceptance of the policies. Authorities are frequently involved in planning infrastructure that conflicts with their officially proclaimed policy objectives. In these circumstances, they are

The nuclear licensing and supervisory procedures for nuclear facilities in the Federal Republic of Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Franzen, L.F.

1982-02-01

A combined system has been developed in the Federal Republic of Germany: the States execute the Atomic Energy Act on behalf of the Federal Government. Despite these differences, the safety requirements and the safety standard achieved vary only insignificantly, as a result of a world-wide communication and of international cooperation. The legal prerequesites for the German nuclear licensing procedures have been established about 20 years ago, and, by a number of amendments have been adapted to new perceptions and developments. Several supplementary ordinances, due to further developments in nuclear technology, are being prepared. The work on associated technical provision, which had been neglected for a long time, has in recent years been tackled systematically and should, before long, lead to a comprehensive programme of safety standards, which simplifies and expedites the nuclear licensing procedures. Essential features of the licensing procedure are the phased structure and the division into intermediate steps which render it possible to adapt the safety requirements to the advancing state of science and technology. The responsible authorities call in experts for the safety verification of the application documents. It is the task of these experts to make assessments and to conduct quality examinations in the manufacturing plants and at the site, and to carry out recurrent tests. The public is involved by the announcement of the projects, the display of the documents and by the opportunity to raise objections during the licensing procedure. Licenses granted can be contested before the administrative courts. This procedure paves the way for the achievement of a satisfactory balance between private and public interests. (orig./HP)

New Technological Interventions in Conservation Conflicts: Countering Emotions and Contested Knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Audrey; van der Wal, René; Fischer, Anke

2017-01-01

New technologies have increasingly featured in environmental conservation conflicts. We examined the deployment of imaging devices such as sonar equipment and cameras to survey the Fal estuary in Cornwall, UK. Due to heavy use of these waters, there have been several disputes coalescing around protected marine features, including the estuary's rare maerl beds. A comparison of two cases, scallop dredging and docks development, showed technical instruments being deployed to produce information about the marine environment as evidence to inform decision-making. The use of imaging devices stimulated political action and was regarded as a move away from emotion-based decision-making towards desired objectivity. Simultaneously, however, the process of deploying these devices was challenged and there was recognition that the resultant information could be used to construct the estuary as a politically charged space. Thus, rather than clarifying and resolving contentious issues, technological interventions generated new baselines for knowledge contestation and amplified ongoing battles for credibility and authority.

Competition and market contestability of banks: Evidence from emerging financial market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muntazir Hussain

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The study is an attempt to investigate the nature of competition and market contestability of 35 Pakistani banks for the period of 2007-2011 by employing Panzar and Rosse (PR-model. The test of competition overall sample (2007-2011 suggest that banks in Pakistan in state of monopolistic competition and market is in equilibrium. The sub sample (2007-2009 result of competition and equilibrium are similar as for sample period (2007-2011 suggesting that revenue produced during this period is state of monopolistic competition. Finally the results of sample period (2010-2011 suggest that banks in Pakistan are instate of perfect competition however, the market in not in long-run equilibrium. The results have interesting policy implications; it is suggested to encourage the foreign banks presence to improve the competitive condition of banking industry so that to ensure the exit and entrance of banks in the industry to increase the competition and produce the variety of product to improve banks performance and customer satisfaction.

Noor ja tahvuslik nüüdistants rahvusvahelisel võistlusel "C.O.N.T.EST '08" / Nele Suisalu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Suisalu, Nele

2008-01-01

Pärnus 29.-30. märtsini toimunud 1. rahvusvahelisest sõnadeta teatri konkursist "C.o.n.t.est 08". Selles osalejatest - Kristine Kyhl Andersen (Taani) "MEGO - assistendiga soolo nr3", Etcha Dvornik (Sloveenia-Prantsusmaa) "Alpid! Alpid!", Mihkel Ernits "Pealkirja veel ei ole", Ferenc Fehér "Sirzamanze", Cristina Planas Leitao (Portugal-Holland) "Nülitud", Anna Melnikova (Venemaa-Saksamaa) "Kolmekordne", Mariela Nestora (Kreeka) "Faux pas", Sonja Salkowitsch (Norra-Saksamaa) "Külm", Asako Shirai (Jaapan) "Viimane inimolend"

"Hey the Tomatoes Didn't Grow, but Something Else Did!": Contesting Containment, Cultivating Competence in Children Labeled with Disabilities

OpenAIRE

Rama Cousik; Heloise Maconochie

2017-01-01

In this article we offer a number of empirical examples to argue that educational practices designed to provide children labeled with disabilities with a free and appropriate public education can lead to an experience of "containment." Drawing upon data from two science projects conducted with children labeled with disabilities in an elementary school in the United States we explore adults' and children's experiences of contesting containment in a special education classroom, alongside a conc...

Decision-making and emotions in the contested information environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M.W. Haas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Future conflicts will necessitate the ability to conduct effective military operations in a contested information environment. The building and maintaining of robust situational awareness, protection of decision-making effectiveness of individuals and teams, fighting through information attacks from both in, and through, the cyberspace domain, will be essential. Increasing the knowledge of the mechanisms involved in degrading task performance and decision-making during cyber attacks will enable the development of advanced human-centered defensive techniques that aid fight-through capability. In this position paper, the development and evaluation of software that simulates real-time and persistent manipulation of the information environment is discussed. Results of the evaluation indicated that the task performance of a team of decision-makers performing collaborative tasks could be degraded through real-time manipulation of cyberspace content and operation. The paper concludes with a discussion of focus and direction for future research and development. It is suggested that the building of a deeper understanding of the perceptual and cognitive factors that are significant in the relationship between information environment manipulation and reduction in task performance is required. This understanding will aid in the defence of cyberspace attacks, will aid in fight through and mission assurance, and will aid the Information Operations community.

Halloween Drama Contest: A Didactic Approach to English Language Teaching in a non-Bilingual School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Camelo

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This article presents an action research project developed in Mayor de San Bartolomé School in 2007, when the authors’ teaching practice took place. The observation of 38 eighth graders, between 13 and 14 years old, highlighted their lack of motivation towards the English class. In the coming semester after the observation, the drama activities carried out in the English class made the students more eager to participate in the class activities and to use this language to communicate with their peers. The Halloween Drama Contest consisted of drama activities along with reading comprehension, writing production, vocabulary exercises and phonetics practice. Students were asked to prepare scripts of six horror movies to be performed on Halloween.

Gains from resistance: contesting a new digital technology in a service sector workplace

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shulzhenko, Elena; Holmgren, Jens

2017-01-01

Increasing expectations of efficiency enabled by new digital technology have led to renewed interest in spaces remaining for employee resistance to management power. The study contributes to this debate by analysing resistance to a new technology introduced in the home-nursing sector in Denmark....... Nurses succeeded in halting a technological change that allowed them to report data related to their visits online from inside patients’ homes and reduced their co-located working time. Work location became a central area of contestation between nurses and management. The study offers a nuanced analysis...... of power relations during the technological change. It shows that the capacity of IT management – a management actor uninhibited by a care ethos - to influence nursing workplaces rose along with the increasing significance of expertise in digital technologies in performing care work. Nurses’ alliances...

2011 IEEE Visualization Contest winner: Visualizing unsteady vortical behavior of a centrifugal pump.

Science.gov (United States)

Otto, Mathias; Kuhn, Alexander; Engelke, Wito; Theisel, Holger

2012-01-01

In the 2011 IEEE Visualization Contest, the dataset represented a high-resolution simulation of a centrifugal pump operating below optimal speed. The goal was to find suitable visualization techniques to identify regions of rotating stall that impede the pump's effectiveness. The winning entry split analysis of the pump into three parts based on the pump's functional behavior. It then applied local and integration-based methods to communicate the unsteady flow behavior in different regions of the dataset. This research formed the basis for a comparison of common vortex extractors and more recent methods. In particular, integration-based methods (separation measures, accumulated scalar fields, particle path lines, and advection textures) are well suited to capture the complex time-dependent flow behavior. This video (http://youtu.be/oD7QuabY0oU) shows simulations of unsteady flow in a centrifugal pump.

"Hey the Tomatoes Didn't Grow, but Something Else Did!": Contesting Containment, Cultivating Competence in Children Labeled with Disabilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rama Cousik

2017-08-01

Full Text Available In this article we offer a number of empirical examples to argue that educational practices designed to provide children labeled with disabilities with a free and appropriate public education can lead to an experience of "containment." Drawing upon data from two science projects conducted with children labeled with disabilities in an elementary school in the United States we explore adults' and children's experiences of contesting containment in a special education classroom, alongside a concomitant desire to cultivate competence. Based on the work of Foucault (1977 we suggest that children with labels face a number of containment strategies including: exclusion and classification (categorizing and placing children in segregated classrooms with an alternative curriculum; individualization (Individual Education Plans; examination and assessment (measuring children's attainment against predetermined goals and tests; and control (the regulation and self-regulation of children's bodies and behaviors. Notwithstanding these disabling constraints, it is possible to move towards an approach informed by Disability Studies in Education (DSE, in which competence is cultivated through more inclusive strategies. These include positioning children as abled rather than labeled through taking a Universal Design approach to Learning (UDL; recognizing children's multimodal communicative practices; constructing learning stories as a narrative form of pedagogical documentation and assessment; valorizing the ways in which children contest containment and control through their bodily actions and child-initiated narratives; and respecting children's autonomy in the learning process.

Women's Rights international cartoon contest and exhibition-to support women and the rise a global voice against oppression, violence and injustice of women. 2016

OpenAIRE

Mumberson, Stephen

2016-01-01

Contest had 567 cartoonists from 79 countries who submitted 1625 cartoons .Show organized by tOOns MaG -worlds first on line cartoon magazine.The work of the winners and other cartoonists to be shown in Norway and two venues in India.All work on the theme of Women's rights.

Glocalization of “Christian Social Responsibility”: The Contested Legacy of the Lausanne Movement among Neo-Evangelicals in South Korea1

OpenAIRE

Myung-Sahm Suh

2015-01-01

This paper examines the contested legacy of the First Lausanne Congress in South Korean neo-evangelical communities. In response to growing political and social conflicts in the Global South during the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of evangelical leaders from more than 150 countries gathered at Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974 to discuss the proper relationship between evangelism and social action. The meeting culminated with the proclamation of the Lausanne Covenant, which affirmed both evangelis...

Two Paradigmatic Waves of Public Discourse on Nuclear Waste in the United States, 1945-2009: Understanding a Magnitudinal and Longitudinal Phenomenon in Anthropological Terms.

Science.gov (United States)

Pajo, Judi

2016-01-01

This project set out to illuminate the discursive existence of nuclear waste in American culture. Given the significant temporal dimension of the phenomenon as well as the challenging size of the United States setting, the project adapted key methodological elements of the sociocultural anthropology tradition and produced proxies for ethnographic fieldnotes and key informant interviews through sampling the digital archives of the New York Times over a 64-year period that starts with the first recorded occurrence of the notion of nuclear waste and ends with the conclusion of the presidency of George W. Bush. Two paradigmatic waves of American public discourse on nuclear waste come to light when subjecting this empirical data to quantitative inventorying and interpretive analysis: between 1945 and 1969 nuclear waste was generally framed in light of the beneficial utilizations of nuclear reactions and with optimistic expectations for a scientific/technological solution; by contrast, between 1969 and 2009 nuclear waste was conceptualized as inherited harm that could not be undone and contestation that required political/legal management. Besides this key finding and the empirical timing of the two paradigms, the study's value lies also with its detailed empirical documentation of nuclear waste in its sociocultural existence.

La correspondance de direction de conscience : écrire pour contester les rôles de genre ? L’exemple d'Henriette de Lestrange (1908-1931)

OpenAIRE

Muller , Caroline

2013-01-01

International audience; Le parcours d'Henriette de Lestrange par le biais de sa correspondance avec son directeur de conscience : comment la correspondance avec le directeur permet de contester les normes de genre et les rapports de force qui existent au sein du couple, et la place de l'écrit dans ce processus.

2011 IEEE Visualization Contest Winner: Visualizing Unsteady Vortical Behavior of a Centrifugal Pump

KAUST Repository

Otto, Mathias

2012-09-01

In the 2011 IEEE Visualization Contest, the dataset represented a high-resolution simulation of a centrifugal pump operating below optimal speed. The goal was to find suitable visualization techniques to identify regions of rotating stall that impede the pump\\'s effectiveness. The winning entry split analysis of the pump into three parts based on the pump\\'s functional behavior. It then applied local and integration-based methods to communicate the unsteady flow behavior in different regions of the dataset. This research formed the basis for a comparison of common vortex extractors and more recent methods. In particular, integration-based methods (separation measures, accumulated scalar fields, particle path lines, and advection textures) are well suited to capture the complex time-dependent flow behavior. This video (http://youtu.be/ oD7QuabY0oU) shows simulations of unsteady flow in a centrifugal pump. © 2012 IEEE.

Contested minorities – the case of Upper Silesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gierczak Dariusz

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Upper Silesia in terms of ethnicity is a typical example of a historical region in Europe, but in fact, one of the few exceptions in contemporary Poland, where its mixed ethnic and religious structures have at least partly survived until today. While their existence had been denied by Nazi Germany (1933-1945 as well as by the Polish People's Republic (1945-1989, the emancipation of the German and Silesian minorities after the democratic changes of 1989 have evoked strong emotions in the ethnically almost uniform country. Nonetheless, the recent situation of minorities has improved as never before. Minority organisations has been officially recognized and German finally has become the second language in some municipalities of Upper Silesia, but the largest ethnic group in the whole country, the Silesians, have still experienced no formal recognition as a national minority. This article deals with the demographic aspects of the ethnic groups in Upper Silesia since the 19th century until recent times. The census results concerning the ethnic minorities or languages in Upper Silesia have been contested since the first records of that kind have been taken. The outcomes of the both last censuses of 2002 and 2011 concerning the minority question reflected for the first time a much more realistic picture of the status quo. Furthermore, they showed that the idea of Silesian identification found an unexpected high number of supporters. This fact indicates an emerging meaning of regional identification amid significant changes of cultural values in Polish society.

Case Study: Unfavorable But Transient Physiological Changes During Contest Preparation in a Drug-Free Male Bodybuilder.

Science.gov (United States)

Pardue, Andrew; Trexler, Eric T; Sprod, Lisa K

2017-12-01

Extreme body composition demands of competitive bodybuilding have been associated with unfavorable physiological changes, including alterations in metabolic rate and endocrine profile. The current case study evaluated the effects of contest preparation (8 months), followed by recovery (5 months), on a competitive drug-free male bodybuilder over 13 months (M1-M13). Serum testosterone, triiodothyronine (T 3 ), thyroxine (T 4 ), cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin were measured throughout the study. Body composition (BodPod, dualenergy x-ray absorptiometry [DXA]), anaerobic power (Wingate test), and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were assessed monthly. Sleep was assessed monthly via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and actigraphy. From M1 to M8, testosterone (623-173 ng∙dL -1 ), T 3 (123-40 ng∙dL -1 ), and T 4 (5.8-4.1 mg∙dL -1 ) decreased, while cortisol (25.2-26.5 mg∙dL -1 ) and ghrelin (383-822 pg∙mL -1 ) increased. The participant lost 9.1 kg before competition as typical energy intake dropped from 3,860 to 1,724 kcal∙day -1 ; BodPod estimates of body fat percentage were 13.4% at M1, 9.6% at M8, and 14.9% at M13; DXA estimates were 13.8%, 5.1%, and 13.8%, respectively. Peak anaerobic power (753.0 to 536.5 Watts) and RMR (107.2% of predicted to 81.2% of predicted) also decreased throughout preparation. Subjective sleep quality decreased from M1 to M8, but objective measures indicated minimal change. By M13, physiological changes were largely, but not entirely, reversed. Contest preparation may yield transient, unfavorable changes in endocrine profile, power output, RMR, and subjective sleep outcomes. Research with larger samples must identify strategies that minimize unfavorable adaptations and facilitate recovery following competition.

Educación para la salud en escuelas argentinas: concurso de plástica como actividad motivadora Health education in schools in Argentina: an art contest as a motivating activity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Darnaudy

2009-02-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to plan health education efforts that integrate the health and education sectors. From March to November 2004, an art contest was held for 7th-9th grade students in 109 schools in 11 of Argentina's provinces. The contest allowed improvements in knowledge to be measured and adjustments to be made to the curriculum. The students created works of art featuring tuberculosis. To evaluate knowledge acquired, two provinces were chosen at random. Student knowledge had increased from 67.2% to 96.4%. The administrators and teachers testified to the usefulness of the materials developed. These results show that when the efforts of health and education sectors are coordinated and the ap propriate materials are leveraged, the efforts of educators can be substantially bolstered.

Contesting authority: China and the new landscape of power sector governance in the developing world

Science.gov (United States)

Hannam, Phillip Matthew

Two co-constructed trends threaten to complicate global efforts to manage climate change. Electric power in developing countries is becoming more coal-intensive, while the international institutions capable of assisting lower-carbon growth paths are having their authority challenged by an emergent set of institutions under China's leadership. In the last decade Chinese firms and state banks have become central players in power sector development across the developing world; China has been involved in over sixty percent of Africa's hydropower capacity and is the single largest exporter of coal power plants globally. Statistical and qualitative evidence suggests that China's growing role in these power markets has contributed to re-prioritization of the power sector in U.S. bilateral development assistance, complicated negotiation and implementation of coal power finance rules among OECD export credit agencies, and influenced where the World Bank chooses to build hydropower projects. The thesis establishes a framework for understanding responses to discord in development governance by drawing inductively on these contemporary cases. Competition between established and emerging actors increases with two variables: 1) conflicting ideological, commercial and diplomatic goals (difference in interests); and 2) the degree to which the emerging actor challenges rules and norms upheld by the established actor (contested authority). Competitive policy adjustment - one actor seeking to undermine or diminish the other's pursuit of its objectives - has been historically commonplace when an emerging actor challenged an established actor in the regime for development assistance. China's growing authority in global power sector assistance has prompted competitive policy adjustment among established donors while also enabling recipient countries to leverage donors and better direct their own development pathways. The thesis shows that although contested authority increases

An Apology for Philosophy: On the contested relationship between truth and politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Signe Larsen

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The starting point of this paper is Hannah Arendt’s diagnosis that the introduction of philosophical truth into politics leads to tyrannical or totalitarian outcomes. A critique of this diagnosis is offered on the basis of Michel Foucault’s last lectures at the Collège de France where he discussed the practices of parrēsia, “truth-telling,” as multiple forms of political life of resistance, critique, and contestation. The common denominator of all parrhēsiastic practices is that none of them are concerned with “doctrines.” That is, none of them are concerned with laying out the “content” of politics. After the paper has identified and expounded four different manifestations of parrēsia—“political” (Pericles, “philosophical” (Plato, “philosophical-ethical” (Socrates and “ethical” (Diogenes the Cynic—an argument is presented for a kinship, instead of a difference, between Foucault and Arendt as parrhēsiastic or critical thinkers within the same tradition of political Kantianism.

Assessing the impact of framing on the comparative favourability of nuclear power as an electricity generating option in the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Christopher R.; Eiser, J. Richard; Gamble, Tim R.

2012-01-01

In 2007 the UK government's public consultation on the future of nuclear power courted much criticism. Three studies were conducted to assess whether key arguments used by government within this consultation might have influenced public opinion about the technology. Participants first read a passage of text that made salient certain positive (climate change mitigation, increased energy security) or negative (nuclear waste) aspects of the nuclear debate. Participants then completed a task that required them to create an electricity mix for the UK by varying the contributions made by each of five energy sources (coal, gas, nuclear, renewables and electric import). Study 1 seemed to indicate that pitching the debate in terms of climate change mitigation was effective in increasing endorsement of nuclear power. The results of studies 2 and 3, however, contested this conclusion, suggesting that these arguments were having little direct impact upon participants' preferences for nuclear power. The results of these studies hold implications for UK energy policy and attitude assessment and can contribute to the understanding of how the arguments used by government in the 2007 consultation might have influenced public opinion. - Highlights: ► Three studies investigate the acceptability of nuclear power in response to ‘framing’ used by government in 2007 UK consultation. ► Acceptability of nuclear power was compared against four energy sources in an ‘electricity calculator’ task. ► Study 1 showed an apparent increase in the endorsement of nuclear following climate change ‘framing’. ► Studies 2 and 3 contradict this finding, suggesting that ‘framing’ had a limited direct effect on preferences for nuclear power.

"Show me your impact": evaluating transitional justice in contested spaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Duggan, Colleen

2012-02-01

This paper discusses some of the most significant challenges and opportunities for evaluating the effects of programs in support of transitional justice - the field that addresses how post-conflict or post authoritarian societies deal with legacies of wide spread human rights violations. The discussion is empirically grounded in a case study that assesses the efforts of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and one of its Guatemalan partners to evaluate the effects of a museum exposition that is attempting to recast historic memory and challenge racist attitudes in post-conflict Guatemala. The paper argues that despite the increasing trend to fund transitional justice programs, many international aid donors are stuck in traditional and arguably orthodox paradigms of program evaluation. This is having a negative effect not only upon the administration of aid but also upon how transitional justice research is perceived and valued by local populations. The case study experience indicates that there is no perfect evaluation model or approach for evaluating transitional justice programming - only choices to be made by commissioners of evaluation, evaluators, and those being evaluated. These are profoundly influenced by the extreme politics and moral values that define transitional justice settings as contested spaces in which calls to remember the tragic past must be balanced with aspirations to re-build a hopeful future. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Contested Development in Indonesia: Rethinking Ethnicity and Gender in Mining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristina Großmann

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Page Header User Username Password Remember me Notifications View Subscribe Information For Readers Home About Login Register Search Current Archives Submit your Article Leave the Editoral Platform and Return to our Website Home > Vol 10, No 1 (2017 > Großmann Contested Development in Indonesia: Rethinking Ethnicity and Gender in Mining Kristina Großmann, Martina Padmanabhan, Katharina von Braun Abstract This article reviews the literature on the relationship between gender and ethnicity in Indonesia’s mining sector and outlines shortcomings and prospects for further research. Recent studies on mining and gender focus predominantly on women and how they are negatively affected by mining. Ethnicity, although a growing asset in struggles on environmental transformations, is hardly included in research on mining. The intertwinement of ethnicity and gender in elaborations on mining is often depicted in literature of development programs and environmental organizations in which indigenous women are homogenized as marginalized victims. We argue, however, for a multidimensional approach on mining that takes into account the institutionalization of gender and ethnicity in mining governance as well as the role of gender and ethnic identities. Feminist political ecology and institutional analysis are pointing the way for such an approach. Furthermore, other relevant categories such as class, age, or status should be considered in the analysis of the complex and multidimensional environmental transformations of the mining sector in Indonesia.

Two Sun over One Firmament Culture: A Political-Communication Analysis on the Contestation of Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur over “Indonesian Malay Communities”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dewi Evie Ariadne Shinta

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper tries to extent a personal experience on an interesting discussion concerning the communication issues in Medan, North Sumatra. There is the inclination of the North Sumatrans to the news broadcasted by Kuala Lumpur and Medan’s tends to identify with its cultural similarities. For Jakarta is officially the center of political authority over the ‘Indonesian Malay Communities’, this dual cultural loyalty creates an imaginary phenomenon: ‘Two Suns’ in term of authoritative news resources that applies upon ‘One Firmament Culture’. This means that there is a divided news orientation among the Indonesian Malay Communities’ that put Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur in a tacit contestation. While until today this kind of contestation is still going on, the same features have brought me to the phenomenon of hierarchical communication structure. This vividly seen when we realize how lopsided is in nature the communication relations between the global authorities who have controlled the strategic means of communications as well as their contents with the rest of the world. For, in exception to technological matters, the Kuala Lumpurinclined of ‘the Indonesian Malay Communities’ in communication practices is based more on cultural aspects than their technical and political necessities words.

Theatrical Tectonics: The Mediating Agent for a Contesting Practice

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Gevork Hartoonian

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper posits the idea that the theme of agency in architecture is parallactic. It discusses the tectonic as an agent through which architecture turns into a state of constant flux. The intention is to promote a discourse of criticality, the thematic of which is drawn from the symptoms that galvanise architecture’s rapport with the image-laden culture of late capitalism. In an attempt to log the thematic of a contested practice, this essay will re-map the recent history of contemporary architecture.Exploring New Brutalism’s criticism of the established ethos of International Style architecture, the first part of this paper will highlight the movement’s tendency towards replacing the painterly with the sculptural, and this in reference to the contemporary interest in monolithic architecture. Having established the import of tectonics for the architecture of Brutalism, the paper then argues that in the present situation, when architecture – like other cultural products – is infatuated with the spectacle of late capitalism, a re-thinking of the Semperian notion of theatricality is useful. Of interest in the tectonic of theatricality is the work’s capacity to bring forth the division between intellectual and physical labours, and this in reference to architecture’s reserved acceptance of technification for which the aforementioned division is vital.Particular attention will be given to two projects, Zaha Hadid’s Phaeno Center and OMA’s Casa da Musica, where architectonic aspects of New Brutalism are revisited in the light of the tectonic of theatricality.

Rekonstrukce jaderných deviací: Politika stigmatu a normy nešíření jaderných zbraní

OpenAIRE

Smetana, Michal

2017-01-01

In this dissertation, my aim is to unpack the relationship between deviant behavior and normative change in global nuclear politics. I draw on the interactionist approach in sociology to conceptualize "stigma politics" as an interactive, dynamic process of the social construction of deviance in international affairs. I connect these insights with contemporary IR theories on norm contestation to theorize the way how (re)constructions of deviance contest and affirm boundaries of appropriate beh...

Un physicien inventif mais contesté

CERN Multimedia

de Malet, Caroline

2004-01-01

In 1993 Carlo Rubbia proposed a new kind of hybrid nuclear reactor which would work in association with a particle accelerator. The reaction would be controllable, and would use thorium, an abundant element on earth. Rubbia has convinced other notable scientists but he also has a number of sceptics (0.5 page)

Shades of green and REDD: Local and global contestations over the value of forest versus plantation development on the Indonesian forest frontier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eilenberg, Michael

2015-01-01

In a time of increasing land enclosures sparked by large-scale environmental initiatives and agricultural expansion, this paper examines local and global contestations over the value of forest on an Indonesian forest frontier. Engaging with recent debates on carbon forestry, the paper problematis...... for the future successes of REDD+. The Kalimantan case highlights some of the dilemmas of carbon mitigation initiatives experienced in frontier regions throughout Southeast Asia, places that have become prime battlefronts of large-scale climate change initiatives and agrarian expansion....

The application of contrast explanation to energy policy research: UK nuclear energy policy 2002–2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heffron, Raphael J.

2013-01-01

This paper advances the application of the methodology, contrast explanation, to energy policy research. Research in energy policy is complex and often involves inter-disciplinary work, which traditional economic methodologies fail to capture. Consequently, the more encompassing methodology of contrast explanation is assessed and its use in other social science disciplines explored in brief. It is then applied to an energy policy research topic—in this case, nuclear energy policy research in the UK. Contrast explanation facilitates research into policy and decision-making processes in energy studies and offers an alternative to the traditional economic methods used in energy research. Further, contrast explanation is extended by the addition of contested and uncontested hypotheses analyses. This research focuses on the methods employed to deliver the new nuclear programme of the UK government. In order to achieve a sustainable nuclear energy policy three issues are of major importance: (1) law, policy and development; (2) public administration; and (3) project management. Further, the research identifies that policy in the area remains to be resolved, in particular at an institutional and legal level. However, contrary to the literature, in some areas, the research identifies a change of course as the UK concentrates on delivering a long-term policy for the nuclear energy sector and the overall energy sector. - Highlights: ► Energy policy research is interdisciplinary and needs additional methodological approaches. ► New method of contrast explanation advanced for energy policy research. ► This methodology is based on dialectical learning which examines conflict between sources of data. ► Research example used here is of UK nuclear energy policy. ► Major issues in UK nuclear energy policy are planning law, public administration, and project management

Bonegilla Heritage Park: Contesting and Co-ordinating a Public History Site

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Alexandra Dellios

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Since the 1980s, efforts to publically commemorate the former migrant training and reception centre of Bonegilla, while intermittent, have increased. I am referring to: reunions and anniversaries, state and national heritage listings, the erection of museum displays, temporary and touring exhibitions, the on-site Heritage Park, and forms of popular culture. For the national audience, as well as several ethnic communities, Bonegilla now plays a role in the collective imagination of the post-war period and the migrant journey. Furthermore, the nature of Bonegilla’s public representation has evolved since the late 1980s. Bonegilla has become much more than a place of personal migrant memory, and its previous negative connotations in the public arena have been erased. This public evolution is linked to much wider processes in our national history. This article thus explores the contestation and co-ordination of collective memories—that is, multiple narratives of Bonegilla’s past, which, while in constant dialogue with each other, are framed and sanctioned by the limits of Australian multiculturalism and heritage discourses. While the earliest efforts to commemorate Bonegilla might be typified as ‘participatory’ and vernacular, they might now be described in reference to ‘retrospective commemoration’, in which Bonegilla’s public history is framed by state-sanctioned narratives and other attendant discursive frameworks.

Electronic Support Groups: An Open Line of Communication in Contested Illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Michael; Kontos, Nicholas; Freudenreich, Oliver

Patients with functional somatic syndromes are often difficult to treat. The relationship between doctors and patients can be strained, which limits communication. Instead, patients often communicate with each other over the Internet in electronic support groups. This perspective summarizes studies of patient-to-patient communication over the Internet and uses the concept of contested illness to provide insights into the experiences of patients with functional somatic disorders. Conflict between a patient and their physician is a key feature of functional somatic syndromes. Physicians and patients do not have a shared understanding or appreciation of the patient's experiences. Patients with functional somatic syndromes often value their own embodied experience over medical knowledge. At the same time, they remain deeply invested in finding a "good doctor" who believes that the patient is suffering, agrees with their conception of the cause, and assents to the treatment as directed by the patient. Electronic support groups reinforce these beliefs. Patients may benefit from a compromising, collaborative approach that is realistic about the limitations of medical knowledge. However, physicians should not engage in unsafe treatment practices. Electronic support groups exist for a wide range of illnesses and the issues that rise to the surface in functional somatic syndromes likely occur to some extent with almost every patient. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autism does not limit strategic thinking in the "beauty contest" game.

Science.gov (United States)

Pantelis, Peter C; Kennedy, Daniel P

2017-03-01

A popular hypothesis in developmental psychology is that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have a specific impairment or developmental delay in their ability to reason about other people's mental processes, especially when this reasoning process is of a higher-order, recursive, or nested variety. One type of interpersonal interaction that involves this sort of complex reasoning about others' minds is an economic game, and because economic games have been extensively modeled in behavioral economics, they provide a unique testbed for a quantitative and precise analysis of cognitive functioning in ASD. This study specifically asked whether ASD is associated with strategic depth in the economic game known as The Beauty Contest, in which all players submit a number from 0 to 100, and the winner is the player who submits the number closest to 2/3 of the mean of all numbers submitted. Unexpectedly, the distribution of responses among adult participants with ASD reflected a level of strategic reasoning at least as deep as that of their neurotypical peers, with the same proportion of participants with ASD being characterized as "higher order" strategic players. Thus, whatever mentalistic reasoning abilities are necessary for typical performance in the context of this economic game appear to be largely intact, and therefore unlikely to be fundamental to persistent social dysfunction in ASD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hexagon's atom. History of the relation between France and the nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leridon, A.

2009-01-01

As soon as the end of the second World war, France, with the creation of the atomic energy commission (CEA), started a research program for the development of civil applications of nuclear energy, but also for the development of weapons. The come back of C. De Gaulle at the head of the country fostered the research efforts in both domains. Then, the election of G. Pompidou contributed to separate the military and civilian applications and led to the launching of the big French nuclear power program in March 1974. Nuclear contestation has shown a progressive development too, encouraged by the main accidents of Three Mile Island and more recently Tchernobyl. The debate has progressively moved with time from the safety of power plants towards the management of spent fuels. In this book, the author presents some particularities which are characteristic of France: the remnants of some kind of a 'scientism' inherited of the first half of the 20. century, the particular relations between 'scientists' and the republic, the policy of secret, the power of the senior officials corps and technocrats, the French taste for big works, the republican Jacobinism, the liabilities more easily given to State corps than to industrialists, and finally, on the opponents side, the search for the spectacular action to the detriment of efficiency. In this big fight, the know-how of nationalized companies, EdF and CEA, has been undeniable. The political power has very often taken refuge behind their competence but sometimes with a lack of democracy

Caffeine Reduces Reaction Time and Improves Performance in Simulated-Contest of Taekwondo

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Victor G. F.; Santos, Vander R. F.; Felippe, Leandro J. C.; Almeida, Jose W.; Bertuzzi, Rômulo; Kiss, Maria A. P. D. M.; Lima-Silva, Adriano E.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of caffeine on reaction time during a specific taekwondo task and athletic performance during a simulated taekwondo contest. Ten taekwondo athletes ingested either 5 mg·kg−1 body mass caffeine or placebo and performed two combats (spaced apart by 20 min). The reaction-time test (five kicks “Bandal Tchagui”) was performed immediately prior to the first combat and immediately after the first and second combats. Caffeine improved reaction time (from 0.42 ± 0.05 to 0.37 ± 0.07 s) only prior to the first combat (P = 0.004). During the first combat, break times during the first two rounds were shorter in caffeine ingestion, followed by higher plasma lactate concentrations compared with placebo (P = 0.029 and 0.014, respectively). During the second combat, skipping-time was reduced, and relative attack times and attack/skipping ratio was increased following ingestion of caffeine during the first two rounds (all P Caffeine resulted in no change in combat intensity parameters between the first and second combat (all P > 0.05), but combat intensity was decreased following placebo (all P caffeine reduced reaction time in non-fatigued conditions and delayed fatigue during successive taekwondo combats. PMID:24518826

Future recommendations of ICRP-2005. first observations of A.C.R.O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-10-01

A.C.R.O. contests some new recommendations of ICRP: a scale based on the ambient natural exposure ( 'it is not dangerous because it is the natural level'), a level of exposure called trivial risk with the threshold value at 30 μSv. Even if the value is proposed now at 10 μSv, it is the notion of threshold that is contested. For A.C.R.O. These new considerations would lead to significant exposure levels, tend to the everyday acceptance of the risk, aim at exempting of their responsibilities the nuclear operators, the politics and the institutions which urge upon the development of large nuclear programs without trying beforehand to ponder all the consequences in particular on the long term. (N.C.)

Contesting modernity: Tobacco use and romanticism among older Dai farmers in Xishuangbanna, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiang; Davey, Gareth

2015-11-01

The majority of research about tobacco use in China focuses on Han Chinese, the main ethnic group comprising over 90 per cent of the population, and a paucity of research exists on ethnic minorities. The present study elucidates tobacco use among the Dai people, an ethnic group in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The study design consisted of interviews and grounded theory methodology in a symbolic interactionist theoretical framework. The categories of the grounded theory revealed tobacco consumption was weaved in a complex web of meanings: social practices, perceptions of health, and work lives as agriculturalists, situated in Dai cultural and social milieu. An important finding was the stage-managing of tobacco as a symbol of 'tradition' versus 'modernity': Through a process of contested modernity, the older men championed long-standing tobacco customs as representative of Dai heritage and thus their own tobacco use as upholding traditions amid encroaching cultural and societal change in China. These findings are important because little is known about Dai people's tobacco use and how they are responding to social change. There are also implications for the development of culturally-appropriate tobacco control strategies. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

Understanding perceptions of genital herpes disclosure through analysis of an online video contest.

Science.gov (United States)

Catallozzi, Marina; Ebel, Sophia C; Chávez, Noé R; Shearer, Lee S; Mindel, Adrian; Rosenthal, Susan L

2013-12-01

The aims of this study were to examine pre-existing videos in order to explore the motivation for, possible approaches to, and timing and context of disclosure of genital herpes infection as described by the lay public. A thematic content analysis was performed on 63 videos submitted to an Australian online contest sponsored by the Australian Herpes Management Forum and Novartis Pharmaceuticals designed to promote disclosure of genital herpes. Videos either provided a motivation for disclosure of genital herpes or directed disclosure without an explicit rationale. Motivations included manageability of the disease or consistency with important values. Evaluation of strategies and logistics of disclosure revealed a variety of communication styles including direct and indirect. Disclosure settings included those that were private, semiprivate and public. Disclosure was portrayed in a variety of relationship types, and at different times within those relationships, with many videos demonstrating disclosure in connection with a romantic setting. Individuals with genital herpes are expected to disclose to susceptible partners. This analysis suggests that understanding lay perspectives on herpes disclosure to a partner may help healthcare providers develop counselling messages that decrease anxiety and foster disclosure to prevent transmission.

Recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: resistance and cardiovascular training.

Science.gov (United States)

Helms, E R; Fitschen, P J; Aragon, A A; Cronin, J; Schoenfeld, B J

2015-03-01

The anabolic effect of resistance training can mitigate muscle loss during contest preparation. In reviewing relevant literature, we recommend a periodized approach be utilized. Block and undulating models show promise. Muscle groups should be trained 2 times weekly or more, although high volume training may benefit from higher frequencies to keep volume at any one session from becoming excessive. Low to high (~3-15) repetitions can be utilized but most repetitions should occur in the 6-12 range using 70-80% of 1 repetition maximum. Roughly 40-70 reps per muscle group per session should be performed, however higher volume may be appropriate for advanced bodybuilders. Traditional rest intervals of 1-3 minutes are adequate, but longer intervals can be used. Tempo should allow muscular control of the load; 1-2 s concentric and 2-3 s eccentric tempos. Training to failure should be limited when performing heavy loads on taxing exercises, and primarily relegated to single-joint exercises and higher repetitions. A core of multi-joint exercises with some single-joint exercises to address specific muscle groups as needed should be used, emphasizing full range of motion and proper form. Cardiovascular training can be used to enhance fat loss. Interference with strength training adaptations increases concomitantly with frequency and duration of cardiovascular training. Thus, the lowest frequency and duration possible while achieving sufficient fat loss should be used. Full-body modalities or cycling may reduce interference. High intensities may as well; however, require more recovery. Fasted cardiovascular training may not have benefits over fed-state and could be detrimental.

Nuclear Security Systems and Measures for Major Public Events. Implementing Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

Terrorism remains a threat to international stability and security. High profile international and national major public events occur regularly, capturing great public interest and receiving intense media coverage. It is widely acknowledged that there is a substantial threat of a terrorist attack on major public events such as high profile political or economic summit meetings or major sporting contests. The threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism remains on the international security agenda. Nevertheless, to reduce this risk, the international community has made great progress in securing nuclear and other radioactive material that could otherwise be used in a terrorist act. This progress is contingent on the efforts of all States to adopt strong nuclear security systems and measures. There are large quantities of diverse radioactive material in existence, which are used in areas such as health, the environment, agriculture and industry. The hazards of this material vary according to composition and intensity. Additionally, the use of explosives in combination with this material can drastically enhance the impact of a criminal or terrorist act. If a criminal or terrorist group managed to detonate a so-called 'dirty' bomb in an urban area, the result could be mass panic, widespread radioactive contamination and major economic and social disruption. Major public events are seldom held in the same State or at the same location or even at the same venue. At the national level, the hosting of major public events with proper nuclear security arrangements can provide a foundation on which to build an enduring national framework for nuclear security; one that can exist long after the event. The organization of a major public event in which large numbers of people congregate presents complex security challenges for the State hosting such an event. Criminal or terrorist acts involving nuclear or other radioactive material at any major public event could result in

A Block Randomized Controlled Trial of a Brief Smoking Cessation Counselling and Advice through Short Message Service on Participants Who Joined the Quit to Win Contest in Hong Kong

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Sophia S. C.; Wong, David C. N.; Cheung, Yee Tak Derek; Leung, Doris Y. P.; Lau, Lisa; Lai, Vienna; Lam, Tai-Hing

2015-01-01

The present trial examined the effectiveness of brief interventions for smokers who joined the Hong Kong Quit to Win Contest to quit smoking. A block randomized controlled trial allocated 1003 adult daily smokers to three groups: (i) The TEL group (n = 338) received a 5-min nurse-led telephone counselling; (ii) The SMS group (n = 335) received…

Department of Nuclear Equipment 'High Technology Center - HITEC' - Overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopec, J.

2009-01-01

Full text: The main activities of the Department for Nuclear Equipment High Technology Centre in 2008 were focused on the development of specialized systems using linear accelerators for medical applications, realized within the frame of the Innovative Economy Operational Program: · Calculations, simulations and design of accelerator structures and beam shaping devices · Design of a model of carrying structures · Building stands for carrying out critical component examinations and tests A new evolutionary algorithm has been implemented in a three-dimensional treatment planning system for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) planning optimization. A design for a multi leaf collimator, second model, was worked out. The Department received an Award for the Polkam TBI therapeutic table in the first edition of the '' Teraz-Polska '' national contest for the best Polish innovative product. Equipment manufactured by the High Technology Centre and especially for total body irradiation techniques was presented for the first time during the Biennial Meeting of the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Goeteborg, Sweden. The second edition of the School of Medical Accelerator Physics organized in October 2008 was well received by medical physicists and physicians. (author)

The benefits of nuclear power to the United Kingdom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, A.M.

1985-01-01

The larger of Great Britain's generating boards, the CEGB, is seeking approval for the PWR on its Sizewell site based on Westinghouse designs. The very thorough enquiry which lasted for more than a year was completed in March and now awaits the Inspector's report and recommendations, which are not expected before the Autumn at the earliest. The CEGB put forward various weighty reasons for the station amongst other things it argued that building a PWR at Sizewell, even in advance of a need for additional capacity, would save more in fuel bills than it would cost to build and run it. Its net effective cost is negative. The opponents have contested demand projections, all aspects of rector costs, fossil fuel price projections (on which benefit estimates are based), safety arguments and other concerns. Their basic line of argument, as one might expect, is that the reactor is not needed now, even if it were it would be uneconomic, or if economic it would be unsafe, or if safe and economic there are other preferable designs, and in any case proliferation considerations or local impacts should rule a nuclear choice out altogether. All these issues are both debated

核軍縮交渉義務事件と核軍縮へのアプローチ： マーシャル諸島共和国対英国事件を手掛かりに

OpenAIRE

山田, 寿則

2016-01-01

　2015 NPT Review Conference ended without any concrete outcomes. Now several approaches to nuclear disarmament are contested each other: step-by-step, comprehensive, building-block, humanitarian consequences, humanitarian pledges, NWC, or BAN treaty approach. Common focus has been placed on “effective measures” relating to nuclear disarmament in Article VI of NPT during its last Review cycle. Obligations concerning negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmame...

Spain Was Not Living a Celebration. TVE And The Eurovision Song Contest During The Years Of Franco’s Dictatorship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Francisco Gutiérrez Lozano

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Franco’s Dictatorship (1939-1975 used Spanish Television (TVE as a key element in the political propaganda of its apparent ‘openness’ during the 1960s. The propaganda co-existed with political interest in showing the technological development of the media and the international co-operation established with other European broadcasters, mainly in the EBU. In a country ruled by strong political censorship, the Eurovision Song Contest was used as a political tool to show the most amiable image of the non-democratic regime. Spain’s only two Eurovision wins (1968 and 1969 are still, 50 years on, two of the building blocks of the history of TVE and of televised entertainment and popular memory in Spain.

Intelligence and impact contests in systems with redundancy, false targets, and partial protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levitin, Gregory; Hausken, Kjell

2009-01-01

The paper considers a system consisting of identical elements that can be intentionally attacked. The cumulative performance of the system elements should meet a demand. To prevent loss of demand the defender provides system redundancy (deploying genuine system elements (GEs) with cumulative performance exceeding the demand); deploys false elements (FEs), and protects the GEs. If the attacker cannot distinguish GEs and FEs, he chooses the number of elements to attack and attacks at random these elements distributing his resource evenly among the attacked elements. In order to get the information about the system the attacker allocates a part of his resource into the intelligence activity. Analogously, the defender allocates a part of his resource into the counter-intelligence activity. The attacker's strategy presumes distribution of his resource among the intelligence and attack effort and choice of the number of attacked elements. If the attacker wins the intelligence contest, he can identify both FEs and unprotected GEs ignoring the former ones and destroying the latter ones with negligible effort. The defender's strategy presumes distribution of his resource among the counter-intelligence and the three defensive actions. The paper considers a three-period non-cooperative minmax game between the defender and the attacker and presents an algorithm for determining the agents' optimal strategies.

Vegan Killjoys at the Table—Contesting Happiness and Negotiating Relationships with Food Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Twine

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This article reports upon research on vegan transition, which I bring into dialogue with Sara Ahmed’s figure of the killjoy. Ahmed’s work on affect and the feminist killjoy is found to be apt for considering contemporary vegans and their transgression of normative scripts of happiness and commensality in a dominant meat and dairy consuming culture. The decentring of joy and happiness is also found to be integral to the critical deconstructive work of the vegan killjoy. Ahmed’s ideas further complement the frame of practice theory that I draw upon to understand the process of transition especially in the sense of opposing the meanings of dominant practices. Although food and veganism are not commented upon by Ahmed, the vegan subject constitutes, I argue, a potent further example of what she terms an “affect alien” who must willfully struggle against a dominant affective order and community. Drawing upon interviews with 40 vegans based in the UK, I illustrate examples of contestation and negotiation by vegans and those close to them. The article finds in the figure of the killjoy not only a frame by which to partly understand the negotiation of relationships between vegans and non-vegans but also an opportunity for further intersectional labour between veganism and feminism.

Headline violence and silenced pleasure: contested framings of consensual sex, power and rape in Delhi, India 2011-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Edmunds, Emme; Gupta, Ankit

2016-05-01

Though coercion and rape have cast a persistent shadow over prospects of sexual health and consent in contemporary India, other narratives, agency and tools are quietly emerging to transform collective claims of power and bodily dignity. In these narratives from collectives, NGOs, on social media and among friends, dialogues about consent and pleasure feature prominently. This paper analyses statements in the news made by highly visible political and public figures regarding the subject of rape in the context of themes emerging from ethnography and semi-structured interviews with middle class people in Delhi. Using the device of social frameworks, contested framings of rape and consent are examined in order to interrogate essentialist gender norms, compare putative "causes" of rape, and highlight local efforts promoting sexual consent, health and well-being. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contestation, contingency, and justice in the Nordic low-carbon energy transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sovacool, Benjamin K.

2017-01-01

The five Nordic countries have aggressive climate and energy policies in place and have already emerged to be leaders in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Denmark is renowned for its pioneering use of wind energy, Finland and Sweden bioenergy, Norway hydroelectricity and Iceland geothermal energy. All countries aim to be virtually “fossil free” by 2050. This study explores the Nordic energy transition through the lens of three interconnected research questions: How are they doing it? What challenges exist? And what broader lessons result for energy policy? The study firstly investigates the pathways necessary for these five countries to achieve their low-carbon goals. It argues that a concerted effort must be made to (1) promote decentralized and renewable forms of electricity supply; (2) shift to more sustainable forms of transport; (3) further improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings; and (4) adopt carbon capture and storage technologies for industry. However, the section that follows emphasizes some of the empirical barriers the Nordic transition must confront, namely political contestation, technological contingency, and social justice and recognition concerns. The study concludes with implications for what such historical progress, and future transition pathways, mean for both energy researchers and energy planners. - Highlights: • Nordic countries have strong energy and climate policies to be practically “fossil free” by 2050. • Decarbonization and transition pathways depend on renewable energy, efficiency, transport, and industry. • The Nordic transition remains contingent on further technological innovations and policy commitments. • It also raises energy justice issues concerning employment, public knowledge, and embodied emissions.

Contesting restrictive mobility norms among female mentors implementing a sport based programme for young girls in a Mumbai slum.

Science.gov (United States)

Bankar, Shweta; Collumbien, Martine; Das, Madhumita; Verma, Ravi K; Cislaghi, Beniamino; Heise, Lori

2018-04-10

Harmful gender norms are known structural barriers to many public health and development interventions involving adolescent girls. In India, restrictions on girls' liberty to move freely in public spaces contribute to school dropout and early marriage, and negatively affect girls' health and wellbeing, from adolescence into adulthood. We report on mechanisms of change among female mentors 18 to 24 years old who contested discriminatory norms while implementing a sports-based programme for adolescent girls in a Mumbai slum. We adopted a prospective qualitative research design. Our analysis is based on case studies derived from two rounds of face to face, in -depth interviews with 10 young women recruited to serve as mentors for the project's young female athletes. We combined both thematic and narrative analysis. The programme created opportunities for collective action, increasing mentors' ability to think and relate in a collectivized manner, and challenged the traditional female identity constructed for young women, which centres on domestic duties. The mentors themselves negotiated freedoms both in and outside their homes, which required careful and strategic bargaining. They changed the nature of key day-to-day social interactions with parents and brothers, as well as with neighbours, parents of their groups of athletes and men on the streets. They formed a new reference group for each other in terms of what was possible and acceptable. Demonstrating greater negotiation skills within the family helped win parents' trust in the mentor's ability to be safe in public spaces. Parents became active supporters by not giving into social sanctions of neighbours and relatives thus co-producing a new identity for their daughters as respectable young women doing 'good work'. They effectively side stepped reputational risk with their presence in public spaces becoming de-sexualised. Mentors contested mobility restrictions by taking risks as a group first, with collective

Nuclear Security Systems and Measures for Major Public Events. Implementing Guide (Russian Edition)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

Terrorism remains a threat to international stability and security. High profile international and national major public events occur regularly, capturing great public interest and receiving intense media coverage. It is widely acknowledged that there is a substantial threat of a terrorist attack on major public events such as high profile political or economic summit meetings or major sporting contests. The threat of nuclear and radiological terrorism remains on the international security agenda. Nevertheless, to reduce this risk, the international community has made great progress in securing nuclear and other radioactive material that could otherwise be used in a terrorist act. This progress is contingent on the efforts of all States to adopt strong nuclear security systems and measures. There are large quantities of diverse radioactive material in existence, which are used in areas such as health, the environment, agriculture and industry. The hazards of this material vary according to composition and intensity. Additionally, the use of explosives in combination with this material can drastically enhance the impact of a criminal or terrorist act. If a criminal or terrorist group managed to detonate a so-called 'dirty' bomb in an urban area, the result could be mass panic, widespread radioactive contamination and major economic and social disruption. Major public events are seldom held in the same State or at the same location or even at the same venue. At the national level, the hosting of major public events with proper nuclear security arrangements can provide a foundation on which to build an enduring national framework for nuclear security; one that can exist long after the event. The organization of a major public event in which large numbers of people congregate presents complex security challenges for the State hosting such an event. Criminal or terrorist acts involving nuclear or other radioactive material at any major public event could result in

The Media and the Agenda of Nuclear Energy in France. 1970-2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanchard, Philippe

2010-01-01

The agenda has been studied in two complementary ways: one based on modeling, the other on sociology. Their combined use helps to understand the construction of the nuclear issue as a long-term public controversy and policy. To a quite stable policy lead by a cohesive policy community corresponds a long-term trend of positive public support, but punctuated with bursts of protest. To explain the upheavals of some publics' support, the media coverage appears as a crucial factor, with its peaks of visibility, conflict-driven frames or news focused on the sector's failures. The media did sometimes provide the conditions of a policy reversal. Two successive cycles of media coverage occur, both linked to a state of the local referential, embedded in the global one. Yet neither of them leads to a steady rejection of nuclear energy by the public, nor by the elite. Two agenda strategies face each other: contestants seek maximum visibility, defenders discretion and alternative framing. From the 1970's to the 1990's, both strategies change with diverse contexts: the decline of global ideological commitment, the professionalization of ecological protest, the evolution of journalistic practices and political opportunities. But they only account for a part of the controversy process. Non-strategic agendas also have to be dealt with. They are led by dramatic events, crisis, non-anticipated consequences of prepared achievements and non-coordinated strategies that happen to converge. (author) [fr

On the contribution of external cost calculations to energy system governance: The case of a potential large-scale nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laes, Erik; Meskens, Gaston; Sluijs, Jeroen P. van der

2011-01-01

The contribution of nuclear power to a sustainable energy future is a contested issue. This paper presents a critical review of an attempt to objectify this debate through the calculation of the external costs of a potential large-scale nuclear accident in the ExternE project. A careful dissection of the ExternE approach resulted in a list of 30 calculation steps and assumptions, from which the 6 most contentious ones were selected through a stakeholder internet survey. The policy robustness and relevance of these key assumptions were then assessed in a workshop using the concept of a 'pedigree of knowledge'. Overall, the workshop outcomes revealed the stakeholder and expert panel's scepticism about the assumptions made: generally these were considered not very plausible, subjected to disagreement, and to a large extent inspired by contextual factors. Such criticism indicates a limited validity and useability of the calculated nuclear accident externality as a trustworthy sustainability indicator. Furthermore, it is our contention that the ExternE project could benefit greatly - in terms of gaining public trust - from employing highly visible procedures of extended peer review such as the pedigree assessment applied to our specific case of the external costs of a potential large-scale nuclear accident. - Highlights: → Six most contentious assumptions were selected through a stakeholder internet survey. → Policy robustness of these assumptions was assessed in a pedigree assessment workshop. → Assumptions were considered implausible, controversial, and inspired by contextual factors. → This indicates a limited validity and useability as a trustworthy sustainability indicator.

E-Collaboration for Earth Observation (E-CEO) with the example of Contest #3 that focuses on the Atmospheric Correction of Ocean Colour data

Science.gov (United States)

Lavender, Samantha; Brito, Fabrice; Aas, Christina; Casu, Francesco; Ribeiro, Rita; Farres, Jordi

2014-05-01

Data challenges are becoming the new method to promote innovation within data-intensive applications; building or evolving user communities and potentially developing sustainable commercial services. These can utilise the vast amount of information (both in scope and volume) that's available online, and profits from reduced processing costs. Data Challenges are also closely related to the recent paradigm shift towards e-Science, also referred to as "data-intensive science'. The E-CEO project aims to deliver a collaborative platform that, through Data Challenge Contests, will improve the adoption and outreach of new applications and methods to processes Earth Observation (EO) data. Underneath, the backbone must be a common environment where the applications can be developed, deployed and executed. Then, the results need to be easily published in a common visualization platform for their effective validation, evaluation and transparent peer comparisons. Contest #3 is based around the atmospheric correction (AC) of ocean colour data with a particular focus on the use of auxiliary data files for processing Level 1 (Top of Atmosphere, TOA, calibrated radiances/reflectances) to Level 2 products (Bottom of Atmosphere, BOA, calibrated radiances/reflectance and derived products). Scientific researchers commonly accept the auxiliary inputs that they've been provided with and/or use the climatological data that accompanies the processing software; often because it can be difficult to obtain multiple data sources and convert them into a format the software accepts. Therefore, it's proposed to compare various ocean colour AC approaches and in the process study the uncertainties associated with using different meteorological auxiliary products for the processing of Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) i.e. the sensitivity of different atmospheric correction input assumptions.

Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Helms, Eric R; Aragon, Alan A; Fitschen, Peter J

2014-01-01

The popularity of natural bodybuilding is increasing; however, evidence-based recommendations for it are lacking. This paper reviewed the scientific literature relevant to competition preparation on nutrition and supplementation, resulting in the following recommendations. Caloric intake should be set at a level that results in bodyweight losses of approximately 0.5 to 1%/wk to maximize muscle retention. Within this caloric intake, most but not all bodybuilders will respond best to consuming 2.3-3.1 g/kg of lean body mass per day of protein, 15-30% of calories from fat, and the reminder of calories from carbohydrate. Eating three to six meals per day with a meal containing 0.4-0.5 g/kg bodyweight of protein prior and subsequent to resistance training likely maximizes any theoretical benefits of nutrient timing and frequency. However, alterations in nutrient timing and frequency appear to have little effect on fat loss or lean mass retention. Among popular supplements, creatine monohydrate, caffeine and beta-alanine appear to have beneficial effects relevant to contest preparation, however others do not or warrant further study. The practice of dehydration and electrolyte manipulation in the final days and hours prior to competition can be dangerous, and may not improve appearance. Increasing carbohydrate intake at the end of preparation has a theoretical rationale to improve appearance, however it is understudied. Thus, if carbohydrate loading is pursued it should be practiced prior to competition and its benefit assessed individually. Finally, competitors should be aware of the increased risk of developing eating and body image disorders in aesthetic sport and therefore should have access to the appropriate mental health professionals.

Micropolitics of Public Space: On the Contested Limits of Citizenship as a Locational Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés Di Masso

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This article provides a social-psychological account of how public space dynamics may be consequential for the daily construction of citizenship. The article is organised around three interrelated ideas that are illustrated by a case study. First, it is argued that certain social-psychological processes that are typically involved in the construction of citizenship can be re-conceptualised as place-based processes that are located in public space. This interest in the ‘locational’ construction of citizenship implies focusing on membership, belonging, status, rights, entitlements and recognition as emplaced practices rather than as dislocated entities. The second idea relates to the troubled nature of citizenship as a place-related psychological category whose boundaries are hotly contested whenever disputes about controversial behaviour in public spaces surface. Accordingly, ‘the citizen’ is constantly re-shaped as everyday place-discourses and territorial practices in the public domain unfold in problematic ways. Finally, it is argued that such ‘locational’ constructions and enactments of citizenship in public space are usually framed by broader ideological dilemmas that are relevant to the maintenance and change of a given socio-political order. The ultimate purpose of the article is to demonstrate the potential for public space to become a possible site for grounding a social psychology of citizenship.

Action against Kruemmel rejected

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1976-01-01

In its verdict dated September 2nd, 1976 - 10 A 211/74 -, the administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein at Schleswig has rejected with costs the action of a plaintiff resident in Hessen concerning the contestation of the 2nd partial licence for the erection of a nuclear power station at Kruemmel near Hamburg. The verdict is not subject to appeal. Furthermore, the administrative court of Schleswig-Holstein at Schleswig, in its verdict dated September 2nd, 1976 - 10 A 214/74 - has rejected with costs the actions of eight plaintiffs living in Hamburg and surroundings, concerning the contestation of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd partial licence for the erection of a nuclear power station at Kruemmel near Hamburg. An appeal against this verdict has been lodged at the higher administrative court at Lueneburg. The main gounds for the two judgments are given in full text. (orig./HP) [de

The charcoal-degradation nexus: contested 'fuelscapes' in the sub-Saharan drylands of northern Kenya

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, Christoph; Petersen, Maike; Roden, Paul; Nüsser, Marcus

2017-04-01

Charcoal ranks amongst the most commercialized but least regulated commodities in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its prevalence as an energy source for cooking and heating, localized environmental and livelihood impacts of charcoal production are poorly understood so far. The identified research deficit is amplified by widespread negative views of this activity as a poverty-driven cause of deforestation and land degradation. However, the charcoal-degradation nexus is apparently more complicated, not least because the extraction of biomass from already degraded woodlands can also be interpreted as an appropriate option under given management regimes. In order to better calibrate existing research agendas to site-specific geographies of charcoal production, we propose a re-conceptualization of such energy landscapes as 'fuelscapes' with complex material and social dimensions. The concept is tested with reference to a case study in Central Pokot, northern Kenya, where charcoal production only began in the early 1990's. Based on the assumption that the fine line between sustainable land management and degradation in dryland energy landscapes is not only highly variable but also increasingly contested, our study combines the knowledge input of different stakeholders with longitudinal time series of remote sensing data. Based on the results of our interdisciplinary analyses, we outline an integrated tool for the co-operative monitoring and management of prevailing degradation processes against the background of diversified livelihood activities in sub-Saharan drylands.

PAUL A. SHAPIRO, The Kishinev Ghetto, 1941–1942. A Documen-tary History of the Holocaust in Romania’s Contested Borderlands. With chronology by Radu Ioanid and Brewster Chamberlin and translations by Angela Jianu. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suveica, Svetlana

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Review on the book PAUL A. SHAPIRO, The Kishinev Ghetto, 1941–1942. A Documen-tary History of the Holocaust in Romania’s Contested Borderlands. With chronology by Radu Ioanid and Brewster Chamberlin and translations by Angela Jianu. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabam

Studies of neo-formed phases occurring during spent nuclear fuel dissolution in geological repository: influence of silicate ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robit-Pointeau, V.

2005-12-01

Spent nuclear fuel alteration in deep storage conditions may proceed by local oxidising conditions at the fuel / water interface under influence of alpha irradiation. However, due to the strong redox buffer capacity of the near-field materials (especially the canister and the geological media), most of the near-field environment will remain reducing. Due to the relative high concentration in silica in such system, coffinite USiO 4 .n(H 2 O) may be a relevant phase to consider as it has been suggested from the natural analogues observations (Oklo). The aim of this work was to assess the relevance of coffinitisation of the spent fuel phenomena. The results of the experimental work contest the thermodynamic predictions. Instead of coffinite, a new U(IV)-Si phase has been observed in water simulating storage conditions. The thermodynamic data on coffinite validated by OECD are based on the average concentration of dissolved silica present in natural system containing uraninite and quartz. As the silica concentration in natural groundwaters is more probably controlled by minerals like chalcedony or silica gel, the coffinite present with uraninite in such systems, is probably not in equilibrium even in 2-billion years- old geological sites. Based on the results of this study, coffinitisation of the spent nuclear fuel in deep geological disposal is not anticipated to be a dominant short term process. (author)

BODY BUILD AND BODY COMPOSITION VS. PHYSICAL CAPACITY IN YOUNG JUDO CONTESTANTS COMPARED TO UNTRAINED SUBJECTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Lech

2011-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to (1 find differences in body build and aerobic and anaerobic capacity between young judoists and untrained peers; (2 compare correlations for indicators of body build with indicators of aerobic and anaerobic capacity among the group of trained and untrained subjects. The study group comprised 18 subjects selected during a competitive period, who had taken at least fifth place in national judo tournaments. Their training experience ranged from 6 to 11 years, 8 to 10 hours a week. The control group was composed of 18 untrained students from one of the schools included in the study. Their body height and mass (BM did not differ compared to judoists. A body composition chart was employed for analysis of body build and body composition. Physiological investigations encompassed measurements of anaerobic (Wingate test and aerobic (graded exercise test on cycle ergometer capacity. Judo contestants are typically characterized by higher BMI, fat-free mass and fat-free mass index compared to the untrained. Compared to the group of untrained peers, young athletes in this sport are distinguished by the time needed to generate peak power. This difference is not observed in the indices characterising aerobic capacity. The level of the indices of body build and composition in young judo contestants shows a moderate and strong correlation with indices of anaerobic and aerobic capacity. The amount of total work in the Wingate test was positively correlated with BMI (r=0.65, p<0.01, fat-free mass index (r=0.63, p<0.01, body mass (r=0.49, p<0.05, fat mass index (r=0.49, p<0.05 and percentage of fat (r=0.48, p<0.05. Maximal peak anaerobic power was positively correlated with fat-free mass index (r=0.48, p<0.05 and percentage of fat (r=0.50, p<0.05. A strong negative correlation between ·VO2max with body mass (r=-0.75, p<0.001, BMI (r=-0.72, p<0.001, moderate correlation with PF%(r=-0.64, p<0.01, fat-free mass index (r=-0.52, p<0

Nuclear law - Nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pontier, Jean-Marie; Roux, Emmanuel; Leger, Marc; Deguergue, Maryse; Vallar, Christian; Pissaloux, Jean-Luc; Bernie-Boissard, Catherine; Thireau, Veronique; Takahashi, Nobuyuki; Spencer, Mary; Zhang, Li; Park, Kyun Sung; Artus, J.C.

2012-01-01

This book contains the contributions presented during a one-day seminar. The authors propose a framework for a legal approach to nuclear safety, a discussion of the 2009/71/EURATOM directive which establishes a European framework for nuclear safety in nuclear installations, a comment on nuclear safety and environmental governance, a discussion of the relationship between citizenship and nuclear, some thoughts about the Nuclear Safety Authority, an overview of the situation regarding the safety in nuclear waste burying, a comment on the Nome law with respect to electricity price and nuclear safety, a comment on the legal consequences of the Fukushima accident on nuclear safety in the Japanese law, a presentation of the USA nuclear regulation, an overview of nuclear safety in China, and a discussion of nuclear safety in the medical sector

Patient agency and contested notions of disability in social assistance applications in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Gabrielle

2017-02-01

Problems in fairly allocating welfare and health resources are very often located in the spaces where citizens interact directly with state workers. This study draws on observations of doctor-patient encounters in disability assessments for the South African disability grant (DG) to examine how doctor-patient interactions and patient agency shape social welfare allocation in a context of high poverty and inequality. Data were gathered via interviews with healthcare workers and observations of doctor-patient interactions in twelve clinics and three hospitals in the Western Cape province between October 2013 and August 2014. Twenty-four doctors were interviewed, of whom seventeen were observed conducting a total of 216 consultations with patients. Two training sessions of DG assessors were also observed. Findings show that interactions between doctors and patients are sites of negotiation and contestation over rights to social assistance. Claimants' understanding of disability differed from biomedical and bureaucratic definitions. Patients attempted to influence doctors' decisions through narratives of suffering and performances of disability. Others used verbal or physical abuse as a form of protest against perceived unfair treatment. To defend themselves from these pressures and maintain authority in these interactions, doctors employed coping strategies that distanced and objectified claimants. This resulted in strained doctor-patient relationships and made the DG system confusing to the public. This demonstrates the importance of considering trust, power dynamics and the exercise of agency by both patients and providers in understanding policy implementation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Would an HIV Cure Mean to You? Qualitative Analysis from a Crowdsourcing Contest in Guangzhou, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Alice; Pan, Xin; Wu, Feng; Zhao, Yang; Hu, Fengyu; Li, Linghua; Cai, Weiping; Tucker, Joseph D

2018-01-01

Much HIV cure social science research has focused on high-income countries. Local key population perspectives, especially from people living with HIV (PLHIV), are needed in low- and middle-income countries. We organized an open contest soliciting responses from key populations, including PLHIV, about what a cure would mean in their lives. Tailored in-person events and social media were used to engage PLHIV, men who have sex with men (MSM), people who inject drugs, and local residents. We received 471 contributions over 4 months. Our thematic analysis showed that many people perceived that a cure would sterilize HIV and bring about new life for PLHIV. Many individuals believed a cure would decrease PLHIV discrimination and many MSM perceived a cure would decrease MSM discrimination. Some participants noted that a cure could help improve interpersonal relations, particularly with families and partners. Many individuals envisioned HIV cure as a panacea to bring about social stability. Some participants also anticipated changes in attitudes toward sex that may result in increased condomless sex. Our findings suggest a continued need for careful management of patient expectations and community engagement.

Contested Regimes, Aid Flows, and Refugee Flows: The Case of Burma Umkämpfte Regime, Hilfsgelder und Flüchtlingsströme: Der Fall Burma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan Banki

2009-07-01

Full Text Available There is a substantial literature that critiques the role that international aid plays in lending support to oppressive and contested regimes. But few investigators have asked the inverse question: what happens when aid is withdrawn? Following government oppression in 1988, international aid to Burma decreased significantly, providing a case study enabling this question to be addressed. Using Burma as an example, this article asks: if the presence of aid has been shown to support oppressive and contested regimes, what is the impact when aid is withdrawn? The article reviews critiques of development and humanitarian aid and identifies three specific regime-reinforcing phenomena. It demonstrates that these have not diminished following the overall decrease of aid to Burma. The paper then addresses the related relationship between aid flows and refugee flows, and concludes with implications of the research. Es gibt mittlerweile eine ganze Reihe von Literatur, in der die Rolle von internationaler Hilfe zur Unterstützung von Unrechtsregimen kritisch diskutiert wird. Es gibt bislang aber nur wenige Untersuchungen, in denen die Frage anders herum gestellt wird. Was passiert, wenn Hilfsgelder zurückgehalten werden? Seit der Unterdrückung im Jahr 1988 ist die internationale Hilfe an Burma/ Myanmar deutlich zurückgegangen. Dieser Artikel fragt für das Fallbeispiel Burma: Welche Wirkungen hat es, wenn Hilfsgelder zurückgehalten werden? Der Artikel beleuchtet die Debatten zur humanitären Hilfe und Entwicklung und identifiziert drei besondere Regime stützende Effekte. Der Artikel zeigt, dass diese im Fall Burma nicht eingetreten sind, als Hilfe zurückgezogen wurde. Der Artikel diskutiert außerdem die Beziehung zwischen Hilfsgeldern und Flüchtlingsströmen und versucht, Folgerungen aus der Forschung zu entwickeln.

Muscle Torque and its Relation to Technique, Tactics, Sports Level and Age Group in Judo Contestants

Science.gov (United States)

Lech, Grzegorz; Chwała, Wiesław; Ambroży, Tadeusz; Sterkowicz, Stanisław

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of maximal muscle torques at individual stages of development of athletes and to determine the relationship between muscle torques, fighting methods and the level of sports performance. The activity of 25 judo contestants during judo combats and the effectiveness of actions were evaluated. Maximum muscle torques in flexors/extensors of the body trunk, shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints were measured. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05; for multiple comparisons the Mann-Whitney U test, p≤0.016, was used. Intergroup differences in relative torques in five muscle groups studied (elbow extensors, shoulder flexors, knee flexors, knee extensors, hip flexors) were not significant. In cadets, relative maximum muscle torques in hip extensors correlated with the activity index (Spearman’s r=0.756). In juniors, maximum relative torques in elbow flexors and knee flexors correlated with the activity index (r=0.73 and r=0.76, respectively). The effectiveness of actions correlated with relative maximum torque in elbow extensors (r=0.67). In seniors, the relative maximum muscle torque in shoulder flexors correlated with the activity index during the second part of the combat (r=0.821). PMID:25964820

Muscle torque and its relation to technique, tactics, sports level and age group in judo contestants.

Science.gov (United States)

Lech, Grzegorz; Chwała, Wiesław; Ambroży, Tadeusz; Sterkowicz, Stanisław

2015-03-29

The aim of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of maximal muscle torques at individual stages of development of athletes and to determine the relationship between muscle torques, fighting methods and the level of sports performance. The activity of 25 judo contestants during judo combats and the effectiveness of actions were evaluated. Maximum muscle torques in flexors/extensors of the body trunk, shoulder, elbow, hip and knee joints were measured. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05; for multiple comparisons the Mann-Whitney U test, p≤0.016, was used. Intergroup differences in relative torques in five muscle groups studied (elbow extensors, shoulder flexors, knee flexors, knee extensors, hip flexors) were not significant. In cadets, relative maximum muscle torques in hip extensors correlated with the activity index (Spearman's r=0.756). In juniors, maximum relative torques in elbow flexors and knee flexors correlated with the activity index (r=0.73 and r=0.76, respectively). The effectiveness of actions correlated with relative maximum torque in elbow extensors (r=0.67). In seniors, the relative maximum muscle torque in shoulder flexors correlated with the activity index during the second part of the combat (r=0.821).

Winner of the vector-model look-alike contest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgi, H.

1977-01-01

A class of models is discussed as a possible resolution of the problem of how to incorporate the V + A coupling of the b quark to the u quark in a unified model of weak and electromagnetic interactions, since the b quark was previously discussed as a possible explanation of the high-y anomaly. The experiments considered are of three kinds: neutral-current neutrino scattering on electron and nuclear targets, high energy charged-current neutrino scattering, and the search for parity-violating interactions between electrons and nuclei. 45 references

Design of a Code-Maker Translator Assistive Input Device with a Contest Fuzzy Recognition Algorithm for the Severely Disabled

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chung-Min Wu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study developed an assistive system for the severe physical disabilities, named “code-maker translator assistive input device” which utilizes a contest fuzzy recognition algorithm and Morse codes encoding to provide the keyboard and mouse functions for users to access a standard personal computer, smartphone, and tablet PC. This assistive input device has seven features that are small size, easy installing, modular design, simple maintenance, functionality, very flexible input interface selection, and scalability of system functions, when this device combined with the computer applications software or APP programs. The users with severe physical disabilities can use this device to operate the various functions of computer, smartphone, and tablet PCs, such as sending e-mail, Internet browsing, playing games, and controlling home appliances. A patient with a brain artery malformation participated in this study. The analysis result showed that the subject could make himself familiar with operating of the long/short tone of Morse code in one month. In the future, we hope this system can help more people in need.

Contesting the Equivalency of Continuous Sedation until Death and Physician-assisted Suicide/Euthanasia: A Commentary on LiPuma.

Science.gov (United States)

Raho, Joseph A; Miccinesi, Guido

2015-10-01

Patients who are imminently dying sometimes experience symptoms refractory to traditional palliative interventions, and in rare cases, continuous sedation is offered. Samuel H. LiPuma, in a recent article in this Journal, argues that continuous sedation until death is equivalent to physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia based on a higher brain neocortical definition of death. We contest his position that continuous sedation involves killing and offer four objections to the equivalency thesis. First, sedation practices are proportional in a way that physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia is not. Second, continuous sedation may not entirely abolish consciousness. Third, LiPuma's particular version of higher brain neocortical death relies on an implausibly weak construal of irreversibility--a position that is especially problematic in the case of continuous sedation. Finally, we explain why continuous sedation until death is not functionally equivalent to neocortical death and, hence, physician-assisted suicide/euthanasia. Concluding remarks review the differences between these two end-of-life practices. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Nuclear waste disposal and terrestrial and radiological research: needs and perspectives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myttenaere, C.; Girardi, F.

1982-01-01

The safety assessment of the disposal of nuclear waste is complex. A multi-barrier approach may be adopted. In studying the various options, possible contamination of the environment resulting from a waste repository will have characteristics that are not usually considered in radiological and radioprotection studies. The transport of radioactivity through the geosphere is governed by mechanisms controlling the migration of nuclides leached from the waste by groundwater. Experimental results demonstrate that these mechanisms are complex and consist of several processes not always related to reversible equilibrium reactions (e.g. colloidal filtration). On the other hand, the terrestrial cycle may be capable of altering in the long-term the bio-available fraction of certain radioelements by repeated biological processes. Data on natural long-lived radionuclides in the biosphere have given useful information on trends in long-term behaviour. Moreover, information now becoming available on the impact on mankind contests the validity of the linear no-threshold model for predicting dose/response relationships at low levels of radiation. Risk assessment appears to be an extremely difficult problem; however, by the use of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of assessment models, the most important processes can probably be identified and research effort promoted. International co-ordination would also be required to obtain, in a reasonable time, the information required. (author)

Phylogenetic relationships of rollers (Coraciidae) based on complete mitochondrial genomes and fifteen nuclear genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Ulf S; Irestedt, Martin; Qu, Yanhua; Ericson, Per G P

2018-04-06

The rollers (Coraciidae) constitute a relative small avian family with ca. 12 species distributed in Africa, western and southern Eurasia, and eastern Australia. In this study we examine the phylogenetic relationships of all species currently recognized in the family, including two taxa whose taxonomic status is currently contested. By using shotgun sequencing on degraded DNA from museum study skins we have been able to recover complete mitochondrial genomes as well as 15 nuclear genes for in total 16 taxa. The gene sequences were analyzed both concatenated in a maximum likelihood framework as well in a species tree approach using MP-EST. The different analytical approaches yield similar, highly supported trees and support the current division of the rollers into two genera, Coracias and Eurystomus. The only conflict relates to the placement of the Blue-bellied Roller (C. cyanogaster), where the mitochondrial, and the concatenated nuclear and mitochondrial data set, place this taxon as sister to the other Coracias species, whereas nuclear data and the species tree analysis place it as the sister taxon of C. naevia and C. spatulatus. All analyses place the Eurasian roller (C. garrulus) with the two African species, Abyssinian Roller (C. abyssinica) and Liliac-breasted Roller (C. caudatus), and place this clade as the sister group to the Asian Coracias rollers. In addition, our results support a sister group relationship between the morphologically rather dissimilar Purple Roller (C. naevia) and Racquet-tailed Roller (C. spatulatus) and also support the division of Eurystomus in an African and an Asian clade. However, within the Asian clade the Azure Roller (E. azureus) from Halmahera appears to be nested within the Dollarbird (E. orientalis), indicating that that this taxon is a morphological divergent, but a rather recent offshoot, of the widespread Dollarbird. Similarly, the Purple-winged Roller (C. temminickii) from Sulawesi group together with C. benghalensis

Nuclear energy and the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-01-01

These notes have been prepared by the Department of Energy to provide information and to answer questions often raised about nuclear energy and the nuclear industry and in the hope that they will contribute to the public debate about the future of nuclear energy in the UK. The subject is dealt with under the headings; contribution of nuclear power, energy forecasts, nuclear fuels and reactor types, cost, thermal reactor strategy, planning margin, safety, nuclear licensing, unlike an atomic bomb, radiation, waste disposal, transport of nuclear materials, emergency arrangements at nuclear sites, siting of nuclear stations, security of nuclear installations, world nuclear programmes, international regulation and non-proliferation, IAEA safeguards arrangements in the UK, INFCE, and uranium supplies. (U.K.)

KELAS MENENGAH, UMNO DAN INTELIGENSIA: TENTANGAN DOMINASI POLITIK BUMIPUTERA ISLAM DI SARAWAK (MIDDLE CLASS, UMNO AND INTELLIGENTSIA: CONTESTING THE MUSLIM BUMIPUTERA'S POLITICAL DOMINATION IN SARAWAK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faisal S. Hazis

2011-01-01

contributed to over four decades of domination. Despite this domination, new sources of contestation have emerged, namely the middle class, United Malays National Organisation (UMNO and the intelligentsia. This article analyses the contestation instigated by these forces and its impact on Sarawak politics particularly the leadership of Muslim bumiputera.

Stepwise Distributed Open Innovation Contests for Software Development: Acceleration of Genome-Wide Association Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Andrew; Loh, Po-Ru; Bharadwaj, Ragu B; Pons, Pascal; Shang, Jingbo; Guinan, Eva; Lakhani, Karim; Kilty, Iain; Jelinsky, Scott A

2017-05-01

The association of differing genotypes with disease-related phenotypic traits offers great potential to both help identify new therapeutic targets and support stratification of patients who would gain the greatest benefit from specific drug classes. Development of low-cost genotyping and sequencing has made collecting large-scale genotyping data routine in population and therapeutic intervention studies. In addition, a range of new technologies is being used to capture numerous new and complex phenotypic descriptors. As a result, genotype and phenotype datasets have grown exponentially. Genome-wide association studies associate genotypes and phenotypes using methods such as logistic regression. As existing tools for association analysis limit the efficiency by which value can be extracted from increasing volumes of data, there is a pressing need for new software tools that can accelerate association analyses on large genotype-phenotype datasets. Using open innovation (OI) and contest-based crowdsourcing, the logistic regression analysis in a leading, community-standard genetics software package (PLINK 1.07) was substantially accelerated. OI allowed us to do this in innovation, we achieved an end-to-end speedup of 591-fold for a data set size of 6678 subjects by 645 863 variants, compared to PLINK 1.07's logistic regression. This represents a reduction in run time from 4.8 hours to 29 seconds. Accelerated logistic regression code developed in this project has been incorporated into the PLINK2 project. Using iterative competition-based OI, we have developed a new, faster implementation of logistic regression for genome-wide association studies analysis. We present lessons learned and recommendations on running a successful OI process for bioinformatics. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Invisible nuclear; converting nuclear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jongmoon

1993-03-01

This book consists of 14 chapters which are CNN era and big science, from East and West to North and South, illusory nuclear strategy, UN and nuclear arms reduction, management of armaments, advent of petroleum period, the track of nuclear power generation, view of energy, internationalization of environment, the war over water in the Middle East, influence of radiation and an isotope technology transfer and transfer armament into civilian industry, the end of nuclear period and the nuclear Nonproliferation, national scientific and technological power and political organ and executive organ.

Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamenov, J.

2004-01-01

The Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy (INRNE) of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the leading Bulgarian Institute for scientific investigations and applications of nuclear science. The main Institute's activities in the field of elementary particles and nuclear physics, high energy physics and nuclear energy, radiochemistry, radioecology, radioactive wastes treatment, monitoring of the environment, nuclear instruments development ect. are briefly described. Several examples for: environmental radiation monitoring; monitoring of the radioactivity and heavy metals in aerosols, 99m Tc clinical use, Boron Neutron Capture Therapy application of IRT-2000 Research Reactor, neutron fluence for reactor vessel embrittlement, NPP safety analysis, nuclear fuel modelling are also presented

Nuclear power and nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughen, V.C.A.

1983-01-01

The proliferation of nuclear weapons and the expanded use of nuclear energy for the production of electricity and other peaceful uses are compared. The difference in technologies associated with nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants are described

Nuclear safety. Seguranca nuclear

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aveline, A [Rio Grande do Sul Univ., Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

1981-01-01

What is nuclear safety Is there any technical way to reduce risks Is it possible to put them at reasonable levels Are there competitiveness and economic reliability to employ the nuclear energy by means of safety technics Looking for answers to these questions the author describes the sources of potential risks to nuclear reactors and tries to apply the answers to the Brazilian Nuclear Programme. (author).

Contestation internationale contre élites mondiales : l’action directe et la politique délibérative sont-elles conciliables ?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francis Dupuis-Déri

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Dans cet article, j’analyse à la lumière des normes libérales de la politique délibérative le bien-fondé de l’action directe contre les institutions internationales associées au néolibéralisme et à la mondialisation du capitalisme (Banque mondiale, Organisation mondiale du commerce, etc.. Le processus délibératif de ces organismes étant illégitime du point de vue de la théorie de la politique délibérative, les activistes du mouvement altermondialiste sont en droit de contester ces organismes. De plus, une attitude de contestation peut avoir en elle-même une valeur délibérative pour au moins sept raisons : (1 lancer une délibération ; (2 élargir la participation à la délibération ; (3 renforcer la représentativité ; (4 faire circuler l’information et faire connaître les arguments (publicité ; (5 stimuler l’imagination ; (6 pousser à l’action ; (7 relancer la délibération. Finalement, les mouvements sociaux tels que le mouvement altermondialiste peuvent être vus comme des forums délibératifs. Ainsi, qui veut évaluer la légitimité de l’action directe doit prendre en considération la nature délibérative du processus par lequel les activistes choisissent les moyens les plus efficaces à utiliser pour corriger les défauts du processus délibératif officiel et pour faire avancer l’égalité, la liberté et la justice.In this article I examine the legitimacy of direct action in relation to liberal deliberative norms and global institutions (World Bank, World Trade Organization, etc.. Since the deliberative processes of these institutions are illegitimate according to the theory of deliberative politics, the activists of the movement for global justice should be legitimate to confront these institutions. Moreover, confrontational action in itself may have a deliberative value for at least seven reasons: (1 initiating deliberation (agenda-setting ; (2 enlarging participation ; (3 enlarging

Nuclear safety culture and nuclear safety supervision

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chai Jianshe

2013-01-01

In this paper, the author reviews systematically and summarizes up the development process and stage characteristics of nuclear safety culture, analysis the connotation and characteristics of nuclear safety culture, sums up the achievements of our country's nuclear safety supervision, dissects the challenges and problems of nuclear safety supervision. This thesis focused on the relationship between nuclear safety culture and nuclear safety supervision, they are essential differences, but there is a close relationship. Nuclear safety supervision needs to introduce some concepts of nuclear safety culture, lays emphasis on humanistic care and improves its level and efficiency. Nuclear safety supervision authorities must strengthen nuclear safety culture training, conduct the development of nuclear safety culture, make sure that nuclear safety culture can play significant roles. (author)

Nuclear energy and nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robertson, J.A.L.

1983-06-01

We all want to prevent the use of nuclear weapons. The issue before us is how best to achieve this objective; more specifically, whether the peaceful applications of nuclear energy help or hinder, and to what extent. Many of us in the nuclear industry are working on these applications from a conviction that without peaceful nuclear energy the risk of nuclear war would be appreciably greater. Others, however, hold the opposite view. In discussing the subject, a necessary step in allaying fears is understanding some facts, and indeed facing up to some unpalatable facts. When the facts are assessed, and a balance struck, the conclusion is that peaceful nuclear energy is much more part of the solution to preventing nuclear war than it is part of the problem

Nuclear reaction data and nuclear reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paver, N [University of Trieste (Italy); Herman, M [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria); Gandini, A [ENEA, Rome (Italy)

2001-12-15

These two volumes contain the lecture notes of the workshop 'Nuclear Reaction Data and Nuclear Reactors: Physics, Design and Safety', which was held at the Abdus Salam ICTP in the Spring of 2000. The workshop consisted of five weeks of lecture courses followed by practical computer exercises on nuclear data treatment and design of nuclear power systems. The spectrum of topics is wide enough to timely cover the state-of-the-art and the perspectives of this broad field. The first two weeks were devoted to nuclear reaction models and nuclear data evaluation. Nuclear data processing for applications to reactor calculations was the subject of the third week. On the last two weeks reactor physics and on-going projects in nuclear power generation, waste disposal and safety were presented.

Glocalization of “Christian Social Responsibility”: The Contested Legacy of the Lausanne Movement among Neo-Evangelicals in South Korea1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myung-Sahm Suh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the contested legacy of the First Lausanne Congress in South Korean neo-evangelical communities. In response to growing political and social conflicts in the Global South during the 1960s and 1970s, thousands of evangelical leaders from more than 150 countries gathered at Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974 to discuss the proper relationship between evangelism and social action. The meeting culminated with the proclamation of the Lausanne Covenant, which affirmed both evangelism and public involvement as essential elements of the Christian faith. However, the absence of practical guidelines in the Covenant opened the door for all sorts of evangelical social activism, whether from the Evangelical Right or the Evangelical Left, for years to come. In light of such diverse ramifications of the Congress at both the global and local level, this paper explores the various ways in which the idea of “Christian social responsibility” has been interpreted and implemented by two distinct generations of neo-evangelical social activists in contemporary South Korea in relation to their respective socio-historical experiences of the Cold War and the 1980s democratic movement.

Nuclear astrophysics: An application of nuclear physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fueloep, Z.

2005-01-01

Nuclear astrophysics, a fruitful combination of nuclear physics and astrophysics can be viewed as a special application of nuclear physics where the study of nuclei and their reactions are motivated by astrophysical problems. Nuclear astrophysics is also a good example for the state of the art interdisciplinary research. The origin of elements studied by geologists is explored by astrophysicists using nuclear reaction rates provided by the nuclear physics community. Due to the high interest in the field two recent Nuclear Physics Divisional Conferences of the European Physical Society were devoted to nuclear astrophysics and a new conference series entitled 'Nuclear Physics in Astrophysics' has been established. Selected problems of nuclear astrophysics will be presented emphasizing the interplay between nuclear physics and astrophysics. As an example the role of 14 N(p,r) 15 O reaction rate in the determination of the age of globular clusters will be discussed in details

Interrelationship between nuclear safety, safeguards and nuclear security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Kazutomo

2007-01-01

As preventive activities against danger within nuclear systems, three major areas exist; nuclear safety, safeguards and nuclear security. Considering the purpose of these activities, to prevent non-peaceful use is common in nuclear security in general and safeguards. At the same time, measures against sabotage, one of the subcategory in nuclear security, is similar to nuclear safety in aiming at preventing nuclear accidents. When taking into account the insider issues in nuclear security, the distinction between measures against sabotage and nuclear safety becomes ambiguous. Similarly, the distinction between measures against theft, another subcategory in nuclear security, and safeguards also becomes vague. These distinctions are influenced by psychological conditions of members in nuclear systems. Members who have the intention to make nuclear systems dangerous to human society shall be the 'enemy' to nuclear systems and thus be the target for nuclear security. (author)

Nuclear blackmail and nuclear balance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Betts, R.K.

1987-01-01

This book raises pointed questions about nuclear saber rattling. More than a dozen cases since the bombing of Hiroshima and Magasaki in which some sort of nuclear threat was used as a sparring technique in tense confrontations are cited. Each incident is described and analyzed. Two theories offered to explain America's use of nuclear threats, the balance of interest theory and the balance of power theory, are contrasted throughout the book. This book helps to fill the gap in the understanding of nuclear weapons and their uses, while pointing out that nuclear bravado could lead to an unintended unleashing of these weapons

Advanced nuclear reactor and nuclear fusion power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-04-01

This book comprised of two issues. The first one is a advanced nuclear reactor which describes nuclear fuel cycle and advanced nuclear reactor like liquid-metal reactor, advanced converter, HTR and extra advanced nuclear reactors. The second one is nuclear fusion for generation energy, which explains practical conditions for nuclear fusion, principle of multiple magnetic field, current situation of research on nuclear fusion, conception for nuclear fusion reactor and economics on nuclear fusion reactor.

Nuclear orientation and nuclear structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krane, K.S.

1988-01-01

The present generation of on-line nuclear orientation facilities promises to revolutionize the gathering of nuclear structure information, especially for the hitherto poorly known and understood nuclei far from stability. Following a brief review of the technological developments that have facilitated these experiments, the nuclear spectroscopic information that can be obtained is summarized. Applications to understanding nuclear structure are reviewed, and challenges for future studies are discussed. (orig.)

Nuclear experts and nuclear weapons proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, H.

1979-01-01

In Germany the issue of nuclear weapons proliferation has attracted scant attention. Most potential nuclear weapon states are important trade partners of the FRG and, since further proliferation of nuclear weapons could worsen conflicts involving these, it should be in the FRG's interest to limit proliferation. The security of the FRG is also dependent on the common interest of the great powers to avoid nuclear war. The contradictory positions of Usa and the USSR on nuclear weapons policy regarding themselves and non-nuclear weapon states encourages less developed countries to see nuclear weaponry as useful. The NPT and IAEA safeguards have only limited inhibiting effect. The nuclear export policy of the FRG has been dominated by short term economic advantage, neglecting the negative long term effects of decreased political stability. The FRG should formulate a policy based on self-restraint, positive stimuli and extension of controls, using its economic strength to deter proliferation. (JIW)

World Nuclear Association position statement: Safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saint-Pierre, Sylvain

2006-01-01

This WNA Position Statement summarises the worldwide nuclear industry's record, progress and plans in safely managing nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel. The global industry's safe waste management practices cover the entire nuclear fuel-cycle, from the mining of uranium to the long-term disposal of end products from nuclear power reactors. The Statement's aim is to provide, in clear and accurate terms, the nuclear industry's 'story' on a crucially important subject often clouded by misinformation. Inevitably, each country and each company employs a management strategy appropriate to a specific national and technical context. This Position Statement reflects a confident industry consensus that a common dedication to sound practices throughout the nuclear industry worldwide is continuing to enhance an already robust global record of safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel. This text focuses solely on modern civil programmes of nuclear-electricity generation. It does not deal with the substantial quantities of waste from military or early civil nuclear programmes. These wastes fall into the category of 'legacy activities' and are generally accepted as a responsibility of national governments. The clean-up of wastes resulting from 'legacy activities' should not be confused with the limited volume of end products that are routinely produced and safely managed by today's nuclear energy industry. On the significant subject of 'Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities', which is integral to modern civil nuclear power programmes, the WNA will offer a separate Position Statement covering the industry's safe management of nuclear waste in this context. The paper's conclusion is that the safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel is a widespread, well-demonstrated reality. This strong safety record reflects a high degree of nuclear industry expertise and of industry responsibility toward the well-being of current and future generations. Accumulating

Nuclear Law: A Key Against Nuclear Terrorism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardozo, P.

2004-01-01

The role of the legal instruments in the war against nuclear terrorism. Control of radioactive sources. Elements of Nuclear Law: Definition: it is the body of special legislation that regulates the pacific uses of nuclear energy and the conduct of the persons engaged in activities related to fissionable materials and ionizing radiation . Objective: to provide a legal framework in order to protect individuals , property and the environment against the harmful effects of the use of nuclear energy and ionising radiation. Principles of nuclear energy legislation: safety principle, exclusively operator responsibility, authorization, independence of the regulatory body, inspections and enforcement, nuclear damage compensation, international cooperation. National regulatory infrastructure. Establishment of special law in Emergency Preparedness for nuclear or radiological disaster. IAEA Conventions. Transportation of nuclear material. IAEA regulations on radioactive material. Compensation for nuclear damage. Nuclear safety, security and terrorism. International and domestic instruments. Anti terrorism acts. International agreements on Safety Cooperation. (Author)

The role of nuclear law in nuclear safety after Fukushima; El rol del derecho nuclear en seguridad nuclear luego de Fukushima

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardozo, Diva E. Puig, E-mail: d.puig@adinet.com.uy [International Nuclear Law Association (INLA), Montevideo (Uruguay)

2013-07-01

The paper contains the following topics: nuclear law, origin and evolution, role of the legal instruments on nuclear safety, nuclear safety the impact of major nuclear accidents: Chernobyl and Fukushima. The response of the nuclear law post Fukushima. Safety and security. International framework for nuclear safety: nuclear convention joint convention on safety on spent fuel management and on the safety of radioactive waste management. The Fukushima World Conference on Nuclear Safety. Convention on Prompt Notification and Assistance in case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. Plan of Action for Nuclear Safety. IAEA recommendations for the safety transport of radioactive material. International framework for nuclear security. Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials. International Convention for the Suppression of Acts Against Nuclear Terrorism. Resolution No. 1540 of the Security Council of United Nations (2004). Measures to strengthen international safety. Code of conduct on the safety research reactor.

The Arabidopsis Nuclear Pore and Nuclear Envelope

OpenAIRE

Meier, Iris; Brkljacic, Jelena

2010-01-01

The nuclear envelope is a double membrane structure that separates the eukaryotic cytoplasm from the nucleoplasm. The nuclear pores embedded in the nuclear envelope are the sole gateways for macromolecular trafficking in and out of the nucleus. The nuclear pore complexes assembled at the nuclear pores are large protein conglomerates composed of multiple units of about 30 different nucleoporins. Proteins and RNAs traffic through the nuclear pore complexes, enabled by the interacting activities...

Legitimacy, capability, effectiveness and the future of the NPT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keeley, J.F.

1987-01-01

This chapter looks at the relationship between legitimacy and capability in conceptually and politically contestable regions. This issue was highlighted by India's nuclear test of May 1974 and the Osiraq raid of 1981. These illustrated the general problem of the threat to the coherence and legitimacy of the non-proliferation regime. This threat arose from the spread of nuclear technological capabilities. Two developments in the non-proliferation regime that have helped produce the more specific problems of that regime are discussed. These are the spread of nuclear technological capabilities and the development of complex co-operation networks. The prospects for the modification of the NPT in response to these challenges are considered finally. (U.K.)

The IAEA Nuclear Security Programme Combating Nuclear Terrorism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

Discusses the four threats of nuclear terrorism,which are theft of a nuclear weapon, theft of material to make an improvised nuclear explosive device,theft of other radioactive material for an Radiological dispersal device and sabotage of a facility or transport. The IAEA Nuclear Security programme combating Nuclear Terrorism therefore adopts a comprehensive approach. The programme addresses the need to cover nuclear and other radioactive materials, nuclear facilities and transports, non-nuclear, medical and industrial applications of sources

Nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1976-07-01

The IAEA is organizing a major conference on nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle, which is to be held from 2 to 13 May 1977 in Salzburg, Austria. The programme for the conference was published in the preceding issue of the IAEA Bulletin (Vol.18, No. 3/4). Topics to be covered at the conference include: world energy supply and demand, supply of nuclear fuel and fuel cycle services, radioactivity management (including transport), nuclear safety, public acceptance of nuclear power, safeguarding of nuclear materials, and nuclear power prospects in developing countries. The articles in the section that follows are intended to serve as an introduction to the topics to be discussed at the Salzburg Conference. They deal with the demand for uranium and nuclear fuel cycle services, uranium supplies, a computer simulation of regional fuel cycle centres, nuclear safety codes, management of radioactive wastes, and a pioneering research project on factors that determine public attitudes toward nuclear power. It is planned to present additional background articles, including a review of the world nuclear fuel reprocessing situation and developments in the uranium enrichment industry, in future issues of the Bulletin. (author)

Report of “the 2013 international forum on peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security. Ensuring nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security of nuclear fuel cycle options in consideration of the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station”

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamura, Tsukasa; Suda, Kazunori; Tomikawa, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Mitsutoshi; Kuno, Yusuke; Mochiji, Toshiro

2014-03-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) held “International Forum on Peaceful Use of Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Non-proliferation and Nuclear Security – Ensuring Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Nuclear Security of Nuclear Fuel Cycle Options in consideration of the Accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station –” on 3 and 4 December 2013, with the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) and School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, as co-hosts. In the Forum, officials from Japan, the United States, France and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) explained their efforts regarding peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear non-proliferation. Discussion was made in two panels, entitled “Nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security measures of nuclear fuel cycle options in consideration of the Accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station” and “Roles of safeguards and technical measures for ensuring nuclear non-proliferation for nuclear fuel cycle options”. In the first panel based on the implications of the Accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station on the domestic and global nuclear energy use and increased interest in the back end of nuclear fuel cycle, discussion was made on nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security challenges on both fuel cycle options from the policy and institutional viewpoints whereas in the second panel the roles of safeguards and proliferation resistant nuclear technology including plutonium burning technology in ensuring nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security in the back end of nuclear fuel cycle were discussed. Officials and experts from Japan, IAEA, the United States, France and Republic of Korea participated in the panel and made contributions to active discussion. This report includes abstracts of keynote speeches, summaries of two panel discussions and materials of the presentations in the forum. The editors take full responsibility for the wording

How to achieve public participation in nuclear waste decisions: Public relations or transparent adversary science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treichel, J.

1999-01-01

The current US nuclear waste disposal program began with passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and was modified by the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. The Amendments Act made many major changes to the original Act, the most significant of which was the singling out of Yucca Mountain as the only site to be studied for a deep geologic high-level nuclear waste repository. While that decision appeared to simplify and streamline the program, it vastly increased the levels of public resistance and protest, particularly in Nevada. To counter the lack of public acceptance of its programs, the Department of Energy has embarked on countless efforts purportedly aimed at creating public participation. However, nuclear proponents portray a Yucca Mountain repository as inevitable. With this a foregone conclusion, it is apparent to the public that opportunities for meaningful participation do not exist - the only allowable change is in their attitudes. This is purely paternalism and, as such, it is an insult to concerned citizens. Intelligent citizens believe that they cannot play a meaningful role in the current program. Their participation amounts to joining a game or contest that is rigged. All rules, regulations and standards governing the Yucca Mountain project are either changing or proposed to be changed. In a game of golf, players cannot determine their handicap midway through the course. While there are jokes told about such actions in sports, a nuclear waste policy is no laughing matter. In this case, the game, or site characterization program, is now referred to by many as 'advocacy science'. With Yucca Mountain as the only site, and the frantic cries of the commercial nuclear utilities that the lack of a disposal site is a national crisis, the investigations of the site appear to watchful citizens to be aimed at proving its suitability, rather than an objective study. Risk Assessment and risk communication, while very useful when applied

How to achieve public participation in nuclear waste decisions: Public relations or transparent adversary science

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Treichel, J. [Nevada Nuclear Waste Task Force, Las Vegas, NV (United States)

1999-12-01

The current US nuclear waste disposal program began with passage of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 and was modified by the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1987. The Amendments Act made many major changes to the original Act, the most significant of which was the singling out of Yucca Mountain as the only site to be studied for a deep geologic high-level nuclear waste repository. While that decision appeared to simplify and streamline the program, it vastly increased the levels of public resistance and protest, particularly in Nevada. To counter the lack of public acceptance of its programs, the Department of Energy has embarked on countless efforts purportedly aimed at creating public participation. However, nuclear proponents portray a Yucca Mountain repository as inevitable. With this a foregone conclusion, it is apparent to the public that opportunities for meaningful participation do not exist - the only allowable change is in their attitudes. This is purely paternalism and, as such, it is an insult to concerned citizens. Intelligent citizens believe that they cannot play a meaningful role in the current program. Their participation amounts to joining a game or contest that is rigged. All rules, regulations and standards governing the Yucca Mountain project are either changing or proposed to be changed. In a game of golf, players cannot determine their handicap midway through the course. While there are jokes told about such actions in sports, a nuclear waste policy is no laughing matter. In this case, the game, or site characterization program, is now referred to by many as 'advocacy science'. With Yucca Mountain as the only site, and the frantic cries of the commercial nuclear utilities that the lack of a disposal site is a national crisis, the investigations of the site appear to watchful citizens to be aimed at proving its suitability, rather than an objective study. Risk Assessment and risk communication, while very useful when

Youth as contested sites of culture: The intergenerational acculturation gap amongst new migrant communities-Parental and young adult perspectives.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andre M N Renzaho

Full Text Available Immigration often results in changes in family dynamics, and within this process of dynamic relational adjustment youth can be conceptualised as contested sites of culture and associated intergenerational conflicts. This paper considers the experiences of migrant youth in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia using conflict as a useful lens through which to view issues of migrant youth identity and their sense of social connectedness, belonging, and agency. The aim of this study was twofold: 1 to explore how migrant youth cope with acculturative stress and intergenerational conflicts, and 2 to better understand the systemic and family-related factors that facilitate positive settlement experiences for migrant youth.A total of 14 focus group discussions, comprising 164 people, were carried out in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. These focus groups targeted newly arrived migrant parents and young adults (aged 18-24 of African, Burmese, Nepalese, Indian, Afghani, Bangladeshi and Iraqi backgrounds. Each focus group was 1.5 hours in duration and was conducted by a team of three people (an experienced facilitator, an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker, and a note taker. Data were collected using a standard interview schedule, and an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker asked the questions in the appropriate language and translated participant responses into English.The findings highlight how youth in new migrant families become contested sites of culture as they try to balance integration into the new culture while maintaining their originating country's cultural values. Two themes and four subthemes emerged from the analysis: Intergenerational acculturation gap (loss of family capital and intergenerational conflicts; and factors that successfully protected positive family values while still allowing young people to integrate (the legal system that disarm authoritarian parenting practices and family rules; and

Youth as contested sites of culture: The intergenerational acculturation gap amongst new migrant communities—Parental and young adult perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Renzaho, Andre M. N.; Dhingra, Nidhi; Georgeou, Nichole

2017-01-01

Background Immigration often results in changes in family dynamics, and within this process of dynamic relational adjustment youth can be conceptualised as contested sites of culture and associated intergenerational conflicts. This paper considers the experiences of migrant youth in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia using conflict as a useful lens through which to view issues of migrant youth identity and their sense of social connectedness, belonging, and agency. The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to explore how migrant youth cope with acculturative stress and intergenerational conflicts, and 2) to better understand the systemic and family-related factors that facilitate positive settlement experiences for migrant youth. Methods A total of 14 focus group discussions, comprising 164 people, were carried out in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. These focus groups targeted newly arrived migrant parents and young adults (aged 18–24) of African, Burmese, Nepalese, Indian, Afghani, Bangladeshi and Iraqi backgrounds. Each focus group was 1.5 hours in duration and was conducted by a team of three people (an experienced facilitator, an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker, and a note taker). Data were collected using a standard interview schedule, and an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker asked the questions in the appropriate language and translated participant responses into English. Results The findings highlight how youth in new migrant families become contested sites of culture as they try to balance integration into the new culture while maintaining their originating country’s cultural values. Two themes and four subthemes emerged from the analysis: Intergenerational acculturation gap (loss of family capital and intergenerational conflicts); and factors that successfully protected positive family values while still allowing young people to integrate (the legal system that disarm authoritarian parenting practices and

Youth as contested sites of culture: The intergenerational acculturation gap amongst new migrant communities-Parental and young adult perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Renzaho, Andre M N; Dhingra, Nidhi; Georgeou, Nichole

2017-01-01

Immigration often results in changes in family dynamics, and within this process of dynamic relational adjustment youth can be conceptualised as contested sites of culture and associated intergenerational conflicts. This paper considers the experiences of migrant youth in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia using conflict as a useful lens through which to view issues of migrant youth identity and their sense of social connectedness, belonging, and agency. The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to explore how migrant youth cope with acculturative stress and intergenerational conflicts, and 2) to better understand the systemic and family-related factors that facilitate positive settlement experiences for migrant youth. A total of 14 focus group discussions, comprising 164 people, were carried out in Greater Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. These focus groups targeted newly arrived migrant parents and young adults (aged 18-24) of African, Burmese, Nepalese, Indian, Afghani, Bangladeshi and Iraqi backgrounds. Each focus group was 1.5 hours in duration and was conducted by a team of three people (an experienced facilitator, an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker, and a note taker). Data were collected using a standard interview schedule, and an accredited interpreter/bilingual worker asked the questions in the appropriate language and translated participant responses into English. The findings highlight how youth in new migrant families become contested sites of culture as they try to balance integration into the new culture while maintaining their originating country's cultural values. Two themes and four subthemes emerged from the analysis: Intergenerational acculturation gap (loss of family capital and intergenerational conflicts); and factors that successfully protected positive family values while still allowing young people to integrate (the legal system that disarm authoritarian parenting practices and family rules; and parental use

The nuclear arsenals and nuclear disarmament.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnaby, F

1998-01-01

Current world stockpiles of nuclear weapons and the status of treaties for nuclear disarmament and the ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons are summarised. The need for including stockpiles of civil plutonium in a programme for ending production and disposing of fissile materials is emphasized, and the ultimate difficulty of disposing of the last few nuclear weapons discussed.

Nuclear power generation and nuclear non-proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rathjens, G.

1979-01-01

The main points existing between nuclear energy development and nuclear non-proliferation policy are reviewed. The solar energy and other energy will replace for nuclear fission energy in the twenty first century, but it may not occur in the first half, and the structure has to be established to continue the development of nuclear fission technology, including breeder reactor technology. In the near future, it should be encouraged to use advanced thermal reactors if they are economic and operated with safety. Miserable results may be created in the worldwide scale, if a serious accident occurs anywhere or nuclear power reactors are utilized for military object. It is estimated to be possible to develop the ability of manufacturing nuclear weapons within two or three years in the countries where the industry is highly developed so as to generate nuclear power. It is also difficult to take measures so that nuclear power generation does not increase nuclear proliferation problems, and it is necessary to mitigate the motive and to establish the international organization. Concensus exists that as the minimum security action, the storage and transportation of materials, which can be directly utilized for nuclear weapons, should be decided by the international system. The most portions of sensitive nuclear fuel cycle should be put under the international management, as far as possible. This problem is discussed in INFCE. Related to the nuclear nonproliferation, the difference of policy in fuel cycle problems between USA and the other countries, the enrichment of nuclear fuel material, especially the reasons to inhibit the construction of additional enrichment facilities, nuclear fuel reprocessing problems, radioactive waste disposal, plutonium stock and plutonium recycle problems are reviewed. (Nakai, Y.)

Making "ethical safe space" in the translation of contested knowledge: the role of community debate in defining end-of-life decision ethics.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufert, Joseph; Schwartz, Karen; Wiebe, Rhonda; Derksen, Jim; Lutfiyya, Zana M; Richert, Dean

2013-04-01

The objectives of this article are, first, to document a unique process of research knowledge translation (KT), which the authors describe as the creation of "ethical safe space," and, second, to document the narratives of forum participants and describe their interaction in a dialogue about vulnerability, the authority of physicians, and the perspective of people with disabilities on the policy. Narrative data from qualitative interviews with individual key informants and focus groups were used to identify speakers with specific expertise on policy, disability perspectives, and bioethical issues, who were invited to participate in the Forum on Ethical Safe Space. The planning workgroup adopted a model for enabling representative participation in the public forum designed to reduce the impact of physical, sensory, financial, language, and professional status barriers. Using the transcripts and keynote speakers' printed texts, primary themes and patterns of interaction were identified reflecting the alternative perspectives. Through the development of a workshop on ethical, legal, and disability-related implications of professional policy guidelines developed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, we provided a qualitative analysis of the discourse involving experts and disability community members supporting alternative positions on the impact of the policy statement, and discuss ethical, legal, and disability rights issues identified in the public debate. Contested policy and ethical frameworks for making decisions about withdrawing and withholding life supporting treatment may influence both the perspectives of palliative care providers and patients referred to palliative care facilities. An innovative model for KT using a public forum that enabled stakeholders with conflicting perspectives to engage with ethical and professional policy issues asserting the physician's authority in contested decisions involving withdrawing or withholding life

Nuclear re-think [The case for nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, P.

2006-01-01

In the early 1970s, Patrick Moore, a co-founder of Greenpeace, believed that nuclear energy was synonymous with nuclear holocaust. Thirty years on, his views have changed because nuclear energy is the only non-greenhouse-gas-emitting power source that can effectively replace fossil fuels while satisfying the world's increasing demand for energy. Today, 441 nuclear plants operating globally avoid the release of nearly 3 billion tonnes of CO 2 emissions annually-the equivalent of the exhaust from more than 428 million cars. Concerns associated with nuclear energy are discussed including costs of nuclear energy, safety of nuclear plants, radioactive waste management, vulnerability of nuclear plants to terrorist attacks and diversion of nuclear fuel for weaponization. It is concluded that nuclear energy is the best way to produce safe, clean, reliable baseload electricity, and will play a key role in achieving global energy security. With climate change at the top of the international agenda, we must all do our part to encourage a nuclear energy renaissance

Nuclear war nuclear proliferation and their consequences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aga Khan, Sadruddin

1986-01-01

The paper concerns the proceedings of a conference hosted by the Groupe de Bellerive to explore and discuss the implications for humanity of nuclear war, nuclear proliferation and their consequences, Geneva 1985. The conference was divided into five sessions, headed by the subject titles: the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) and its future, the spread of nuclear weapons among nations, global effects of a nuclear war, the nuclear arms race and arms control, the NPT and its future. Twenty eight papers were presented in the five sessions. (UK)

Nuclear Inter Jura '91: nuclear law and nuclear energy for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The 1991 congress of the International Nuclear Law Association took as its subject Nuclear Law and Nuclear Energy for the future. As well as individual reports, there were four sessions each covering the report of one or more working groups. The first session investigated licensing and decommissioning, while the second focussed on insurance and liability. The third session was devoted to nuclear supply and commerce at an international level. Finally radiological protection and nuclear waste management was discussed in the fourth session. (UK)

Nuclear energy - some aspects; Energia nuclear - alguns aspectos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bandeira, Fausto de Paula Menezes

2005-05-15

This work presents a brief history of research and development concerning to nuclear technology worldwide and in Brazil, also information about radiations and radioactive elements as well; the nuclear technology applications; nuclear reactor types and functioning of thermonuclear power plants; the number of existing nuclear power plants; the nuclear hazards occurred; the national fiscalization of nuclear sector; the Brazilian legislation in effect and the propositions under proceduring at House of Representatives related to the nuclear energy.

Clandestine nuclear trade and the threat of nuclear terrorism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spector, L.S.

1987-01-01

The nuclear netherworld may ultimately contribute to the danger of nuclear terrorism in at least three ways. First, as national governments exploit this underground market and nuclear weapons spread to additional states, the possibility that terrorists will gain access to them will grow. Such weapons in nuclear threshold countries are likely to be more vulnerable to terrorist seizure than they are in today's more advanced nuclear weapons states. Second, terrorist groups might seek to exploit the nuclear gray market themselves, using the same subterfuges that national governments use. Although in today's nuclear netherworld, subnational groups cannot obtain nuclear arms or nuclear weapons material and cannot hope to build the complex installations needed to produce the latter, they might be able to engage in a form of barter with sympathetic emerging nuclear states (for example, offering raw materials or needed nuclear hardware in return for nuclear weapons material. Finally, there is always the risk that nuclear arms or nuclear weapon materials will someday become available on the nuclear black market. There is evidence indicating that terrorist organizations might well be interested in acquiring such items. Understanding underground nuclear commerce in its current form is essential to prevent such future dangers

The threat of nuclear terrorism: Nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maerli, Morten Bremer

2001-01-01

Full text: Conventional weaponry and tactics are likely to remain the primary terrorist means for a definitive majority of sub-national groups. No non-state actors have ever deployed or used a nuclear device. However, recent developments in international terrorism may point in the direction of future terrorist uses of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear devices. Some terrorist groups with a high international profile have showed disturbing interests in acquiring nuclear weapon capabilities. As the 'terrorist nuclear weapon standards' are likely to be lower than the strict requirements for traditional state nuclear weapons, technical barriers should not be considered sufficient to avoid future nuclear terrorist violence. Preventing any extremist group from achieving their goals of large-scale nuclear killing is likely best done by preventing the access to fissile materials through state compliances to rigorous standards of Material Protection, Control and Accountability (MPC and A). (author)

Chinese nuclear insurance and Chinese nuclear insurance pool

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gong Zhiqi

2000-01-01

Chinese Nuclear Insurance Started with Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station, PICC issued the insurance policy. Nuclear insurance cooperation between Chinese and international pool's organizations was set up in 1989. In 1996, the Chinese Nuclear Insurance Pool was prepared. The Chinese Nuclear Insurance Pool was approved by The Chinese Insurance Regulatory Committee in May of 1999. The principal aim is to centralize maximum the insurance capacity for nuclear insurance from local individual insurers and to strengthen the reinsurance relations with international insurance pools so as to provide the high quality insurance service for Chinese nuclear industry. The Member Company of Chinese Nuclear Pool and its roles are introduced in this article

Nuclear generation cost and nuclear research development fund

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, S. S.; Song, G. D.

2000-01-01

The main objective of this study is to analyze the effects of nuclear R and D fund to nuclear generation cost and to assess the adaptability of fund size through the comparison with the nuclear research fund in Japan. It was estimated that nuclear R and D fund increased the average annual unit cost of nuclear power generation by 1.14 won/kWh. When the size of nuclear R and D fund is compared with that in Japan, this study suggests that the current nuclear R and D fund should be largely increased taking into consideration the ratio of R and D fund to nuclear generation

11-th International conference Nuclear power safety and nuclear education - 2009. Abstracts. Part 1. Session: Safety of nuclear technology; Innovative nuclear systems and fuel cycle; Nuclear knowledge management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The book includes abstracts of the 11-th International conference Nuclear power safety and nuclear education - 2009 (29 Sep - 2 Oct, 2009, Obninsk). Problems of safety of nuclear technology are discussed, innovative nuclear systems and fuel cycles are treated. Abstracts on professional education for nuclear power and industry are presented. Nuclear knowledge management are discussed

"How can anybody be representative for those kind of people?" Forms of patient representation in health research, and why it is always contestable.

Science.gov (United States)

Maguire, Kath; Britten, Nicky

2017-06-01

Different discourses that co-exist within the world of patient and public involvement in health and social care mirror a tangle of historical, social, political and theoretical roots. These range from the radical activism, born of civil rights movements, to a more passive model in which patients are the recipients of information. This paper explores the concept of 'representation' and the ways the concept is used by people serving as 'patient' or 'lay' representatives in a range of roles within research projects, funding bodies and academic institutions. We address the issue of why the representativeness of those involved is contestable. Drawing on qualitative research and engaged practice as well as on literature from social and political sciences we question how people conceptualise their own and their fellows' acts of representation. In doing this we identify nine different conceptualisations of what it is to represent and use these to explore how judgements are made about what can count as legitimate forms of representation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear 101, a course on the nuclear sector for workers in the nuclear sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donev, J.M.K.C., E-mail: jason.donev@ucalgary.ca [Univ. of Calgary, Calgary, AB (Canada); Boreham, D.; Day, S., E-mail: boreham@mcmaster.ca, E-mail: dayse@mcmaster.ca [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada); Dranga, R.; Krasznai, J.; Matthews, R.; Whitlock, J. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada)

2014-07-01

People who work in the nuclear science and technology community are often called upon in social situations to answer questions about the nuclear industry outside their area of direct expertise. In 2012 the Canadian Nuclear Society created 'Nuclear 101', a two-day general-level course to provide more information on the nuclear sector to people who are part of the nuclear science and technology community. This paper will discuss how Nuclear 101 aids public outreach discussions and the lessons learned after two years of operation, and will look at future directions for the course. (author)

Nuclear 101, a course on the nuclear sector for workers in the nuclear sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Donev, J.M.K.C.; Boreham, D.; Day, S.; Dranga, R.; Krasznai, J.; Matthews, R.; Whitlock, J.

2014-01-01

People who work in the nuclear science and technology community are often called upon in social situations to answer questions about the nuclear industry outside their area of direct expertise. In 2012 the Canadian Nuclear Society created 'Nuclear 101', a two-day general-level course to provide more information on the nuclear sector to people who are part of the nuclear science and technology community. This paper will discuss how Nuclear 101 aids public outreach discussions and the lessons learned after two years of operation, and will look at future directions for the course. (author)

Nuclear physics for nuclear fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingzhong; Liu Bin; Wei Qingming; Ren Xianzhe

2004-01-01

The D-T fusion cross-section is calculated using quantum mechanics with the model of square nuclear potential well and Coulomb potential barrier. The agreement between ENDF data and the theoretically calculated results is well in the range of 0.2-280 keV. It shows that the application of Breit-Wigner formula is not suitable for the case of the light nuclei fusion reaction. When this model is applied to the nuclear reaction between the charged particles confined in a lattice, it explains the 'abnormal phenomena'. It implies a prospect of nuclear fusion energy without strong nuclear radiations

New nuclear projects in the world. Sustainable Nuclear Energy; Nuevos proyectos nucleares en el mundo. energia nuclear sostenible

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leon, P. T.

2011-07-01

Nuclear power has experienced a major boom in the last few years, primarily because it is a non-CO{sub 2} emitting energy source, it can be produced at competitive costs and it can boost a country's security of supply. there are still two issues to be addressed in relation to the currently used technologies: the degree to which the energy content of nuclear fuel is used, and wastes. A solution to both these aspects would ut nuclear power in the category of sustainable energy. The article provides details on current nuclear plans in the wold, the impact of the Fukushima accident on different countries nuclear plans and the European initiatives for sustainable nuclear energy development. (Author)

Nuclear disarmament and peaceful nuclear technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, T.B.

1989-01-01

According to the author, it remains to be seen whether nuclear disarmament can reduce the risks of nuclear war sufficiently for the residual risks to be acceptable to a majority of the world's population, while at the same time vigorous growth in the world's dependence on nuclear energy for peaceful purposes continues. This paper discusses how use of nuclear materials from dismantled weapons as fuel for peaceful purposes may help progress to be made towards that goal, by stimulating considerable improvements in the effectiveness of arrangements for preventing diversion of the materials from peaceful to military purposes, while at the same time eliminating large numbers of nuclear weapons

Nuclear power and nuclear safety 2008

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauritzen, B.; Oelgaard, P.L.; Kampmann, D.

2009-06-01

The report is the fifth report in a series of annual reports on the international development of nuclear power production, with special emphasis on safety issues and nuclear emergency preparedness. The report is written in collaboration between Risoe DTU and the Danish Emergency Management Agency. The report for 2008 covers the following topics: status of nuclear power production, regional trends, reactor development, safety related events of nuclear power, and international relations and conflicts. (LN)

Report of the international forum on nuclear energy, nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security. Measures to ensure nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security for the back end of nuclear fuel cycle and regional cooperation in Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tazaki, Makiko; Yamamura, Tsukasa; Suzuki, Mitsutoshi; Kuno, Yusuke; Mochiji, Toshiro

2013-03-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) held 'International Forum on Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Non-proliferation and Nuclear Security - Measures to ensure nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security for the back end of nuclear fuel cycle and regional cooperation in Asia-' on 12 and 13 December 2012, co-hosted by the Japan Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) and School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo. In the forum, keynote speakers from Japan, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the U.S., France and Republic of Korea (ROK), respectively explained their efforts regarding peaceful use of nuclear energy and nuclear non-proliferation. In two panel discussions, entitled 'Measures to ensure nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security of nuclear fuel cycle back end' and 'Measures to ensure nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear security for nuclear energy use in the Asian region and a multilateral cooperative framework', active discussions were made among panelists from Japan, IAEA, the U.S., France, ROK, Russia and Kazakhstan. This report includes abstracts of keynote speeches, summaries of two panel discussions and materials of the presentations in the forum. The editors take full responsibility for the wording and content of this report except presentation materials. (author)

Nuclear topics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lukner, C.

1982-07-01

The pamphlet touches on all aspects of nuclear energy, from the world energy demands and consumption, the energy program of the Federal Government, nuclear power plants in the world, nuclear fusion, nuclear liability up to the nuclear fuel cycle and the shutdown of nuclear power plants. (HSCH) [de

The Couplex test cases: models and lessons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bourgeat, A.; Kern, M.; Schumacher, S.; Talandier, J.

2003-01-01

The Couplex test cases are a set of numerical test models for nuclear waste deep geological disposal simulation. They are centered around the numerical issues arising in the near and far field transport simulation. They were used in an international contest, and are now becoming a reference in the field. We present the models used in these test cases, and show sample results from the award winning teams. (authors)

Nuclear proliferation and the near-nuclear countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marwah, O.; Schulz, A.

1975-01-01

The process of nuclear proliferation and its consequences for the international political system is examined by focusing on the issues in the nuclear-strategic debate that divide first and second order states. Information is included on: the US-USSR arms race; SALT agreement; the Non-Proliferation Treaty; the nuclear aspirations and policies of India, Middle Eastern countries, South Africa, Japan, Brazil, and Argentina; and assessment of the risks related to the nuclear fuel cycle and nuclear weapons

Redefining interrelationship between nuclear safety, nuclear security and safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Kazutomo

2011-01-01

Since the beginning of this century, the so-called 3Ss (Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Security and Safeguards) have become major regulatory areas for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. The importance of the 3Ss is now emphasized to countries which are newly introducing nuclear power generation. However, as role models for those newcomers, existing nuclear power countries are also required to strengthen their regulatory infrastructure for the 3Ss. In order to rationalize the allocation of regulatory resources, interrelationship of the 3Ss should be investigated. From the viewpoint of the number of the parties concerned in regulation, nuclear security is peculiar with having 'aggressors' as the third party. From the viewpoint of final goal of regulation, nuclear security in general and safeguards share the goal of preventing non-peaceful uses of nuclear energy, though the goal of anti-sabotage within nuclear security is rather similar to nuclear safety. As often recognized, safeguards are representative of various policy tools for nuclear non-proliferation. Strictly speaking, it is not safeguards as a policy tool but nuclear non-proliferation as a policy purpose that should be parallel to other policy purposes (nuclear safety and nuclear security). That suggests 'SSN' which stands for Safety, Security and Non-proliferation is a better abbreviation rather than 3Ss. Safeguards as a policy tool should be enumerated along with nuclear safety regulation, nuclear security measures and trade controls on nuclear-related items. Trade controls have been playing an important role for nuclear non-proliferation. These policy tools can be called 'SSST' in which Trade controls are also emphasized along with Safety regulation, Security measures and Safeguards. Recently, it becomes quite difficult to clearly demarcate these policy tools. As nuclear security concept is expanding, the denotation of nuclear security measures is also expanding. Nuclear security measures are more and more

Nuclear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

This document proposes a presentation and discussion of the main notions, issues, principles, or characteristics related to nuclear energy: radioactivity (presence in the environment, explanation, measurement, periods and activities, low doses, applications), fuel cycle (front end, mining and ore concentration, refining and conversion, fuel fabrication, in the reactor, back end with reprocessing and recycling, transport), the future of the thorium-based fuel cycle (motivations, benefits and drawbacks), nuclear reactors (principles of fission reactors, reactor types, PWR reactors, BWR, heavy-water reactor, high temperature reactor of HTR, future reactors), nuclear wastes (classification, packaging and storage, legal aspects, vitrification, choice of a deep storage option, quantities and costs, foreign practices), radioactive releases of nuclear installations (main released radio-elements, radioactive releases by nuclear reactors and by La Hague plant, gaseous and liquid effluents, impact of releases, regulation), the OSPAR Convention, management and safety of nuclear activities (from control to quality insurance, to quality management and to sustainable development), national safety bodies (mission, means, organisation and activities of ASN, IRSN, HCTISN), international bodies, nuclear and medicine (applications of radioactivity, medical imagery, radiotherapy, doses in nuclear medicine, implementation, the accident in Epinal), nuclear and R and D (past R and D programmes and expenses, main actors in France and present funding, main R and D axis, international cooperation)

Nuclear rights - nuclear wrongs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paul, E.F.; Miller, F.D.; Paul, J.; Ahrens, J.

1986-01-01

This book contains 11 selections. The titles are: Three Ways to Kill Innocent Bystanders: Some Conundrums Concerning the Morality of War; The International Defense of Liberty; Two Concepts of Deterrence; Nuclear Deterrence and Arms Control; Ethical Issues for the 1980s; The Moral Status of Nuclear Deterrent Threats; Optimal Deterrence; Morality and Paradoxical Deterrence; Immoral Risks: A Deontological Critique of Nuclear Deterrence; No War Without Dictatorship, No Peace Without Democracy: Foreign Policy as Domestic Politics; Marxism-Leninism and its Strategic Implications for the United States; Tocqueveille War.

White Paper on Nuclear Astrophysics and Low Energy Nuclear Physics - Part 1. Nuclear Astrophysics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arcones, Almudena [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Escher, Jutta E. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Others, M. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2016-04-04

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21 - 23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9 - 10, 2012 Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). The white paper is furthermore informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12 - 13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. With the developments outlined in this white paper, answers to long-standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade.

White paper on nuclear astrophysics and low energy nuclear physics Part 1: Nuclear astrophysics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arcones, Almudena; Bardayan, Dan W.

2016-01-01

This white paper informs the nuclear astrophysics community and funding agencies about the scientific directions and priorities of the field and provides input from this community for the 2015 Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also summarizes the outcome of the nuclear astrophysics town meeting that was held on August 21–23, 2014 in College Station at the campus of Texas A&M University in preparation of the NSAC Nuclear Science Long Range Plan. It also reflects the outcome of an earlier town meeting of the nuclear astrophysics community organized by the Joint Institute for Nuclear Astrophysics (JINA) on October 9–10, 2012 Detroit, Michigan, with the purpose of developing a vision for nuclear astrophysics in light of the recent NRC decadal surveys in nuclear physics (NP2010) and astronomy (ASTRO2010). Our white paper is informed informed by the town meeting of the Association of Research at University Nuclear Accelerators (ARUNA) that took place at the University of Notre Dame on June 12–13, 2014. In summary we find that nuclear astrophysics is a modern and vibrant field addressing fundamental science questions at the intersection of nuclear physics and astrophysics. These questions relate to the origin of the elements, the nuclear engines that drive life and death of stars, and the properties of dense matter. A broad range of nuclear accelerator facilities, astronomical observatories, theory efforts, and computational capabilities are needed. Answers to long standing key questions are well within reach in the coming decade because of the developments outlined in this white paper.

Nuclear Medicine

Science.gov (United States)

... Parents/Teachers Resource Links for Students Glossary Nuclear Medicine What is nuclear medicine? What are radioactive tracers? ... funded researchers advancing nuclear medicine? What is nuclear medicine? Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty that uses ...

BS degree in nuclear engineering or a nuclear option

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams on, T.G.

1988-01-01

Many nuclear engineering educators are concerned about the health of nuclear engineering academic departments. As part of a review of the BS nuclear engineering degree program at the University of Virginia, the authors surveyed several local utilities with operating nuclear plants about their needs for nuclear engineering graduates. The perception of many of the utility executives about a nuclear engineering degree and about a nuclear option in another engineering curriculum does not agree with the way the authors view these two degrees. The responses to two of the survey questions were of particular interest: (1) does your company have a preference between nuclear engineering graduates and graduates in other fields with a nuclear option? (2) what do you consider to be a minimum level of education in nuclear engineering for a nuclear option in mechanical engineering? All of the four utilities that were surveyed stated a preference for mechanical or electrical engineers with a nuclear option, although two indicated that there are certain jobs for which a nuclear engineering graduate is desired

Suburbs: the next slum? Explorations into the contested terrain of social construction and political discourse Les zones péri-urbaines : des taudis en devenir ? Explorations du territoire contesté de la construction sociale et du discours politique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Markus Hesse

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Suburbanization and suburbia have not only represented a substantial component of urbanization for decades, but have also been subject to social construction and political contestation. This usually unfolds in highly critical assessments of suburban landscape by research, policy and planning. Thus, suburbs are discursively framed as dystopia, and as the demise of the urban as such. In light of most recent developments on real estate and energy markets, and taking into account an at least perceived ‘renaissance’ of inner cities in metropolitan regions, the image of suburbs has changed again. It now represents despair and decline, even the next slum. Such discursive representations are based on an urban view rather than on a solid exploration of suburbs, and are ideologically constructed. In this context, this paper builds on the discursive shift in urban views and aims at reconstructing the way suburbs have been perceived and discursively framed in the past. By focusing on German developments and a comparative (North American perspective, it argues that discursive practice confirms the long-standing professional neglect of suburbs; however, this has not resulted in a paradigm shift in ‘material’ urban development as yet. The main contention is that the suburbs are neither heaven nor hell, neither paradise nor slum. They just represent an ordinary, legitimate part of the urban, a hybrid that still lacks precise denomination regarding terminology, meaning and identity.La banlieue et le phénomène de suburbanisation ne constituent pas seulement depuis quelques décennies une composante cruciale de l’urbanisation, mais sont également objets de construction sociale et de contestation politique. Le paysage suburbain est habituellement soumis à des évaluations très critiques par la recherche, la politique et l’aménagement. Ainsi il est représenté dans ces discours comme une dystopie, signifiant la mort de l’urbain en tant que tel

76 FR 19148 - Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. 50-271; License No. DPR-28; NRC-2011-0074] Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc., Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee, LLC, Vermont Yankee Nuclear Power Station..., ``Requests for Action under this Subpart,'' the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) take action with...

Quantum nuclear pasta and nuclear symmetry energy

Science.gov (United States)

Fattoyev, F. J.; Horowitz, C. J.; Schuetrumpf, B.

2017-05-01

Complex and exotic nuclear geometries, collectively referred to as "nuclear pasta," are expected to appear naturally in dense nuclear matter found in the crusts of neutron stars and supernovae environments. The pasta geometries depend on the average baryon density, proton fraction, and temperature and are critically important in the determination of many transport properties of matter in supernovae and the crusts of neutron stars. Using a set of self-consistent microscopic nuclear energy density functionals, we present the first results of large scale quantum simulations of pasta phases at baryon densities 0.03 ≤ρ ≤0.10 fm-3 , proton fractions 0.05 ≤Yp≤0.40 , and zero temperature. The full quantum simulations, in particular, allow us to thoroughly investigate the role and impact of the nuclear symmetry energy on pasta configurations. We use the Sky3D code that solves the Skyrme Hartree-Fock equations on a three-dimensional Cartesian grid. For the nuclear interaction we use the state-of-the-art UNEDF1 parametrization, which was introduced to study largely deformed nuclei, hence is suitable for studies of the nuclear pasta. Density dependence of the nuclear symmetry energy is simulated by tuning two purely isovector observables that are insensitive to the current available experimental data. We find that a minimum total number of nucleons A =2000 is necessary to prevent the results from containing spurious shell effects and to minimize finite size effects. We find that a variety of nuclear pasta geometries are present in the neutron star crust, and the result strongly depends on the nuclear symmetry energy. The impact of the nuclear symmetry energy is less pronounced as the proton fractions increase. Quantum nuclear pasta calculations at T =0 MeV are shown to get easily trapped in metastable states, and possible remedies to avoid metastable solutions are discussed.

Two-stage nuclear refrigeration with enhanced nuclear moments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunik, R.

1979-01-01

Experiments are described in which an enhanced nuclear system is used as a precoolant for a nuclear demagnetisation stage. The results show the promising advantages of such a system in those circumstances for which a large cooling power is required at extremely low temperatures. A theoretical review of nuclear enhancement at the microscopic level and its macroscopic thermodynamical consequences is given. The experimental equipment for the implementation of the nuclear enhanced refrigeration method is described and the experiments on two-stage nuclear demagnetisation are discussed. With the nuclear enhanced system PrCu 6 the author could precool a nuclear stage of indium in a magnetic field of 6 T down to temperatures below 10 mK; this resulted in temperature below 1 mK after demagnetisation of the indium. It is demonstrated that the interaction energy between the nuclear moments in an enhanced nuclear system can exceed the nuclear dipolar interaction. Several experiments are described on pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance, as utilised for thermometry purposes. It is shown that platinum NMR-thermometry gives very satisfactory results around 1 mK. The results of experiments on nuclear orientation of radioactive nuclei, e.g. the brute force polarisation of 95 NbPt and 60 CoCu, are presented, some of which are of major importance for the thermometry in the milli-Kelvin region. (Auth.)

Redefining interrelationship between nuclear safety, nuclear security and safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irie, Kazutomo

2012-01-01

Since the beginning of this century, the so-called 3Ss (Nuclear Safety, Nuclear Security and Safeguards) have become major regulatory areas for peaceful uses of nuclear energy. In order to rationalize the allocation of regulatory resources, interrelationship of the 3Ss should be investigated. From the viewpoint of the number of the parties concerned in regulation, nuclear security is peculiar with having “aggressors” as the third party. From the viewpoint of final goal of regulation, nuclear security in general and safeguards share the goal of preventing non-peaceful uses of nuclear energy, though the goal of anti-sabotage within nuclear security is rather similar to nuclear safety. As often recognized, safeguards are representative of various policy tools for nuclear non-proliferation. Strictly speaking, it is not safeguards as a policy tool but nuclear non-proliferation as a policy purpose that should be parallel to other policy purposes (nuclear safety and nuclear security). That suggests “SSN” which stands for Safety, Security and Non-proliferation is a better abbreviation rather than 3Ss. Safeguards as a policy tool should be enumerated along with nuclear safety regulation, nuclear security measures and trade controls on nuclear-related items. Trade controls have been playing an important role for nuclear non-proliferation. These policy tools can be called “SSST” in which Trade controls are also emphasized along with Safety regulation, Security measures and Safeguards. (author)

Nuclear power and nuclear safety 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauritzen, B.; Oelgaard, P.L.; Kampmann, D.; Majborn, B.; Nonboel, E.; Nystrup, P.E.

2007-04-01

The report is the fourth report in a series of annual reports on the international development of nuclear power production, with special emphasis on safety issues and nuclear emergency preparedness. The report is written in collaboration between Risoe National Laboratory and the Danish Emergency Management Agency. The report for 2006 covers the following topics: status of nuclear power production, regional trends, reactor development and development of emergency management systems, safety related events of nuclear power, and international relations and conflicts. (LN)

Nuclear power and nuclear safety 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-03-01

The report is the second report in a new series of annual reports on the international development of nuclear power production, with special emphasis on safety issues and nuclear emergency preparedness. The report is written in collaboration between Risoe National Laboratory and the Danish Emergency Management Agency. The report for 2004 covers the following topics: status of nuclear power production, regional trends, reactor development and development of emergency management systems, safety related events of nuclear power and international relations and conflicts. (ln)

Nuclear power and nuclear safety 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lauritzen, B.; Oelgaard, P.L.; Kampman, D.; Majborn, B.; Nonboel, E.; Nystrup, P.E.

2006-03-01

The report is the third report in a series of annual reports on the international development of nuclear power production, with special emphasis on safety issues and nuclear emergency preparedness. The report is written in collaboration between Risoe National Laboratory and the Danish Emergency Management Agency. The report for 2005 covers the following topics: status of nuclear power production, regional trends, reactor development and development of emergency management systems, safety related events of nuclear power and international relations and conflicts. (ln)

Position paper on nuclear proliferation issues preventing nuclear proliferation. A duty for the nuclear community

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldschmidt, Pierre; Bonin, Bernard [ENS High Scientific Council, Brussels (Belgium)

2010-06-15

The production of electricity from nuclear power plants is widely seen today as having an increasing role to play in meeting global energy requirements in a sustainable manner. Conscious of the inherently sensitive nature of nuclear technology and materials the ENS-HSC (European Nuclear Society - High Scientific Council) is well aware that a severe safety, security, environmental or proliferation mishap stemming from nuclear energy anywhere in the world would undermine the potential for nuclear energy to contribute to the global energy supply and the minimization of harmful carbon emissions. While the safety of nuclear power plants has continuously improved over the last three decades, the same degree of success cannot be claimed when it comes to the achievements of the international community in stemming the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. This unfortunate situation is due to both technical and political reasons. The European nuclear industry is committed to the exclusively peaceful use of nuclear energy and to export nuclear facilities and related materials, equipment and technology solely in accordance with relevant national export laws and regulations, Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines and pertinent United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The ENS-HSC considers that, as a manifestation of their strong commitment to nonproliferation, it is important for the nuclear industry to pay special attention to and promote proliferation-resistant designs and to take IAEA safeguards requirements into account at the design stage. Preventing nuclear proliferation is primarily the responsibility of states but, as major stakeholders, the nuclear industry and scientific community should actively support nuclear disarmament as foreseen in the Non-Proliferation Treaty and measures necessary to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, particularly the international control of the flux of nuclear material and technology. (orig.)

Position paper on nuclear proliferation issues preventing nuclear proliferation. A duty for the nuclear community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldschmidt, Pierre; Bonin, Bernard

2010-01-01

The production of electricity from nuclear power plants is widely seen today as having an increasing role to play in meeting global energy requirements in a sustainable manner. Conscious of the inherently sensitive nature of nuclear technology and materials the ENS-HSC (European Nuclear Society - High Scientific Council) is well aware that a severe safety, security, environmental or proliferation mishap stemming from nuclear energy anywhere in the world would undermine the potential for nuclear energy to contribute to the global energy supply and the minimization of harmful carbon emissions. While the safety of nuclear power plants has continuously improved over the last three decades, the same degree of success cannot be claimed when it comes to the achievements of the international community in stemming the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation. This unfortunate situation is due to both technical and political reasons. The European nuclear industry is committed to the exclusively peaceful use of nuclear energy and to export nuclear facilities and related materials, equipment and technology solely in accordance with relevant national export laws and regulations, Nuclear Suppliers Group guidelines and pertinent United Nations Security Council Resolutions. The ENS-HSC considers that, as a manifestation of their strong commitment to nonproliferation, it is important for the nuclear industry to pay special attention to and promote proliferation-resistant designs and to take IAEA safeguards requirements into account at the design stage. Preventing nuclear proliferation is primarily the responsibility of states but, as major stakeholders, the nuclear industry and scientific community should actively support nuclear disarmament as foreseen in the Non-Proliferation Treaty and measures necessary to strengthen the non-proliferation regime, particularly the international control of the flux of nuclear material and technology. (orig.)

Nuclear moments

CERN Document Server

Kopferman, H; Massey, H S W

1958-01-01

Nuclear Moments focuses on the processes, methodologies, reactions, and transformations of molecules and atoms, including magnetic resonance and nuclear moments. The book first offers information on nuclear moments in free atoms and molecules, including theoretical foundations of hyperfine structure, isotope shift, spectra of diatomic molecules, and vector model of molecules. The manuscript then takes a look at nuclear moments in liquids and crystals. Discussions focus on nuclear paramagnetic and magnetic resonance and nuclear quadrupole resonance. The text discusses nuclear moments and nucl

The applications of nuclear techniques in nuclear medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Huiyang

1986-01-01

There are a great deal of advanced techniques in nuclear medicine imaging, because many recent achivements of nuclear techniques have been applied to medicine in recent years. This paper presents the effects of nuclear techniques in development of nuclear medicine imaging. The first part describes radiopharmaceuticals and nuclear medicine imaging including commonly used 99m Tc labeled agents and cyclotron produced radionuclides for organ imaging. The second part describes nuclear medicine instrucments, including PECT, SPECT, MRI ect.; and discussions on the advantages, disadvantages and present status

Nuclear energy and nuclear technology in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graf, P.

1975-01-01

The energy crisis, high fuel costs and slow progress in the development of alternative energy sources, e.g. solar energy have given further impetus to nuclear power generation. The Swiss nuclear energy programme is discussed and details are given of nuclear station in operation, under construction, in the project stage and of Swiss participation in foreign nuclear stations. Reference is made to the difficulties, delays and resulting cost increases caused by local and regional opposition to nuclear power stations. The significant contributions made by Swiss industry and Swiss consulting engineers are discussed. (P.G.R.)

Nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scurr, I.F.; Silver, J.M.

1990-01-01

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization maintains an ongoing assessment of the world's nuclear technology developments, as a core activity of its Strategic Plan. This publication reviews the current status of the nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle in Australia and around the world. Main issues discussed include: performances and economics of various types of nuclear reactors, uranium resources and requirements, fuel fabrication and technology, radioactive waste management. A brief account of the large international effort to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power is also given. 11 tabs., ills

Nuclear winter or nuclear fall?

Science.gov (United States)

Berger, André

Climate is universal. If a major modern nuclear war (i.e., with a large number of small-yield weapons) were to happen, it is not even necessary to have a specific part of the world directly involved for there to be cause to worry about the consequences for its inhabitants and their future. Indeed, smoke from fires ignited by the nuclear explosions would be transported by winds all over the world, causing dark and cold. According to the first study, by Turco et al. [1983], air surface temperature over continental areas of the northern mid-latitudes (assumed to be the nuclear war theatre) would fall to winter levels even in summer (hence the term “nuclear winter”) and induce drastic climatic conditions for several months at least. The devastating effects of a nuclear war would thus last much longer than was assumed initially. Discussing to what extent these estimations of long-term impacts on climate are reliable is the purpose of this article.

Asia nuclear-test-ban network for nuclear non-proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shinohara, Nobuo; Kokaji, Lisa; Ichimasa, Sukeyuki

2010-01-01

In Global Center of Excellence Program of The University of Tokyo, Non- Proliferation Study Committee by the members of nuclear industries, electricity utilities, nuclear energy institutes and universities has initiated on October 2008 from the viewpoints of investigating a package of measures for nuclear non-proliferation and bringing up young people who will support the near-future nuclear energy system. One of the non-proliferation issues in the Committee is the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Objective of this treaty is to cease all nuclear weapon test explosions and all other nuclear explosion. This purpose should be contributed effectively to the political stability of the Asian region by continuous efforts to eliminate the nuclear weapons. In the Committee, by extracting several issues related to the CTBT, conception of 'Asia nuclear-test-ban network for nuclear non-proliferation' has been discussed with the aim of the nuclear-weapon security in Asian region, where environmental nuclear-test monitoring data is mainly treated and utilized. In this paper, the conception of the 'network' is presented in detail. (author)

The contest between psychiatrists and lawyers over involuntary detention: the effects of recent changes in mental health legislation in New South Wales.

Science.gov (United States)

Silove, D; Doutney, C; Pollock, C

1986-09-01

New mental health legislation was enacted in New South Wales in 1983 and, although the reformed Act remains unproclaimed, some of the new procedures have already been introduced into psychiatric hospitals. The spirit of the Act is clearly aimed at protecting the rights of the mentally ill, who are often unable to act as their own advocates. To ensure this protection, it is now routine for solicitors to represent detained patients in their pleas for release. In this report we describe three recent cases that illustrate the difficulties that arise when solicitors and psychiatrists contest the legitimacy of detention orders. The atmosphere of judicial hearings is becoming increasingly adversarial and the public disclosure of sensitive information can provoke unnecessary distress in patients and their families. In the zeal to preserve civil rights, the special needs of psychiatric patients can be obscured, sacrificing the patients' rights to confidentiality, privacy and appropriate treatment. While the involuntary detention of patients is a matter of the utmost seriousness, current procedures, which seem to be modelled on those of the criminal legal system, are proving to be inappropriate to the needs of psychiatric patients.

Strategy of nuclear power in Korea, non-nuclear-weapon state and peaceful use of nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagasaki, Takao

2005-01-01

The nuclear power plant started at Kori in Korea in April, 1978. Korea has carried out development of nuclear power as a national policy. The present capacity of nuclear power plants takes the sixes place in the world. It supplies 42% total power generation. The present state of nuclear power plant, nuclear fuel cycle facility, strategy of domestic production of nuclear power generation, development of next generation reactor and SMART, strategy of export in corporation with industry, government and research organization, export of nuclear power generation in Japan, nuclear power improvement project with Japan, Korea and Asia, development of nuclear power system with nuclear diffusion resistance, Hybrid Power Extraction Reactor System, radioactive waste management and construction of joint management and treatment system of spent fuel in Asia are stated. (S.Y.)

Nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abd Khalik Wood

2005-01-01

This chapter discussed the following topics related to the nuclear power: nuclear reactions, nuclear reactors and its components - reactor fuel, fuel assembly, moderator, control system, coolants. The topics titled nuclear fuel cycle following subtopics are covered: , mining and milling, tailings, enrichment, fuel fabrication, reactor operations, radioactive waste and fuel reprocessing. Special topic on types of nuclear reactor highlighted the reactors for research, training, production, material testing and quite detail on reactors for electricity generation. Other related topics are also discussed: sustainability of nuclear power, renewable nuclear fuel, human capital, environmental friendly, emission free, impacts on global warming and air pollution, conservation and preservation, and future prospect of nuclear power

Radiation: how safe is safe?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ackland, L.

1993-01-01

Recent research findings of epidemiologist Alice Stewart suggest that nuclear workers may be at risk of contracting cancer even though their measured occupational doses fall within current safety standards. It is argued that these standards are inappropriate as they are based on extrapolations of studies on survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki explosions. These individuals received single doses of radiation, whereas today's nuclear industry personnel are exposed to low-level ionizing radiation over the length of their working lives. Stewart's team linked low dose occupational exposure to ionizing radiation with an increased risk of cancer in respiratory, digestive and blood-forming tissues. The nuclear industry and United States government agencies hotly contest these assertion with their potentially damaging political and economic consequences. (UK)

Nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardy, C.J.; Silver, J.M.

1985-09-01

The report provides data and assessments of the status and prospects of nuclear power and the nuclear fuel cycle. The report discusses the economic competitiveness of nuclear electricity generation, the extent of world uranium resources, production and requirements, uranium conversion and enrichment, fuel fabrication, spent fuel treatment and radioactive waste management. A review is given of the status of nuclear fusion research

Building world-wide nuclear industry success stories - Safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saint-Pierre, S.

2005-01-01

Full text: This WNA Position Statement summarizes the worldwide nuclear industry's record, progress and plans in safely managing nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel. The global industry's safe waste management practices cover the entire nuclear fuel-cycle, from the mining of uranium to the long-term disposal of end products from nuclear power reactors. The Statement's aim is to provide, in clear and accurate terms, the nuclear industry's 'story' on a crucially important subject often clouded by misinformation. Inevitably, each country and each company employs a management strategy appropriate to a specific national and technical context. This Position Statement reflects a confident industry consensus that a common dedication to sound practices throughout the nuclear industry worldwide is continuing to enhance an already robust global record of safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel. This text focuses solely on modern civil programmes of nuclear-electricity generation. It does not deal with the substantial quantities of waste from military or early civil nuclear programmes. These wastes fall into the category of 'legacy activities' and are generally accepted as a responsibility of national governments. The clean-up of wastes resulting from 'legacy activities' should not be confused with the limited volume of end products that are routinely produced and safely managed by today's nuclear energy industry. On the significant subject of 'Decommissioning of Nuclear Facilities', which is integral to modern civil nuclear power programmes, the WNA will offer a separate Position Statement covering the industry's safe management of nuclear waste in this context. The safe management of nuclear waste and used nuclear fuel is a widespread, well-demonstrated reality. This strong safety record reflects a high degree of nuclear industry expertise and of industry responsibility toward the well-being of current and future generations. Accumulating experience and

Development of nuclear energy and nuclear policy in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

You Deliang

1993-11-01

Status of nuclear power development in China, nuclear policy and nuclear power programme are described. Issues regarding nuclear fuel cycle system, radioactive waste management and international cooperation in the field of peaceful use of nuclear energy are discussed

The Nuclear Review: the Institution of Nuclear Engineers' response to the Review of Nuclear Power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

The United Kingdom Government's Nuclear Review currently underway, addresses whether and in what form nuclear power should continue to be part of the country's power generation capability. This article sets out the response of the Institution of Nuclear Engineers to the Nuclear Review. This pro-nuclear group emphasises the benefits to be gained from diversity of generation in the energy supply industry. The environmentally benign nature of nuclear power is emphasised, in terms of gaseous emissions. The industry's excellent safety record also argues in favour of nuclear power. Finally, as power demand increases globally, a health U.K. nuclear industry could generate British wealth through power exports and via the construction industry. The Institution's view on radioactive waste management is also set out. (UK)

Theoretical studies in nuclear reactions and nuclear structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

Research in the Maryland Nuclear Theory Group focusses on problems in four basic areas of current relevance. Hadrons in nuclear matter; the structure of hadrons; relativistic nuclear physics and heavy ion dynamics and related processes. The section on hadrons in nuclear matter groups together research items which are aimed at exploring ways in which the properties of nucleons and the mesons which play a role in the nuclear force are modified in the nuclear medium. A very interesting result has been the finding that QCD sum rules supply a new insight into the decrease of the nucleon's mass in the nuclear medium. The quark condensate, which characterizes spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking of the late QCD vacuum, decreases in nuclear matter and this is responsible for the decrease of the nucleon's mass. The section on the structure of hadrons contains progress reports on our research aimed at understanding the structure of the nucleon. Widely different approaches are being studied, e.g., lattice gauge calculations, QCD sum rules, quark-meson models with confinement and other hedgehog models. A major goal of this type of research is to develop appropriate links between nuclear physics and QCD. The section on relativistic nuclear physics represents our continuing interest in developing an appropriate relativistic framework for nuclear dynamics. A Lorentz-invariant description of the nuclear force suggests a similar decrease of the nucleon's mass in the nuclear medium as has been found from QCD sum rules. Work in progress extends previous successes in elastic scattering to inelastic scattering of protons by nuclei. The section on heavy ion dynamics and related processes reports on research into the e + e - problem and heavy ion dynamics

Nuclear data services of the Nuclear Data Centers Network available at the National Nuclear Data Center

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLane, V.

1997-01-01

The Nuclear Data Centers Network provides low and medium energy nuclear reaction data to users around the world. Online retrievals are available through the U.S. National Nuclear Data Center, the Nuclear Energy Agency Data Bank, and the IAEA Nuclear Data Section from these extensive bibliographic, experimental data, and evaluated data files. In addition to nuclear reaction data, the various databases also provide nuclear structure and decay data, and other information of interest to users. The WorldWideWeb sites at the National Nuclear Data Center and the NEA Data Bank provide access to some of the Centers' files. (orig.)

Control of Nuclear Materials and Special Equipment (Nuclear Safety Regulations)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cizmek, A.; Prah, M.; Medakovic, S.; Ilijas, B.

2008-01-01

Based on Nuclear Safety Act (OG 173/03) the State Office for Nuclear Safety (SONS) in 2008 adopted beside Ordinance on performing nuclear activities (OG 74/06) and Ordinance on special conditions for individual activities to be performed by expert organizations which perform activities in the area of nuclear safety (OG 74/06) the new Ordinance on the control of nuclear material and special equipment (OG 15/08). Ordinance on the control of nuclear material and special equipment lays down the list of nuclear materials and special equipment as well as of nuclear activities covered by the system of control of production of special equipment and non-nuclear material, the procedure for notifying the intention to and filing the application for a license to carry out nuclear activities, and the format and contents of the forms for doing so. This Ordinance also lays down the manner in which nuclear material records have to be kept, the procedure for notifying the State administration organization (regulatory body) responsible for nuclear safety by the nuclear material user, and the keeping of registers of nuclear activities, nuclear material and special equipment by the State administration organization (regulatory body) responsible for nuclear safety, as well as the form and content of official nuclear safety inspector identification card and badge.(author)

Leading twist nuclear shadowing, nuclear generalized parton distributions and nuclear DVCS at small x

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guzey, Vadim; Goeke, Klaus; Siddikov, Marat

2009-01-01

We generalize the leading twist theory of nuclear shadowing and calculate quark and gluon generalized parton distributions (GPDs) of spinless nuclei. We predict very large nuclear shadowing for nuclear GPDs. In the limit of the purely transverse momentum transfer, our nuclear GPDs become impact parameter dependent nuclear parton distributions (PDFs). Nuclear shadowing induces non-trivial correlations between the impact parameter $b$ and the light-cone fraction $x$. We make predictions for the deeply virtual Compton scattering (DVCS) amplitude and the DVCS cross section on $^{208}$Pb at high energies. We calculate the cross section of the Bethe-Heitler (BH) process and address the issue of the extraction of the DVCS signal from the $e A \\to e \\gamma A$ cross section. We find that the $e A \\to e \\gamma A$ differential cross section is dominated by DVCS at the momentum transfer $t$ near the minima of the nuclear form factor. We also find that nuclear shadowing leads

Nuclear forensics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Venugopal, V.

2010-01-01

Nuclear forensics is the analysis of nuclear materials recovered from either the capture of unused materials, or from the radioactive debris following a nuclear explosion and can contribute significantly to the identification of the sources of the materials and the industrial processes used to obtain them. In the case of an explosion, nuclear forensics can also reconstruct key features of the nuclear device. Nuclear forensic analysis works best in conjunction with other law enforcement, radiological protection dosimetry, traditional forensics, and intelligence work to provide the basis for attributing the materials and/or nuclear device to its originators. Nuclear forensics is a piece of the overall attribution process, not a stand-alone activity

The role of nuclear law in nuclear safety after Fukushima

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardozo, Diva E. Puig

2013-01-01

The paper contains the following topics: nuclear law, origin and evolution, role of the legal instruments on nuclear safety, nuclear safety the impact of major nuclear accidents: Chernobyl and Fukushima. The response of the nuclear law post Fukushima. Safety and security. International framework for nuclear safety: nuclear convention joint convention on safety on spent fuel management and on the safety of radioactive waste management. The Fukushima World Conference on Nuclear Safety. Convention on Prompt Notification and Assistance in case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. Plan of Action for Nuclear Safety. IAEA recommendations for the safety transport of radioactive material. International framework for nuclear security. Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Materials. International Convention for the Suppression of Acts Against Nuclear Terrorism. Resolution No. 1540 of the Security Council of United Nations (2004). Measures to strengthen international safety. Code of conduct on the safety research reactor

Nuclear power. Volume 1. Nuclear power plant design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, E.S.

1978-01-01

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DESIGN is intended to be used as a working reference book for management, engineers and designers, and as a graduate-level text for engineering students. The book is designed to combine theory with practical nuclear power engineering and design experience, and to give the reader an up-to-date view of the status of nuclear power and a basic understanding of how nuclear power plants function. Volume 1 contains the following chapters; (1) nuclear reactor theory; (2) nuclear reactor design; (3) types of nuclear power plants; (4) licensing requirements; (5) shielding and personnel exposure; (6) containment and structural design; (7) main steam and turbine cycles; (8) plant electrical system; (9) plant instrumentation and control systems; (10) radioactive waste disposal (waste management) and (11) conclusion

Emerging nuclear energy systems and nuclear weapon proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gsponer, A.; Sahin, S.; Jasani, B.

1983-01-01

Generally when considering problems of proliferation of nuclear weapons, discussions are focused on horizontal proliferation. However, the emerging nuclear energy systems currently have an impact mainly on vertical proliferation. The paper indicates that technologies connected with emerging nuclear energy systems, such as fusion reactors and accelerators, enhance the knowledge of thermonuclear weapon physics and will enable production of military useful nuclear materials (including some rare elements). At present such technologies are enhancing the arsenal of the nuclear weapon states. But one should not forget the future implications for horizontal proliferation of nuclear weapons as some of the techniques will in the near future be within the technological and economic capabilities of non-nuclear weapon states. Some of these systems are not under any international control. (orig.) [de

Securing Chinese nuclear power development: further strengthening nuclear security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Hui

2014-01-01

Chinese President Xi Jinping addresses China's new concept of nuclear security with four 'equal emphasis' at the third Nuclear Security Summit, and makes four commitments to strengthen nuclear security in the future. To convert President Xi's political commitments into practical, sustainable reality, China should take further steps to install a complete, reliable, and effective security system to ensure that all its nuclear materials and nuclear facilities are effectively protected against the full spectrum of plausible terrorist and criminal threats. This paper suggests the following measures be taken to improve China's existing nuclear security system, including updating and clarifying the requirements for a national level DBT; updating and enforcing existing regulations; further promoting nuclear security culture; balancing the costs of nuclear security, and further strengthening international cooperation on nuclear security. (author)

Model Action Plan for Nuclear Forensics and Nuclear Attribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudder, G B; Niemeyer, S; Smith, D K; Kristo, M J

2004-01-01

Nuclear forensics and nuclear attribution have become increasingly important tools in the fight against illegal trafficking in nuclear and radiological materials. This technical report documents the field of nuclear forensics and nuclear attribution in a comprehensive manner, summarizing tools and procedures that have heretofore been described independently in the scientific literature. This report also provides national policy-makers, decision-makers, and technical managers with guidance for responding to incidents involving the interdiction of nuclear and radiological materials. However, due to the significant capital costs of the equipment and the specialized expertise of the personnel, work in the field of nuclear forensics has been restricted so far to a handful of national and international laboratories. In fact, there are a limited number of specialists who have experience working with interdicted nuclear materials and affiliated evidence. Most of the laboratories that have the requisite equipment, personnel, and experience to perform nuclear forensic analysis are participants in the Nuclear Smuggling International Technical Working Group or ITWG (see Section 1.8). Consequently, there is a need to disseminate information on an appropriate response to incidents of nuclear smuggling, including a comprehensive approach to gathering evidence that meets appropriate legal standards and to developing insights into the source and routes of nuclear and radiological contraband. Appendix A presents a ''Menu of Options'' for other Member States to request assistance from the ITWG Nuclear Forensics Laboratories (INFL) on nuclear forensic cases

Theoretical studies in nuclear reactions and nuclear structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-05-01

Research in the Maryland Nuclear Theory Group focusses on problems in four basic areas of current relevance. Hadrons in nuclear matter; the structure of hadrons; relativistic nuclear physics and heavy ion dynamics and related processes. The section on hadrons in nuclear matter groups together research items which are aimed at exploring ways in which the properties of nucleons and the mesons which play a role in the nuclear force are modified in the nuclear medium. A very interesting result has been the finding that QCD sum rules supply a new insight into the decrease of the nucleon's mass in the nuclear medium. The quark condensate, which characterizes spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking of the late QCD vacuum, decreases in nuclear matter and this is responsible for the decrease of the nucleon's mass. The section on the structure of hadrons contains progress reports on our research aimed at understanding the structure of the nucleon. Widely different approaches are being studied, e.g., lattice gauge calculations, QCD sum rules, quark-meson models with confinement and other hedgehog models. A major goal of this type of research is to develop appropriate links between nuclear physics and QCD. The section on relativistic nuclear physics represents our continuing interest in developing an appropriate relativistic framework for nuclear dynamics. A Lorentz-invariant description of the nuclear force suggests a similar decrease of the nucleon's mass in the nuclear medium as has been found from QCD sum rules. Work in progress extends previous successes in elastic scattering to inelastic scattering of protons by nuclei. The section on heavy ion dynamics and related processes reports on research into the e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} problem and heavy ion dynamics.

The Romanian nuclear regulatory body as a nuclear communicator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cluculescu, Cristina

2000-01-01

A comprehensive nuclear law environment could be a relevant tool to promote greater confidence in the nuclear energy. Romania has had laws in place governing the regulation of nuclear activities since 1974, which remained in force throughout and subsequent to the national constitutional changes. Up to December 1996, the CNCAN activities were based on Law No. 61/1974 for the development of the nuclear activities in Romania and Law No. 61982 on the quality assurance of the nuclear facilities and nuclear power plants. The Nuclear Safety legislation has been enacted in November 1974 (Law No. 61/1974) and it followed as closely as possible (for that time) the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, as amended subsequently. The Romanian nuclear regulatory body, called National Commission for Nuclear Activities Control (CNCAN) is a governmental organization responsible for the development of the regulatory framework, the control of its implementation and for the licensing of nuclear facilities. An important issue of CNCAN is to provide the correct and reasoning information to the public. The most important topics focused on nuclear activities for the interest of mass media in Romania are: Radioactive waste management; The cost and benefit of nuclear energy compared by conventional energy; The conditions for transportation of radioactive materials; The consequences of a suppositional nuclear accidents; The safety in operation for nuclear installations. The information provided to press and public by regulatory body is clearly and well structured. The target is to clearly explain to mass media and the public should understand very well the difference between the meaning of a nuclear accident, nuclear incident or nuclear event. CNCAN monitories and surveys the operation in safe conditions the nuclear facilities and plants, the protection against nuclear radiation of the professionally exposed personnel, of the population, of the environment and the material goods. It is also

[Nuclear theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haxton, W.

1990-01-01

This report discusses research in nuclear physics. Topics covered in this paper are: symmetry principles; nuclear astrophysics; nuclear structure; quark-gluon plasma; quantum chromodynamics; symmetry breaking; nuclear deformation; and cold fusion

China's nuclear safety regulatory body: The national nuclear safety administration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Shiguan

1991-04-01

The establishment of an independent nuclear safety regulatory body is necessary for ensuring the safety of nuclear installations and nuclear fuel. Therefore the National Nuclear Safety Administration was established by the state. The aim, purpose, organization structure and main tasks of the Administration are presented. At the same time the practical examples, such as nuclear safety regulation on the Qinshan Nuclear Power Plant, safety review and inspections for the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant during the construction, and nuclear material accounting and management system in the nuclear fuel fabrication plant in China, are given in order to demonstrate the important roles having been played on nuclear safety by the Administration after its founding

Nuclear Deterrence in a New Nuclear Era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miraillet, Michel

2010-01-01

Within an unstable international environment and an unpredictable future, nuclear weapons will continue to play a major role in defense policies. Indeed, since disarmament currently seems an unlikely objective, nuclear weapons remain as a security guarantee. Within this context, talk of the global abolition of nuclear weapons remains essentially rhetorical and the supposed link between disarmament and non-proliferation is a tenuous one. The foremost purpose of both disarmament and nuclear deterrence must be security

Nuclear links

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The subject is dealt with in sections: introduction; energy and the third world; world energy consumption 1978; oil -the energy dilemma; nuclear chains - introduction; uranium; Namibia; enrichment and reprocessing; countries with enrichment and reprocessing facilities; waste; conclusion; why take the nuclear option; third world countries with nuclear reactors; the arms connection; government spending and human resources 1977 (by countries); nuclear power - the final solution; the fascists; world bank; campaigns; community action in Plogoff; Australian labour movement; NUM against nuclear power; Scottish campaign; students against nuclear energy; anti-nuclear campaign; partizans; 3W1 disarmament and development; campaign ATOM; CANUC; 3W1; SANE. (U.K.)

Theoretical studies in nuclear reactions and nuclear structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallace, S.J.

1991-05-01

This report discusses topics in the following areas: Hadronic structure; hadrons in nuclei; hot hadronic matter; relativistic nuclear physics and NN interaction; leptonic emissions from high-Z heavy ion collisions; theoretical studies of heavy ion dynamics; nuclear pre-equilibrium reactions; classical chaotic dynamics and nuclear structure; and, theory of nuclear fission

Nuclear-fuel-cycle education: Module 1. Nuclear fuel cycle overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckhoff, N.D.

1981-07-01

This educational module is an overview of the nuclear-fule-cycle. The overview covers nuclear energy resources, the present and future US nuclear industry, the industry view of nuclear power, the International Nuclear Fuel Cycle Evaluation program, the Union of Concerned Scientists view of the nuclear-fuel-cycle, an analysis of this viewpoint, resource requirements for a model light water reactor, and world nuclear power considerations

Nuclear Forensics' role in analyzing nuclear trafficking activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hrnecek, E.; Mayer, K.; Schubert, A.; Wallenius, M.

2010-01-01

Nuclear forensics aims at identifying origin and intended use of nuclear material using information inherent to the nuclear material.The information gathered in nuclear forensics include isotopic composition, elemental composition, impurities and age of the material, macroscopic appearance and microstructure. The information so collected helps to solve criminal cases and put the individuals involved in nuclear trafficking in jails. The information also helps to improve safeguards and physical protection measures at place of theft or diversion to prevent future thefts or diversions.

Radionuclides for nuclear medicine: a nuclear physicists' view

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cantone, M.; Haddad, F.; Harissopoulos, S.

2013-01-01

NuPECC (the Nuclear Physics European Collaboration Committee, an expert committee of the European Science Foundation) has the mission to strengthen European Collaboration in nuclear science through the promotion of nuclear physics and its trans-disciplinary use and application. NuPECC is currently...... working on a report on “Nuclear Physics for Medicine” and has set up a working group to review the present status and prospects of radionuclides for nuclear medicine. An interim report will be presented to seek comments and constructive input from EANM members. In particular it is investigated how nuclear...... physics Methods and nuclear physics facilities are supporting the development and supply of medical radionuclides and how this support could be further strengthened in future. Aspects that will be addressed: •In recent years, the reactor-based supply chain of 99Mo/99mTc generators was repeatedly...

Dare nuclear energy with the Australian Nuclear Association

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2016-01-01

Australian authorities have been traditionally opposed to nuclear energy. The interdiction to build nuclear power plants in the Australian states without the approval of the federal authority was even officially written in the environment code in 1999. Today coal provides 75% of the electricity needs of Australia. Because of climate warming, things are changing, the Australian government is now considering the possibility of using nuclear energy and a site located in southern Australian has been selected for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes. In this context the Australian Nuclear Association (ANA) is developing an ambitious program for the promotion of all the applications of nuclear energy through the organisation of conferences and meetings with various experts of nuclear industry. The aim is to make the public aware of the assets of nuclear energy. (A.C.)

Nuclear forensics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karadeniz, O.; Guenalp, G.

2010-01-01

This review discusses the methodology of nuclear forensics and illicit trafficking of nuclear materials. Nuclear forensics is relatively new scientific branch whose aim it is to read out material inherent from nuclear material. Nuclear forensics investigations have to be considered as part of a comprehensive set of measures for detection,interception, categorization and characterization of illicitly trafficking nuclear material. Prevention, detection and response are the main elements in combating illicit trafficking. Forensics is a key element in the response process. Forensic science is defined as the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to the legal system. Besides, in this study we will explain age determination of nuclear materials.

Nuclear power. Volume 2. Nuclear power project management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, E.S.

1978-01-01

NUCLEAR POWER PLANT DESIGN is intended to be used as a working reference book for management, engineers and designers, and as a graduate-level text for engineering students. The book is designed to combine theory with practical nuclear power engineering and design experience, and to give the reader an up-to-date view of the status of nuclear power and a basic understanding of how nuclear power plants function. Volume 2 contains the following chapters: (1) review of nuclear power plants; (2) licensing procedures; (3) safety analysis; (4) project professional services; (5) quality assurance and project organization; (6) construction, scheduling, and operation; (7) nuclear fuel handling and fuel management; (8) plant cost management; and (9) conclusion

Nuclear disarmament and the elimination of nuclear dangers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Daerr, Hans-Joachim

2002-01-01

... today's threats to security and stability have become less predictable and require at the same time a joint response. They illustrate the need for a new international order organized around shared values, common norms of behaviour and the rule of law. Disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation are indispensable elements of this cooperative international order... We have to make sure that the functions that are today attributed to nuclear weapons become dispensable ... Nuclear disarmament is the counterpart of the renunciation of nuclear weapons by non-nuclear-weapons states. This bargain must not be undermined ... The NPT is no licence to perpetuate the status of the nuclear 'haves' versus the nuclear 'have nots.' (author)

Nuclear material control systems for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-06-01

Paragraph 70.51(c) of 10 CFR Part 70 requires each licensee who is authorized to possess at any one time special nuclear material in a quantity exceeding one effective kilogram to establish, maintain, and follow written material control and accounting procedures that are sufficient to enable the licensee to account for the special nuclear material in his possession under license. While other paragraphs and sections of Part 70 provide specific requirements for nuclear material control systems for fuel cycle plants, such detailed requirements are not included for nuclear power reactors. This guide identifies elements acceptable to the NRC staff for a nuclear material control system for nuclear power reactors. (U.S.)

Nuclear knowledge, trust and public acceptance of nuclear developments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berdahl, A.L.; Bell, B.S.; Bourassa, C.M.; Fried, D.J., E-mail: Loleen.Berdahl@usask.ca, E-mail: Bourassa@edwards.usask.ca, E-mail: Scott.Bell@usask.ca, E-mail: Jana.Fried@usask.ca [Univ. of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

2014-07-01

While nuclear sector activities remain contentious public issues, studies suggest that knowledge levels and trust in nuclear actors can influence public attitudes. Drawing on original data from a 2013 representative telephone survey of Saskatchewan residents, this paper considers the extent to which knowledge and trust influence support for nuclear developments. Saskatchewan provides an interesting case study: while the province has a robust uranium mining industry, there are no nuclear power facilities, and the potential development of nuclear energy and nuclear fuel waste storage has been a source of spirited public debate. The study's results have implications for public education and policy initiatives regarding nuclear power developments. (author)

Nuclear knowledge, trust and public acceptance of nuclear developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berdahl, A.L.; Bell, B.S.; Bourassa, C.M.; Fried, D.J.

2014-01-01

While nuclear sector activities remain contentious public issues, studies suggest that knowledge levels and trust in nuclear actors can influence public attitudes. Drawing on original data from a 2013 representative telephone survey of Saskatchewan residents, this paper considers the extent to which knowledge and trust influence support for nuclear developments. Saskatchewan provides an interesting case study: while the province has a robust uranium mining industry, there are no nuclear power facilities, and the potential development of nuclear energy and nuclear fuel waste storage has been a source of spirited public debate. The study's results have implications for public education and policy initiatives regarding nuclear power developments. (author)

Nuclear energy and the nuclear industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chester, K.

1982-01-01

In order to make a real contribution to the nuclear energy debate (is nuclear energy the limitless solution to man's energy problems or the path to man's destruction) people must be aware of the facts. The Science Reference Library (SRL) has a collection of the primary sources of information on nuclear energy - especially journals. This guideline aims to draw attention to the up-to-date literature on nuclear energy and its technology, freely available for consultation in the main Holborn reading room. After explanations of where to look for particular types of information and the SRL classification, the booklet gives lists and brief notes on the sources held. These are abstracting and indexing periodicals and periodicals. Reports, conference proceedings, patents, bibliographies, directories, year-books and buyer's guides are covered very briefly but not listed. Nuclear reactor data and organisations are also listed with brief details of each. (U.K.)

Nuclear Liability and Insurance for nuclear Damage in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reitsma, S. M. S.

1998-01-01

With nuclear power generating 43% of its total electricity production, Switzerland is amongst the states, employing the highest percentage of nuclear electricity. Although, the country has not ratified any of the international Nuclear Liability Conventions, its Nuclear Third Party Liability Act reflects all the principles, underlying those Conventions. The statutory liability of the operator of a Swiss nuclear installation itself being unlimited, the total insurance limit of CHF 770 m. provides the highest private insurance protection worldwide. With the support of its foreign Reinsurance Pools, the capacity for this insurance guarantee has, over more than 40 years, been built up by the Swiss Nuclear Insurance Pool. Apart from Third Party Liability cover, the Pool also provides Property insurance to Swiss nuclear installation operators and reinsurance cover to other nuclear insurers worldwide. (author)

The World Nuclear University: New partnership in nuclear education

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-07-01

The important role which the IAEA plays in assisting Member States in the preservation and enhancement of nuclear knowledge and in facilitating international collaboration in this area has been recognized by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in resolutions GC(46)/RES/11B, GC(47)/RES/10B, GC(48)/RES/13 and GC(50)/RES/13. A continued focus of IAEA activities in managing nuclear knowledge is to support Member States to secure and sustain human resources for the nuclear sector, comprising both the replacement of retiring staff and building of new capacity. The IAEA assists Member States, particularly developing ones, in their efforts to sustain nuclear education and training in all areas of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, which is a necessary prerequisite for succession planning, in particular through the networking of nuclear education and training, including activities of the World Nuclear University (WNU) and the Asian Network for Education in Nuclear Technology (ANENT). The report on the attached CD-ROM, The World Nuclear University: New Partnership in Nuclear Education, gives an overview of the history of the development of the World Nuclear University and related IAEA activities and contains an analysis and recommendations from the first WNU Summer Institute, held in 2005 in the USA

Emergency response and nuclear risk governance. Nuclear safety at nuclear power plant accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhlen, Johannes

2014-01-01

The present study entitled ''Emergency Response and Nuclear Risk Governance: nuclear safety at nuclear power plant accidents'' deals with issues of the protection of the population and the environment against hazardous radiation (the hazards of nuclear energy) and the harmful effects of radioactivity during nuclear power plant accidents. The aim of this study is to contribute to both the identification and remediation of shortcomings and deficits in the management of severe nuclear accidents like those that occurred at Chernobyl in 1986 and at Fukushima in 2011 as well as to the improvement and harmonization of plans and measures taken on an international level in nuclear emergency management. This thesis is divided into a theoretical part and an empirical part. The theoretical part focuses on embedding the subject in a specifically global governance concept, which includes, as far as Nuclear Risk Governance is concerned, the global governance of nuclear risks. Due to their characteristic features the following governance concepts can be assigned to these risks: Nuclear Safety Governance is related to safety, Nuclear Security Governance to security and NonProliferation Governance to safeguards. The subject of investigation of the present study is as a special case of the Nuclear Safety Governance, the Nuclear Emergency governance, which refers to off-site emergency response. The global impact of nuclear accidents and the concepts of security, safety culture and residual risk are contemplated in this context. The findings (accident sequences, their consequences and implications) from the analyses of two reactor accidents prior to Fukushima (Three Mile Iceland in 1979, Chernobyl in 1986) are examined from a historical analytical perspective and the state of the Nuclear Emergency governance and international cooperation aimed at improving nuclear safety after Chernobyl is portrayed by discussing, among other topics, examples of &apos

The Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security (A 'Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research' contest entry from the 2011 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pope, Gary A.

2011-01-01

'The Center for Frontiers of Subsurface Energy Security (CFSES)' was submitted to the 'Life at the Frontiers of Energy Research' video contest at the 2011 Science for Our Nation's Energy Future: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) Summit and Forum. Twenty-six EFRCs created short videos to highlight their mission and their work. CFSES is directed by Gary A. Pope at the University of Texas at Austin and partners with Sandia National Laboratories. The Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science established the 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) in 2009. These collaboratively-organized centers conduct fundamental research focused on 'grand challenges' and use-inspired 'basic research needs' recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The overall purpose is to accelerate scientific progress toward meeting the nation's critical energy challenges.

Nuclear physics