world map (test)

cane yields, 61-09

Market Ecology

AAA - Applications of Ant Algorithms

Trying to work on a model that pulls from ant behavior...looking for parallels for application to fund selection (net long/short positions). A simple model for trail selection and formation in ant colonies is based on how an ant travels over or through a substrate as a function of pheromone trails, presumable laid down by predecessors (this is discussed in detail in ch.13 of Self-Organization in Biological Systems, ed. Camazine, et al, 2001). The equations I am trying to replicate are shown below (disregard matrix):

Replicating the simple probability of an ant choosing the left branch vs. the right branch, can a similar approach be applied to fund management, or even sector selection? Instead of using pheromones as the independent variables, could an analogous equation be derived based on momentum in and/or out of long/short positions? Ie., what is the probability of a new participant (fund manager) entering into a position as a function of the velocity/momentum established by predecessors in that sector? Can a signal be extracted that can let the new participant evaluate if their position is supported?

Thoughts/suggestions welcome, aeroculus at gmail dot com

El Nino & respiratory ailments

Looking to do a study that relates El Nino years with respiratory ailments, focusing on global equatorial region between 20N&20S. Some work by Duncan et al (2003) focused on the 97/98 nino, but I want to do more detailed historical analysis.

thoughts, email to aeroculus at gmail dot com

nature as artifact

will start posting notes for forthcoming essay(s). along lines of nature as artifact...comments welcome

oil dispersion

Per this post, I've already received a couple of inquiries re: how to calculate plume dispersion as a function of the time of year.  I would actually calculate disp. characteristics in both GOM & Atl Ocean connecting with the relationship between the volume released and interaction with the loop current.

will post thoughts...suggestions welcome

Rutgers-NSF IGERT Symposium on Biofuels and Bioenergy

Thursday schedule:

9:00-9:15 Session Opening and Announcements: Session
Theme: Surveying the research landscape of
biomass feedstocks and bioprocessing Session Chair/Moderator (TBA)
9:15-9:45 Opportunities in bioenergy from agricultural
waste: from benchtop to pilot studies Donna Fennell, Environmental Sciences, Rutgers
University
9:45-10:15 Cassava and jatropha as biofuels feedstocks Ming Peng, Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences,
Hainan, China, and/or Peng Zhang, SIBS-ETH Shanghai
Center for Cassava Biotechnology, Shanghai, China
10:15-10:45 Novel biofuels and bioenergy research at
Oklahoma State University Raymond Huhnke, Oklahoma State University and South-
Central Sun Grant
10:45-11:00 break
11:00-11:45 (I) Sugarcane biotechnology and bioengineering
for bioethanol (ii) brief comments on
ESALQ/RU/Ohio State Tripartite exchanges
Helanie Carrer. University of Sao Paulo, ESALQ,
Piracicaba, Brazil
11:45-12:30 Fungal genomics for bioprocessing of cellulosic
plant biomass Gustavo Goldman, University of Sao Paulo, Ribeirao Preto,
Brazil
1:30-1:45 Session Opening and Announcements: Session
Theme: "From Biomass to Biofuels/Bioenergy:
Processing and Conversion Technologies" Session Chair/Moderator (TBA)
1:45 - 2:30 Synfuels systems engineering and technology
transfer: lessons from coal to liquids; prospects
for waste to liquids
Xinying Liu and/or Diane Hildebrandt , University of the
Witwatersrand and COMPS, South Africa
2:30 - 3:00 Engineering process design for biorefining:
ethanol from corn stover Xin Xiao, Institute for Process Engineering, Peking U.,
Beijing, China
3:00 - 3:15 break
3:15 - 3:45 Industrial R&D perspectives on  key steps in
ethanol fermentation process improvement Henrique Amorim, Fermentec Ltd., Piracicaba, Brazil
3:45-4:30 Bioenergy Research Effort at São Paulo State:
Trying to Leverage Natural Advantages José Maria da Silveira, State University of Campinas
(UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
4:30-5:30 Field studies and agronomics for biomass to
biofuels/bioenergy
Margaret Brennan-Tonetta,  Zane Helsel,  and Stacy
Bonos , Sustainable Energy Work Group, Rutgers University
and New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station
5:30-5:45 transition time
5:45 - 8:30
ish
Dinner and Program (beverages/mingling first, them
buffet/sit-down dinner and after-dinner
speaker/program)
TBA: some sort of general interest science talk/film (RU
Scarlet Night  glider from IMCS? Lutz on ocean vents?
etc?..)