It's effective and somewhat deceptive: The Competitive/Problem‐Solving style

We know that a combination of personality and circumstantial factors affects how people handle a negotiation. Now, Charles B. Craver , of Washington, D.C., explains how the iconic Cooperative/Problem Solving style has been giving way to a new definition of high effectiveness: negotiators who are ready to solve problems, but also are competitive.     

The Space-Time of Pre-emption: An Interview with Brian Massumi

The philosopher Brian Massumi is known for his explorations of experience, art, media theory and politics and has recently turned his attention to understanding the impact that sustained fear has on perception in a post-9/11 world. In an interview with guest-editor Charles Rice , Massumi defines threat by distinguishing it from real danger and how it manifests itself in both civil and military spaces of pre-emptive action that are primed to the possibilities of attack. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Alternative Paradigms for the Production of Beer

Without consideration of feasibility from perspectives of quality, acceptability to producer or consumer or legal and taxation implications, we have explored the relative cost and environmental implications of new paradigms for the production of beer. An approach based on the flavouring of a purchased bland alcohol source is the most advantageous from this perspective, followed by one based on the in‐house fermentation of a sugar syrup. When compared to the conventional process, these processes provide a range of 2.8 to 73.1% savings for the parameters analysed, which were energy and water usage, carbon dioxide production and effluent production. The largest savings are observed for the water usage parameter, while the smallest difference is seen for specific energy consumption.     

Biomass yield and quality of 20 switchgrass populations in southern Iowa, USA

Renewable bioenergy could be supplied by high yielding grass crops, such as switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.). Successful development of a bioenergy industry will depend on identifying cultivars with high yield potential and acceptable biofuel quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate 20 switchgrass populations in a field study planted in May 1997 in southern Iowa, USA. The populations included released cultivars and experimental germplasm of both upland and lowland ecotypes. Yield, plant height, stand, lodging, leaf:stem ratio, cell wall fiber, total plant nitrogen, and ash were determined on all entries between 1998 and 2001. Ultimate and proximate analyses together with chlorine and major oxide determinations were made on three cultivars in 2000 and 2001. Biomass yield was determined from a single autumn harvest each year. The lowland cultivars ‘Alamo’ and ‘Kanlow’ produced the most biomass, exceeding the production of the widely recommended upland cultivar ‘Cave-In-Rock’. Other traits differed among the cultivars, although the range was less than that for yield. The differences among years were substantially greater for the ultimate, proximate, and major oxide analyses than differences among cultivars. The highest yielding cultivars had low ash, slightly lower fiber concentrations, and moderate levels of important minerals, suggesting that excellent germplasm is available for biofuel production. The persistence of the lowland cultivars in southern Iowa may need more research because the winters during the experiment were mild.     

Impact assessment of push-pull pest management on incomes,productivity and poverty among smallholder households in Eastern Uganda

The paper evaluates the impact of adoption of push-pull technology (PPT) on household welfare in terms of productivity, incomes and poverty status measured through per-capita food consumption in eastern Uganda. Push-pull is a habitat management strategy for the integrated management of stemborers, striga weeds and poor soil fertility involving the use of a natural repellent (push) and an attractant (pull). This biological technology simultaneously reduces the impact of three major production constraints to cereal-livestock farming in Africa ? pests, weeds and poor soil. Cross sectional survey data were collected from 560 households in four districts in the region (Busia, Tororo, Bugiri and Pallisa), in November and December 2014. Generalized propensity scoring (GPS) was used to determine the intensity of adoption of the technology (i.e., land area allocated to PPT) and also to estimate the dose-response function (DRF) relating intensity of adoption and household welfare. Results revealed that with increased intensity of reported adoption of PPT, the probability of being poor declined through increased maize yield per unit area, incomes, and per capita food consumption. However, its impact varied with the intensity of adoption. With an increase in the area allocated to PPT from 0.025 to 1 acre, average maize yield per unit area increased from 27 kg to 1400 kg, average household income increased from 135 US$ (Uganda Shilling (USh) 370,000) to 273 US$ (USh 750,000) and per capita food consumption increased from 15 US$ (USh 40,000) to 27 US$ (USh 75,000). The average probability of a household being poor (below a rural poverty line of US$ 12.71) declined from 48% to 28%. These findings imply that increased investment in the dissemination and expansion of PPT is essential for poverty reduction among smallholder farmers in Uganda.     

Highway bridge loadings

The paper presents a comparison of the AASHTO design live loadings for bridges with various other loading situations. Comparisons are made with some European design live loads, with native and foreign legal loads, normal permit overloads, and abnormal permit loads. The results of a bridge load rating exercise are presented. Some actual bridge load histograms are given, as well as a comprehensive histogram based on the national loadometer surveys for 1970. Fatigue loadings and damage are discussed in the light of actual and design loadings.

It is concluded that it may be timely to increase the AASHTO HS design loadings. To improve the bridge load rating process, it is suggested that some standard load rating vehicle and test method be employed. Further refinement of the fatigue design provisions for steel bridges do not seem warranted in light of the great variation of actual loadings on bridges.