Modelling with stakeholders within a development project

This paper brings forth the experiences and lessons of implementing a participatory modelling process, the Companion Modelling (ComMod) approach, to a natural resource management system in the province of Palawan, Philippines. In this study, we explore the added value of using ComMod in a research and development project, and then we describe the actual modelling process, which includes the use of multiple methods for its evaluation, namely, workshop evaluation exercises, criteria & indicators for the project and the ComMod evaluation protocol. We use the lessons of this evaluation to assess the organisational learning and discuss the role of the modelling process within the development project.     

Modelling with stakeholders

Stakeholder engagement, collaboration, or participation, shared learning or fact-finding, have become buzz words and hardly any environmental assessment or modelling effort today can be presented without some kind of reference to stakeholders and their involvement in the process. This is clearly a positive development, but in far too many cases stakeholders have merely been paid lip service and their engagement has consequentially been quite nominal. Nevertheless, it is generally agreed that better decisions are implemented with less conflict and more success when they are driven by stakeholders, that is by those who will be bearing their consequences. Participatory modelling, with its various types and clones, has emerged as a powerful tool that can (a) enhance the stakeholders knowledge and understanding of a system and its dynamics under various conditions, as in collaborative learning, and (b) identify and clarify the impacts of solutions to a given problem, usually related to supporting decision making, policy, regulation or management. In this overview paper we first look at the different types of stakeholder modelling, and compare participatory modelling to other frameworks that involve stakeholder participation. Based on that and on the experience of the projects reported in this issue and elsewhere, we draw some lessons and generalisations. We conclude with an outline of some future directions.     

Functional characteristics of bronchial epithelium obtained by brushing from asthmatic and normal subjects

Airways epithelial cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of asthma, but their role remains to be determined. Epithelial cells can release large amounts of 15-hydroxy-eicosatetranoic acid (15-HETE) and smaller amounts of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) as well as fibronectin, a mediator involved in epithelial repair after injury. Epithelial cells obtained after bronchial brushing of 16 asthmatic (age 38 +/- 5 yr) and 11 normal subjects (age 36 +/- 5 yr) were studied. The percentage of epithelial cells was assessed by immunocytochemistry using an anti-cytokeratin antibody. The viability of the cells was assessed by trypan blue exclusion. The release of 15-HETE PGE2 and fibronectin was studied in resting cells and after A23187 calcium ionophore stimulation. Epithelial cells always comprised more than 86% of cells recovered, and the viability of epithelial cells was significantly (p < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U test) greater in normal subjects (54 +/- 5%) compared with asthmatic subjects (13 +/- 1%). The release of 15-HETE and fibronectin by resting epithelial cells was significantly greater in asthmatics (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney U test) than in normal subjects. A23187 significantly (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon W test) increased the release of 15-HETE and fibronectin. There was no significant difference in the release of PGE2 by resting cells from either asthmatics or normal subjects, but challenge with A23187 induced a significant (p < 0.03, Wilcoxon W test) increase in PGE2 from cells of asthmatics but not from cells of normal subjects. This study shows that epithelial cells are activated and less viable in asthma and suggests a role for these cells in asthma.     

Reusing a JML Specification Dedicated to Verification for Testing,and Vice-Versa: Case Studies

Testing and verification are two activities which have the same objective: to ensure software dependability. In the Java context, the Java Modelling Language (JML) has been proposed as specification language. It can be used both for verification and test. Usually, the JML specification is designed with a specific purpose: test or verification. This article addresses the question of reusability of a JML specification provided for one activity (resp. verification or test) in the other context (resp. test or verification). Two different case studies are considered.     

Active matrix QD‐LED with top emission structure by UV lithography for RGB patterning

We have developed full colour top emitting quantum dot light‐emitting diode (QD‐LED) display driven by a 176‐ppi active matrix of metal oxide thin‐film transistors. Red, green and blue (RGB) QD‐LED subpixel emission layers are patterned by our original UV photolithography process and materials. We also demonstrate the potential to achieve high resolution such as 528 ppi using this process.     

Thermodynamic Radiation Thermometry for the Next SI

The construction, the calibration, and the use of the NIST Thermodynamic Radiation Thermometer (TRT) to measure the temperature of the gold freezing temperature blackbody and a variable-temperature blackbody from 800 to 2,700°C are described. These temperature determinations are detector-based and derived from the electrical substitution radiometer and length units. The TRT is constructed using a cooled, near-infrared enhanced silicon detector with a room-temperature-stabilized five-position filter wheel. The characteristics of the TRT, such as the size-of-source effect and preamplifier linearity, are determined. The measured temperatures are compared with those obtained using the NIST Absolute Pyrometer 1 (AP1) and the current NIST standard radiation thermometer, the Photoelectric Pyrometer (PEP). After the performance assessments, the TRT will become the standard radiation thermometer for disseminating radiance temperature scales in the United States.