Manchester Metropolitan University

About: Manchester Metropolitan University is a education organization based out in Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 5435 authors who have published 16202 publications receiving 442561 citations. The organization is also known as: Manchester Polytechnic & MMU.

Formalizing the cooperative problem solving process

Abstract: One objective of distributed artificial intelligence research is to build systems that are capable of cooperative problem solving To this end, a number of implementation oriented models of cooperative problem solving have been developed However, mathematical models of social activity have focussed only on limited aspects of the cooperative problem solving process: no mathematical model of the entire process has yet been described In this paper, we rectify this omission We present a preliminary model that describes the cooperative problem solving process from recognition of the potential for cooperation through to team action The model is formalised by representing it as a theory in a quantified multi-modal logic A key feature of the model is its reliance on the twin notions of commitments and conventions; conventions (protocols for monitoring commitments) are formalised for the first time in this paper We comment on the generality of the model, outline its deficiencies, and suggest some possible refinements and other future areas of research

The state of arts and health in England

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of the current state of the arts and health field in England, through an examination of practice, research and policy developments. Five features of arts and health practice are identified: the scale of the sector, regional variations, mapping of arts and health initiatives, recent conferences and symposia, and the role of key agencies supporting arts and health initiatives. Eight areas of arts and health research activity are considered: retrospective qualitative evaluations, prospective evaluations with some quantitative assessments, experimental research on arts and health initiatives, economic evaluations of arts interventions, systematic reviews of arts and health research, theory development to underpin research efforts, and the establishment of dedicated arts and health research centres and research programmes. The final section considers three 2007 arts and health publications from the Department of Health and Arts Council England. There has been disappointment that the policy recommendations in these documents have not been acted upon. At the time of writing, however, there are some signs of renewed efforts to encourage national leadership from the Department of Health.

Forgotten Biodiversity in Desert Ecosystems

Abstract: As the world's governments congregate for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), we call on them to address one of the greatest oversights in conservation in recent years: the neglect of desert ecosystems. Deserts cover 17% of the world's land mass and harbor surprisingly

Estimating the volume of Alpine glacial lakes

Abstract: Supraglacial, moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes represent a potential glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) threat to downstream communities in many mountain regions This has motivated the development of empirical relationships to predict lake volume given a measurement of lake surface area obtained from satellite imagery Such relationships are based on the notion that lake depth, area and volume scale predictably We critically evaluate the performance of these existing empirical relationships by examining a global database of glacial lake depths, areas and volumes Results show that lake area and depth are not always well correlated (r2 = 038) and that although lake volume and area are well correlated (r2 = 091), and indeed are auto-correlated, there are distinct outliers in the data set These outliers represent situations where it may not be appropriate to apply existing empirical relationships to predict lake volume and include growing supraglacial lakes, glaciers that recede into basins with complex overdeepened morphologies or that have been deepened by intense erosion and lakes formed where glaciers advance across and block a main trunk valley We use the compiled data set to develop a conceptual model of how the volumes of supraglacial ponds and lakes, moraine-dammed lakes and ice-dammed lakes should be expected to evolve with increasing area Although a large amount of bathymetric data exist for moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes, we suggest that further measurements of growing supraglacial ponds and lakes are needed to better understand their development