Governance, institutional capacity and partnerships in local economic development: theoretical issues and empirical evidence from the Humber Sub-region

Recent research on local and regional economic development has focused upon transformations in local governance and institutional capacity. It has been argued that local authorities have ceded power to other actors and institutions involved in economic development and regeneration, and that the success of local and regional economic development is closely related to the strength of 'institutional capacity' within an area. In this paper, we examine these claims with reference to the operation of EU Structural Funds in the Humber Sub-region of the UK. Previous research on local governance and institutional capacity has had a limited empirical focus, drawing conclusions from studies of either economically 'successful' regions or regions undergoing regulatory and institutional transformation and precluding analysis of the nature and conditions of local governance and institutional capacity in less developed regions. Our case study evidence not only suggests that arguments about the declining influence of the local state are overdrawn, but also indicates a need for more nuanced accounts of the role of institutional capacity in regional development.     

新时期的新疆人口问题及其调控对策

西部大开发战略给新疆发展带来了难得的历史机遇,人口作为PRED的重要组成部分,对新疆的开发和实施可持续发展具有十分重要的作用。本文详细分析了新疆人口的空间分布特点及其时间变化态势,并运用系统动力学模型对未来人口的变化趋势和绿洲人口合理容量进行了模拟仿真,提出了人口增长的高中低三个方案,在分析了人口增长过快所带来问题的基础上,提出了相应的对策建议。     

帕雷托公式重构及其与城市体系演化

本文首次提出并论证了帕雷托公式关于城市体系规模结构"均衡度"和"结构容量"两个指数,并以此对传统的帕雷托公式进行重新构建。重构后的帕雷托公式不仅成为描述城市体系规模分布的一般性模式,还全面展示了城市体系的各种演化状态,使其应用范围得以扩展。最后本文成功地运用重构后的帕雷托公式对"八五"期间我国各大区城市体系的演化状态作了全方位的应用性研究。     

珠江河口区可持续发展崭新模式--建设生态河口研究

生态河口是河口区发展的一种理念和模式。本文在分析珠江河口区面临的严重挑战和遇到的难得发展机遇的基础上,提出了建设生态河口是珠江三角洲未来可持续发展的崭新模式。并在科学发展观的指导下,提出建设珠江生态河口的战略对策.以期为河口三角洲地区的可持续发展寻求一种崭新的可持续发展理念和模式。     

Flexural Performance of Small Fir and Pine Timber Beams Strengthened With Near-Surface Mounted Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (NSM CFRP) Plates and Rods

In order to study the flexural performance of fir and pine timber beams strengthened with near-surface mounted carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates and rods, bending tests on 20 specimens are carried out, including four unstrengthened specimens, four specimens strengthened with CFRP plate with the dimension of 1.4 mm × 30 mm, four specimens strengthened with CFRP plate with the dimension of 2.8 mm × 30 mm, four specimens strengthened with one Φ6 mm CFRP rod, and four specimens strengthened with one Φ8 mm CFRP rod. The proportions of fir specimens and pine specimens are 50% and 50%. The results show that compared with the unstrengthened specimens, there is an improvement in flexural capacity and stiffness of the specimens strengthened with near-surface mounted CFRP plates and rods respectively. Finally, the calculation formulas of the flexural capacity of fir and pine timber beams strengthened with near-surface mounted CFRP plates and rods are presented.     

An assessment of attributing public healthcare infrastructure damage in the Donbas five years after Euromaidan: implications for Ukrainian state legitimacy

ABSTRACT

From the onset of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine in 2014, significant damage has been wrought to the public health infrastructure of the Donbas region. To date however, the full extent of that damage which is substantial, has not been documented: attribution of blame for that damage has not been attempted; and the implications for the region’s residents in terms of access to clinics and hospitals has been difficult to assess. This paper presents a spatial database of damaged facilities and relates that to the fighting to assess whether the damage incurred was collateral or targeted. The concept of state capacity is used to frame a discussion of what the consequences are for those residents remaining and for the challenges this crisis presents to the legitimacy of the Ukrainian government.     

Conservation of archaeological mosaic pavements by means of reburial

Abstract

In a burial environment ancient mosaic pavements are subject to a variety of mechanisms of deterioration, both physical and chemical. However, many pavements have survived, sometimes in exceptional condition. Additionally, some mosaics that have been discovered in recent times and reburied as a means of protection have also been well preserved. This indicates that reburial can be an effective means of preventive conservation and a viable response to the need for conservation of exposed mosaics on many archaeological sites. For reburial to be successful, risks to the mosaic must be accurately appraised and the design of the reburial must be well specified, following a rigorous conservation methodology.     

SEISMIC RISK ASSESSMENT OF RC STRUCTURES WITH THE “2000 SAC/FEMA” METHOD

The applicability of a new, fully probabilistic approach to seismic design and assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures is investigated. Fundamental advantages of the method are mathematical simplicity and comparatively light computational effort. The original formulation, which was developed for steel structures, is first illustrated; ah extension which allows consideration of multiple failure mechanisms, typical of RC structures, is then proposed. The applicability of the method is demonstrated through an example: the seismic risk of a four storey RC building that was not designed for seismic resistance is evaluated. Three failure mechanisms are considered: joint failure, column shear failure and drift failure.     

How to Reform a Reform Coalition: Outreach, Agenda Expansion, and Brokerage in Urban School Reform

Coalitions have always played an advocacy role in policymaking, but they are increasingly regarded as a form of community capacity that can be harnessed to civic ends. As explored in this study of urban school reform in Oakland, California, this civic view of coalitions confronts a tension between the cohesiveness and the inclusiveness of coalitions. Coalitions unified around cohesive goals and beliefs are often narrowly based, which can encourage the formation of rival coalitions. By contrast, reform coalitions that build broad-based support across the community may have difficulty developing coherent reform strategies. Using a social network analysis of key stakeholders to analyze the challenges of building civic capacity in Oakland, we find that the school district's recent reform experience more closely resembles an advocacy coalition than a broad civic coalition. The article then explores strategies for developing a broad civic coalition by expanding the existing advocacy coalition. We use the network analysis to identify opportunities for brokerage across individuals, institutions, and issues.