Municipalities and energy efficiency in countries in transition: Review of factors that determine municipal involvement in the markets for energy services and energy efficient equipment,or how to augment the role of municipalities as market players

It is widely recognized that many cost-efficient opportunities to employ end-use energy efficiency measures exist in countries in transition (CITs) and that municipal authorities have an essential role to play in capturing these opportunities. The aim of this paper is to review the factors that determine the degree of involvement of local authorities in the market for energy services and energy efficient (EE) equipment in three CITs: Bulgaria, Hungary and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (hereafter: Macedonia). We achieve this aim by examining the current status of local governments as the most powerful determinant of municipal market involvement. Two broad groups of factors are discussed: statutory obligations and powers of local governments, especially energy-related tasks, and finance. We explain how specific features within these two areas may influence the motivation of local authorities to improve energy efficiency and their capacity to do so. We argue that greater decentralization is the first step in augmenting the role of local authorities in the market for energy services and EE equipment. Based on the analysis we give recommendations on how to encourage municipal authorities to use market mechanisms more extensively to deliver energy efficiency.     

On Multiple Scattering of Radiation by an Infinite Grating of Dielectric Circular Cylinders at Oblique Incidence

A rigorous analytical representation for the multiple scattering coefficients of the fields radiated by an infinite grating of dielectric circular cylinders excited by an obliquely incident plane electromagnetic wave is derived in terms of the “well-known scattering coefficients of an isolated dielectric cylinder at oblique incidence” and “Schlömilch series”. In addition, a generalized sum-integral grating equation is acquired for the multiple scattered amplitude of a cylinder at oblique incidence in the grating in terms of the scattering coefficients of the insulating dielectric circular cylinder at oblique incidence.     

Three-dimensional modeling of AC space charge for large-signal TWT simulation

We describe a new model for calculating the ac space charge in a linear-beam traveling wave tube (TWT) large-signal simulation code when the true three-dimensional (3-D) geometry of the interaction circuit is taken into account. We use the 3-D electromagnetic simulation code CTLSS to characterize the ac space charge fields generated by a set of test currents placed inside the periodic interaction structure. This information, expressed in matrix form, is used by the large-signal simulation codes CHRISTINE-1D and CHRISTINE-3D to compute self-consistently the additional space charge field terms due to the structure in response to the beam evolution during the simulation. We present the formulation, and describe the implementation in both CTLSS and the large-signal codes. We validate the model by comparison with the analytical sheath helix model, and evaluate the importance of including this correction for modeling a number of helix and coupled-cavity TWT devices.     

The Density of Wheat Starch Granules: A Tracer Dilution Procedure for Determining the Density of an Immiscible Dispersed Phase

A new method for the determination of the hydrated density of starch granules is presented. The method is based on dilution of a high molecular weight dye. Both mechanical damage and increased temperature lower the hydrated density. Treatment with toluene-acetone and dry heating had significant effects on the density of damaged but not on intact granules. The method should have wide application to other biological materials and solvent systems.     

Functional Peptide Monolayers at Interfaces

Amphiphilic peptides can be designed to form ordered supramolecular structures at hydrophilic-hydrophobic interfaces. These systems rely on the ability of peptides to fold into certain secondary structures at interfaces. This review focuses on the design of amphiphilic β-sheet peptide assemblies in monolayers at interfaces, and their relevance to inducing mineralization and interactions with specific ions. In addition, the review discusses recent studies demonstrating the applicability of designed amphiphilic β-sheet peptides to detection of specific small molecules and to elucidating intermolecular interactions relevant to drug delivery and enzyme catalysis systems.     

Batch scheduling on uniform machines to minimize total flow-time

The solution of the classical batch scheduling problem with identical jobs and setup times to minimize flowtime is known for twenty five years. In this paper we extend this result to a setting of two uniform machines with machine-dependent setup times. We introduce an O(n) solution for the relaxed version (allowing non-integer batch sizes), followed by a simple rounding procedure to obtain integer batch sizes.     

Fast Distributed Network Decompositions and Covers

This paper presents deterministic sublinear-time distributed algorithms for network decomposition and for constructing a sparse neighborhood cover of a network. The latter construction leads to improved distributed preprocessing time for a number of distributed algorithms, including all-pairs shortest paths computation, load balancing, broadcast, and bandwidth management.     

Hypothesis evaluation from a Bayesian perspective.

Explores the potential of Bayesian inference as a theoretical framework for describing how people evaluate hypotheses. First, a set of logically possible forms of non-Bayesian behavior is identified. Second, existing research is reviewed in a variety of areas to see whether these possibilities are ever realized. The analysis shows that in some situations several apparently distinct phenomena are usefully viewed as special cases of the same kind of behavior, whereas in other situations previous investigations have conferred a common label (e.g., confirmation bias) to several distinct phenomena. A number of attributions of judgmental bias are called into question, and it is suggested that in some cases the bias is different than what has previously been claimed, whereas in others there may be no bias at all. (89 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Analyses of activity design in geometry in the light of student actions

Abstract

The goal of this study is to show that inquiry activities in a dynamic geometry environment, intentionally designed to confront students with contradictions and uncertainties, push them towards explanations that include deductive elements. Three different but dependent aspects of the activities are characterized and analysed: The epistemological, which includes all possible inquiry paths; the didactic, which involves only those paths that reflect the intention of the designer; and the cognitive, which accounts for actual student actions (conjectures and explanations) and their analyses. The research conclusions are based on the interplay among these three aspects. The analysis of students’ investigations and the analysis of their explanations fulfil, to a broad extent, the design goals.