Marriage Matching with Correlated Preferences

Authors of experimental, empirical, theoretical and computational studies of two-sided matching markets have recognized the importance of correlated preferences. We develop a general method for the study of the effect of correlation of preferences on the outcomes generated by two-sided matching mechanisms. We then illustrate our method by using it to quantify the effect of correlation of preferences on satisfaction with the men-propose Gale-Shapley matching for a simple one-to-one matching problem.

Specification matching of object-oriented components

Object-orientation supports software reuse via features such as abstraction, information hiding, polymorphism, inheritance and redefinition. However, while libraries of classes do exist, one of the challenges that still remains is to locate suitable classes and adapt them to meet the specific requirements of the software developer. Traditional approaches to library retrieval are text-based; it is therefore difficult for the developer to express their requirements in a precise and unambiguous manner. A more promising approach is specification-based retrieval, where library component interfaces and requirements are expressed using a formal specification language. In this case retrieval is based on matching formal specifications. In this paper we describe how existing approaches to specification matching can be extended to handle object-oriented components.

Sediment accretion and organic carbon burial relative to sea-level rise and storm events in two mangrove forests in Everglades National Park

The goal of this investigation was to examine how sediment accretion and organic carbon (OC) burial rates in mangrove forests respond to climate change. Specifically, will the accretion rates keep pace with sea-level rise, and what is the source and fate of OC in the system? Mass accumulation, accretion and OC burial rates were determined via 210Pb dating (i.e. 100 year time scale) on sediment cores collected from two mangrove forest sites within Everglades National Park, Florida (USA). Enhanced mass accumulation, accretion and OC burial rates were found in an upper layer that corresponded to a well-documented storm surge deposit. Accretion rates were 5.9 and 6.5 mm yr− 1 within the storm deposit compared to overall rates of 2.5 and 3.6 mm yr− 1. These rates were found to be matching or exceeding average sea-level rise reported for Key West, Florida. Organic carbon burial rates were 260 and 393 g m− 2 yr− 1 within the storm deposit compared to 151 and 168 g m− 2 yr− 1 overall burial rates. The overall rates are similar to global estimates for OC burial in marine wetlands. With tropical storms being a frequent occurrence in this region the resulting storm surge deposits are an important mechanism for maintaining both overall accretion and OC burial rates. Enhanced OC burial rates within the storm deposit could be due to an increase in productivity created from higher concentrations of phosphorus within storm-delivered sediments and/or from the deposition of allochthonous OC. Climate change-amplified storms and sea-level rise could damage mangrove forests, exposing previously buried OC to oxidation and contribute to increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, the processes described here provide a mechanism whereby oxidation of OC would be limited and the overall OC reservoir maintained within the mangrove forest sediments.

Sediment Accretion and Organic Carbon Burial Relative to Sea-Level Rise and Storm Events in Two Mangrove Forests in Everglades National Park

The goal of this investigation was to examine how sediment accretion and organic carbon (OC) burial rates in mangrove forests respond to climate change. Specifically, will the accretion rates keep pace with sea-level rise, and what is the source and fate of OC in the system? Mass accumulation, accretion and OC burial rates were determined via 210Pb dating (i.e. 100 year time scale) on sediment cores collected from two mangrove forest sites within Everglades National Park, Florida (USA). Enhanced mass accumulation, accretion and OC burial rates were found in an upper layer that corresponded to a well-documented storm surge deposit. Accretion rates were 5.9 and 6.5 mm yr− 1 within the storm deposit compared to overall rates of 2.5 and 3.6 mm yr− 1. These rates were found to be matching or exceeding average sea-level rise reported for Key West, Florida. Organic carbon burial rates were 260 and 393 g m− 2 yr− 1 within the storm deposit compared to 151 and 168 g m− 2 yr− 1 overall burial rates. The overall rates are similar to global estimates for OC burial in marine wetlands. With tropical storms being a frequent occurrence in this region the resulting storm surge deposits are an important mechanism for maintaining both overall accretion and OC burial rates. Enhanced OC burial rates within the storm deposit could be due to an increase in productivity created from higher concentrations of phosphorus within storm-delivered sediments and/or from the deposition of allochthonous OC. Climate change-amplified storms and sea-level rise could damage mangrove forests, exposing previously buried OC to oxidation and contribute to increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations. However, the processes described here provide a mechanism whereby oxidation of OC would be limited and the overall OC reservoir maintained within the mangrove forest sediments.

Memory-Based Attentional Guidance: A Window to the Relationship between Working Memory and Attention

Attention, the cognitive means by which we prioritize the processing of a subset of information, is necessary for operating efficiently and effectively in the world. Thus, a critical theoretical question is how information is selected. In the visual domain, working memory (WM)—which refers to the short-term maintenance and manipulation of information that is no longer accessible by the senses—has been highlighted as an important determinant of what is selected by visual attention. Furthermore, although WM and attention have traditionally been conceived as separate cognitive constructs, an abundance of behavioral and neural evidence indicates that these two domains are in fact intertwined and overlapping. The aim of this dissertation is to better understand the nature of WM and attention, primarily through the phenomenon of memory-based attentional guidance, whereby the active maintenance of items in visual WM reliably biases the deployment of attention to memory-matching items in the visual environment. The research presented here employs a combination of behavioral, functional imaging, and computational modeling techniques that address: (1) WM guidance effects with respect to the traditional dichotomy of top-down versus bottom-up attentional control; (2) under what circumstances the contents of WM impact visual attention; and (3) the broader hypothesis of a predictive and competitive interaction between WM and attention. Collectively, these empirical findings reveal the importance of WM as a distinct factor in attentional control and support current models of multiple-state WM, which may have broader implications for how we select and maintain information.

Matching theory based travel plan aware charging algorithms in V2G smart grid networks

The frequency, time and places of charging have large impact on the Quality of Experience (QoE) of EV drivers. It is critical to design effective EV charging scheduling system to improve the QoE of EV drivers. In order to improve EV charging QoE and utilization of CSs, we develop an innovative travel plan aware charging scheduling scheme for moving EVs to be charged at Charging Stations (CS). In the design of the proposed charging scheduling scheme for moving EVs, the travel routes of EVs and the utility of CSs are taken into consideration. The assignment of EVs to CSs is modeled as a two-sided many-to-one matching game with the objective of maximizing the system utility which reflects the satisfactory degrees of EVs and the profits of CSs. A Stable Matching Algorithm (SMA) is proposed to seek stable matching between charging EVs and CSs. Furthermore, an improved Learning based On-LiNe scheduling Algorithm (LONA) is proposed to be executed by each CS in a distributed manner. The performance gain of the average system utility by the SMA is up to 38.2% comparing to the Random Charging Scheduling (RCS) algorithm, and 4.67% comparing to Only utility of Electric Vehicle Concerned (OEVC) scheme. The effectiveness of the proposed SMA and LONA is also demonstrated by simulations in terms of the satisfactory ratio of charging EVs and the the convergence speed of iteration.

Prospective ultramorphological characterization of human hair by optical coherence tomography

Background/purpose The continuous advancement in cosmetic science has led to an increasing demand for the development of non-invasive, reliable scientific techniques directed toward claim substantiation, which is of utmost relevance, to obtain data regarding the efficacy and safety of cosmetic products. Methods In this work, we used the optical coherence tomography (OCT) technique to produce in vitro transversal section-images of human hair. We also compared the OCT signal before and after chemical treatment with an 18% w/w ammonium thioglycolate solution. Results The mean diameter of the medulla was 29 +/- 7 mu m and the hair diameter was 122 +/- 16 mu m in our samples of standard Afro-ethnic hair. A three-dimensional (3D) image was constructed starting from 601 cross-sectional images (slices). Each slice was taken in steps of 6.0 mu m at eight frames per second, and the entire 3D image was constructed in 60 s. Conclusion It was possible to identify, using the A-scan protocol, the principal structures: the cuticle, cortex and medulla. After chemical treatment, it was not possible to identify the main structures of hair fiber due to index matching promoted by deleterious action of the chemical agent.

Stability property of matchings is a natural solution concept in coalitional market games

Stability of matchings was proved to be a new cooperative equilibrium concept in Sotomayor (Dynamics and equilibrium: essays in honor to D. Gale, 1992). That paper introduces the innovation of treating as multi-dimensional the payoff of a player with a quota greater than one. This is done for the many-to-many matching model with additively separable utilities, for which the stability concept is defined. It is then proved, via linear programming, that the set of stable outcomes is nonempty and it may be strictly bigger than the set of dual solutions and strictly smaller than the core. The present paper defines a general concept of stability and shows that this concept is a natural solution concept, stronger than the core concept, for a much more general coalitional game than a matching game. Instead of mutual agreements inside partnerships, the players are allowed to make collective agreements inside coalitions of any size and to distribute his labor among them. A collective agreement determines the level of labor at which the coalition operates and the division, among its members, of the income generated by the coalition. An allocation specifies a set of collective agreements for each player.

Smith and Rawls share a room

We consider one-to-one matching (roommate) problems in which agents (students) can either be matched as pairs or remain single. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, we review a key result for roommate problems (the ``lonely wolf'' theorem) for which we provide a concise and elementary proof. Second, and related to the title of this paper, we show how the often incompatible concepts of stability (represented by the political economist Adam Smith) and fairness (represented by the political philosopher John Rawls) can be reconciled for roommate problems.

Consistency and population sensitivity properties in marriage and Rrommate markets

We consider one-to-one matching markets in which agents can either be matched as pairs or remain single. In these so-called roommate markets agents are consumers and resources at the same time. Klaus (Games Econ Behav 72:172-186, 2011) introduced two new "population sensitivity" properties that capture the effect newcomers have on incumbent agents: competition sensitivity and resource sensitivity. On various roommate market domains (marriage markets, no-odd-rings roommate markets, solvable roommate markets),we characterize the core using either of the population sensitivity properties in addition to weak unanimity and consistency. On the domain of all roommate markets, we obtain two associated impossibility results.

Post-mortem cardiac 3-T magnetic resonance imaging: visualization of sudden cardiac death?

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate post-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (pmMRI) for the assessment of myocardial infarction and hypointensities on post-mortem T2-weighted images as a possible method for visualizing the myocardial origin of arrhythmic sudden cardiac death. BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac death has challenged clinical and forensic pathologists for decades because verification on post-mortem autopsy is not possible. pmMRI as an autopsy-supporting examination technique has been shown to visualize different stages of myocardial infarction. METHODS: In 136 human forensic corpses, a post-mortem cardiac MR examination was carried out prior to forensic autopsy. Short-axis and horizontal long-axis images were acquired in situ on a 3-T system. RESULTS: In 76 cases, myocardial findings could be documented and correlated to the autopsy findings. Within these 76 study cases, a total of 124 myocardial lesions were detected on pmMRI (chronic: 25; subacute: 16; acute: 30; and peracute: 53). Chronic, subacute, and acute infarction cases correlated excellently to the myocardial findings on autopsy. Peracute infarctions (age range: minutes to approximately 1 h) were not visible on macroscopic autopsy or histological examination. Peracute infarction areas detected on pmMRI could be verified in targeted histological investigations in 62.3% of cases and could be related to a matching coronary finding in 84.9%. A total of 15.1% of peracute lesions on pmMRI lacked a matching coronary finding but presented with severe myocardial hypertrophy or cocaine intoxication facilitating a cardiac death without verifiable coronary stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: 3-T pmMRI visualizes chronic, subacute, and acute myocardial infarction in situ. In peracute infarction as a possible cause of sudden cardiac death, it demonstrates affected myocardial areas not visible on autopsy. pmMRI should be considered as a feasible post-mortem investigation technique for the deceased patient if no consent for a clinical autopsy is obtained.

09032-017 Miller Creek Watershed Final Report

Miller Creek is on the 2006 Section 303d Impaired Waters List and has a 19,926 acre watershed. All indicators, as reported in the Miller Creek assessment, show that the impairment is due to sediment and nutrient delivery from upland runoff which contributes to elevated water temperatures, excessive algae, and low dissolved oxygen levels within the stream. In an effort to control these problems, the Miller Creek Water Quality Project will target areas of 5 tons per acre or greater soil loss or with 0.5 tons per acre or greater sediment delivery rates. The assessment revealed these targeted priority lands make up 32% or 6,395 acres of the Miller Creek watershed. Priority lands include cropland, pasture land, timber, and sensitive riparian areas. It is the goal of this project to reduce sediment delivery by 70% on 60% or 3,837 acres of these priority lands. This will be accomplished through installation of strategically placed structural practices, rotational grazing systems, and buffer strips. These practices will reduce soil loss, reduce sediment delivery, improve water quality, and improve wildlife habitat in the watershed. Utilizing partnerships with NRCS and IDALS-DSC will be important in making this project successful. In addition to using matching funds from EQIP, WHIP, and CRP, the Monroe SWCD is committed to prioritizing local cost share funds through IFIP and REAP for use in the Miller Creek Watershed.

Hiljaisen tiedon siirtymisen mahdollisuudet ja esteet mentoroinnin avulla

Työn tavoitteena oli selvittää, millaisia mahdollisuuksia ja esteitä hiljaisen tiedon siirtymiselle mentoroinnin avulla oli ”Yritykset opiskelijoiden kummeina” – projektissa. Tutkimuksessa kartoitettiin millaiset yrittäjän ja opiskelijan ominaispiirteet tukevat ja estävät hiljaisen tiedon siirtymistä. Lisäksi tutkittiin millaista tietoa mentorointiprosessissa siirtyy sekä kysyttiin opiskelijoiden mielipiteitä kummitoiminnan kehittämisestä tulevaisuudessa. Empiirisen tutkimuksen kohderyhmä oli projektiin osallistuvat Lappeenrannan teknillisen yliopiston opiskelijat. Tutkimus toteutettiin sähköpostikyselynä tammikuussa 2004. Tutkimuksen tuloksena oli, että 58 % vastaajista koki oppineensa hiljaista tietoa projektin avulla enemmän kuin kykenevät sanoin kertomaan. Projektin avulla työllistyi 16 % ja harjoitustöitä yrityksille opintoihinsa liittyen teki 14 % vastaajista. Tiedon siirtymisessä mentoroinnin avulla tärkeimmäksi tekijäksi nousivat opiskelijoiden kyky vastaanottaa tietoa sekä yrittäjän kärsivällisyys opettaa. Esteinä hiljaisen tiedon siirtymiselle koettiin olevan kiire ja aikataulujen yhteensovittaminen.

Kunnallisen palveluyksikön toimintojen kehittäminen ja kustannusten

Työn tavoitteena on sisäisen palveluyksikön prosessikuvauksien kautta kehittää nykyistä toimintaa, laskea tuotettujen palveluiden yksikkökustannuksia ja arvioida palkitsemisen vaikutusta sisäisten tukipalveluiden tuottamisen tehostamiseen Nurmijärven kunnassa. Toimintolaskennalla saadaan aikaiseksi tuotetuille palveluille kustannukset ja tuotehinnoittelu. Tällä saadaan aikaan lähes aiheuttamisperiaatteen mukainen kustannusten kohdistaminen. Lisäksi työssä arvioidaan kustannusten kautta saavutettavaa toiminnan tehokkuutta. Työssä haastateltiin yksikön henkilökuntaa, minkä tuloksena saatiin toiminnasta prosessikuvaukset. Toimintolaskennassa tiedot kerättiin eri järjestelmistä ja yksikössä mitattiin työtehtävien hoitoon käytettyä aikaa. Kannusteiden vaikutuksista järjestettiin kolmen organisaation tietotekniikkayksiköiden henkilökunnalle kysely sekä yksikön esimiehet haastateltiin. Haastattelun avulla selvitettiin palkitsemisen nykytilannetta ja tulevaisuuden kehittämismahdollisuuksia. Tuloksena saatiin tukipalveluhinnasto, jolla toteutettiin sisäisten kustannusten kohdistaminen organisaatiossa. Tukipalveluprosessien kuvaamisen tuloksena saatiin toimenpide-ehdotuksia toteutukseen ja lisäkehittämishankkeita. Työntekijöiden kannustekyselyn tuloksena rahapalkitsemisen lisäksi nousi esiin esimiehen antaman palautteen arvostus sekä oman osaamisen kehittäminen.

Tuotekustannusmallin kehittäminen talotekniikkaelementtitehtaassa

Työn tavoitteena on talotekniikkaelementtitehtaan tuotekustannusmallin kehittäminen. Yritys tarvitsee tuotekohtaista kustannustietoa erityisesti varaston arvon määrittämiseen ja kustannusperusteiseen hinnoitteluun. Tuotekustannusmallin kehittäminen edellyttää nykyisen tuotekustannusmallin sisältämien virheiden ja puutteiden korjaamista. Työssä käydään läpi kaikki tuotekustannusmalliin tehdyt muutokset tuotantovaihekohtaisesti. Uusi tuotekustannusmalli perustuu lähinnä lisäys- ja standardikustannuslaskentaan. Malli laskee tuote- ja tilauskohtaisen minimiomakustannusarvon. Uusi tuotekustannusmalli kohdistaa tuotteille aiheuttamisperiaatteen mukaisesti monia sellaisia kustannuksia, jotka aikaisemmin on jätetty kokonaan kohdistamatta. Eristettyjen ilmanvaihtokanavien sekä vesi- ja lämpöjohtojen kustannusten havaittiin olevan aiemmin luultua matalammat. Elementtien runkojen kustannukset puolestaan nousivat uudessa mallissa. Työn aikana laadittiin myös taulukkolaskentasovellus, jonka avulla voidaan laskea tilaukseen sisältyvien elementtien hankintameno ja kustannusperusteinen hinta.