Regulation of the informal transport sector in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil: welfare impacts and policy analysis

In Brazil, the explosion of informal transport activity during the past decade has had profound effects on formal public transport systems and is a source of great controversy in the urban transportation sector. A variety of policies have been proposed to manage the growth of the sector. This study seeks to understand how proposed policies will impact the users of these systems. A corridor in Rio de Janeiro with substantial informal activity was used as a case study. Measures of welfare changes in a discrete choice framework were used to estimate proposed policies’ impacts on users. Eleven candidate policies were evaluated, ranging from the eradication of the informal modes and investment in formal modes, to the legalization of the informal modes. Benefits were compared with costs and the distribution of benefits across income classes was explored. Net benefits from some policies were found to be substantial. Legalizing the informal sector was found to benefit users slightly but further investments in the sector are probably inefficient. Users benefited most from improvements in formal mass transit modes, at roughly 100–200 dollars per commuter per year. Finally, policies to foster a competitive environment for the delivery of both informal and formal services were shown to benefit users about 100 dollars per commuter per year. Together, the regulation of the informal sector and investments in the formal sector serve to reinforce the movement towards competitive concessions for services and help reduce the impacts of cartelization and costly in-road competition.

Protecting Rhode Island's coastal salt ponds: An economic assessment of downzoning

Abstract

In southern Rhode Island, there is growing concern that housing and recreational demands will soon overwhelm the capacity of the coastal salt ponds to absorb wastes, produce seafood, and maintain scenic qualities. As a result, coastal towns have been studying the feasibility of using land controls such as downzoning to protect these coastal amenities. The paper presents an economic analysis of the downzoning program proposed in the town of South Kingstown. Hedonic price and contingent valuation methods are used to value coastal amenities. The estimated net present value of “swimmable” water is shown to be $3.1 million.     

Legal and institutional factors affecting mariculture in texas

Abstract

Aquaculture and its specialized cousin, mariculture, provide some potential additional food sources and economic revenues. Technological barriers to increased mariculture production are being removed, but many legal and institutional barriers remain. Examples of the current and potential regulation of mariculture in Texas by state and federal authorities are examined. The effect of various state and federal regulations on the development of mariculture is discussed from a legal and institutional viewpoint. The potential for growth of mariculture is considered questionable without regulatory reforms, particularly at the federal level.     

Automotive Steering Control in a Split-µ Manoeuvre Using an Observer-Based Sliding Mode Controller

Summary In this paper a sliding mode integral action controller and sliding mode observer are used to enhance vehicle stability in a split- µ manoeuvre. Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) have become an integral part of modern cars, and they have dramatically improved vehicle handling in braking manoeuvres. However, when a vehicle attempts to brake on a surface with uneven friction coefficient such as on wet or icy roads, a so-called split- µ scenario, the yaw moment generated by the asymmetric braking can prove demanding for an inexperienced driver. The controller presented hereworks in conjunction with a conventional ABS system to provide safe and effective braking through steer-by-wire. This paper extends previous state-feedback work by only using certain measurable quantities in the controller, estimating further signals by employing an observer.     

Assessing the Potential for Surf Break Co-Management: Evidence from New Zealand

The involvement of surfers in surf break co-management initiatives may assist local authorities in providing for surf breaks and develop community stewardship. This research involved a comparative case study of the Auckland and Otago regions in New Zealand to assess the potential, and identify key ingredients, for successful surf break co-management. An online survey of surf break users (n = 181) and qualitative interviews (n = 16) considered the potential voluntary involvement of surfers, the role of local authorities and types of approach to surf break co-management. Findings indicate a level of support from a proportion of surfers to be involved and stress the need for local authorities to provide a supporting policy response. A local-scale co-management approach, similar to National Surfing Reserves in New South Wales, Australia, is considered more likely to produce positive outcomes compared to the involvement of surf break interests in coastal-wide co-management approaches.     

沥青路面JTJ014与AASHTO设计方法比较

现行JTJ014规范与AASHTO指南两种沥青路面结构设计方法是不同的体系,对两者作一定量的比较.分析和讨论表明,虽然两种结构设计方法有重要区别,但结果高度相关,区别主要体现在可靠度上.在标准排水条件下,JTJ014规范定值设计大体与AASHTO指南标准差S0=0.50、可靠度水平R=90%的结果相当;对于高速、一级公路,这个水平偏低,而对于三、四级公路可能不必要.可靠度的要求可以近似地用BZZ-100累计作用次数的倍数表达;如果需要,可以采用放大或缩小设计累计轴次的方式考虑可靠度作为过渡措施.可靠度可以在很大程度上影响路面的设计结果;研究开发反映实际情况的沥青路面可靠度标准,应当可以提到议事日程.     

脑缺血大鼠脑皮层中强啡肽A（1—13）的经时表达及脑含水量的变化

目的 研究局灶性脑缺血大鼠脑皮层中强啡肽A(1-13)的经时表达及脑含水量的变化.方法 用线栓法建立大鼠大脑中动脉梗塞模型,用免疫组织化学方法观察脑缺血组大鼠及假手术对照组大鼠缺血侧及非缺血侧脑皮层强啡肽A(1-13)在脑缺血100 min后再灌注4、8、24 h的表达及脑含水量的变化.结果 假手术对照组大鼠缺血侧及非缺血侧脑皮层表达强啡肽A(1-13)的细胞数分别是每高倍镜视野(60.2±5.1)个及(61.1±3.9)个,在脑缺血后再灌注4、8、24 h大鼠缺血侧及非缺血侧脑皮层的强啡肽A(1-13)表达细胞数分别是每高倍镜视野(39.3±6.2)个及(60.3±3.7)个、(41.5±5.8)个及(60.1±3.9)个、(25.2±5.1)个及(59.6±5.9)个;而脑缺血后再灌注4、8、24 h的缺血侧含水量逐渐增加.结论 大鼠脑缺血后缺血侧脑皮层的强啡肽A(1-13)表达逐渐减少而含水量逐渐增加.     

破产or救助哪个更能拯救美国汽车业？

2008年,由于汽车销量骤跌、燃油价格飞涨,以及经济萧条等因素,底特律汽车“三巨头”被推向了可能申请破产保护的危险境地。虽然,美国政府打算介入。但关于到底选择破产还是救援的辩论仍然十分激烈。这两个论点都有其道理,那么。奥巴马政府会采取什么方案呢？     

Microbial community structure in the marginal ice zone of the Bellingshausen Sea

Phytoplankton, bacteria and microzooplankton were investigated on a transect in the Bellingshausen Sea during the ice melt period in November–December 1992. The transect along the 85°W meridian comprised seven stations that progressed from solid pack-ice (70°S), through melting ice into open water (67°S). The abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition were determined for each component of the microbial community. The phytoplankton was mostly dominated by diatoms, particularly small (<20 μm) species. Diatom abundance ranged from 66 000 cells l⁻¹ under the ice to 410 000 cells l⁻¹ in open water. Phytoplankton biomass varied from <1 to 167 mg C m⁻³, with diatoms comprising 89–95% of the total biomass in open water and autotrophic nanoflagellates comprising 57% under the ice. The standing stocks of autotrophs in the mixed layer ranged from 95 mg C m⁻² under the pack-ice to 9478 mg C m⁻² in open waters. Bacterial abundance in ice-covered and open water stations varied from 1.1 to 5.5×10⁸ cells l⁻¹. Bacterial biomass ranged from 2.4 mg C m⁻³ under pack-ice to an average of 14 mg C m⁻³ in open water. The microzooplankton consisted mainly of aloricate oligotrich ciliates and heterotrophic dinoflagellates and these were most abundant in open waters. Their biomass varied between 0.2 and 54 mg C m⁻³ with a minimum at depth under the ice and maximum in open surface waters. Microheterotrophic standing stocks varied between 396 mg C m⁻² under pack-ice and 3677 mg C m⁻² in the open waters. The standing stocks of the total microbial community increased consistently from 491 mg C m⁻² at the ice station to 13 155 mg C m⁻² in open waters, reflecting the productive response of the community to ice-melt. The composition of the microbial community also shifted markedly from one dominated by heterotrophs (82% of microbial stocks) at the ice station to one dominated by autotrophs (73% of microbial stocks) in the open water. Our estimates suggest that the microbial community comprised >100% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC) under the ice and 62–66% of the measured POC in the open waters.