bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Windfall gains and labour supply: evidence from the European household panel
Authors: Sila Urban , Sousa Ricardo M
Published: February 2014

JEL classification

D12, J22.

We investigate whether workers adjust hours worked in response to windfall gains using data from the European Household Panel. The results suggest that a rise in unearned income has a negative (although small) effect on working hours. In particular, after receiving a windfall gain, individuals are more likely to drop out of the labour force and the effects become larger as the size of windfall increases. Furthermore, the empirical findings show that the impact of windfall gains on labour supply: (i) is more important for young and old individuals, (ii) is most negative for married individuals with young children, (iii) but can be positive for single individuals without children at the age of around 40 years. The latter effect can be explained by individuals using the windfall gain to set up their own business and become self-employed.
Close to recommended caloric and protein intake by enteral nutrition is associated with better clinical outcome of critically ill septic patients: secondary analysis of a large international nutrition database
Authors: Elke Gunnar , Wang Miao , Weiler Norbert , Day Andrew G , Heyland Daren K
Published: February 2014

Introduction

Current international sepsis guidelines recommend low-dose enteral nutrition (EN) for the first week. This contradicts other nutrition guidelines for heterogenous groups of ICU patients. Data on the optimal dose of EN in septic patients are lacking. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of energy and protein amount given by EN on clinical outcomes in a large cohort of critically ill septic patients.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of pooled data collected prospectively from international nutrition studies. Eligible patients had a diagnosis of sepsis and/or pneumonia and were admitted to the ICU for ≥3 days, mechanically ventilated within 48 hours of ICU admission and only receiving EN. Patients receiving parenteral nutrition were excluded. Data were collected from ICU admission up to a maximum of 12 days. Regression models were used to examine the impact of calorie and protein intake on 60-day mortality and ventilator-free days.

Results

Of the 13,630 patients included in the dataset, 2,270 met the study inclusion criteria. Patients received a mean amount of 1,057 kcal/d (14.5 kcal/kg/day) and 49 g protein/day (0.7 g/kg/d) by EN alone. Patients were mechanically ventilated for a median of 8.4 days and 60-day mortality was 30.5%. An increase of 1,000 kcal was associated with reduced 60-day mortality (odds ratio (OR) 0.61; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48 to 0.77, P <0.001) and more ventilator-free days (2.81 days, 95% CI 0.53 to 5.08, P = 0.02) as was an increase of 30 g protein per day (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.65 to 0.87, P <0.001 and 1.92 days, 95% CI 0.58 to 3.27, P = 0.005, respectively).

Conclusions

In critically ill septic patients, a calorie and protein delivery closer to recommended amounts by EN in the early phase of ICU stay was associated with a more favorable outcome.
Technical Advance: Introducing a novel metric, directionality time, to quantify human neutrophil chemotaxis as a function of matrix composition and stiffness
Authors: O'Brien Xian M , Loosley Alex J , Oakley Katie E , Tang Jay X , Reichner Jonathan S
Published: February 2014

A direct consequence of cellular movement and navigation, migration incorporates elements of speed, direction, and persistence of motion. Current techniques to parameterize the trajectory of a chemotaxing cell most commonly pair migration speed with some measure of persistence by calculating MSD, RMS speed, TAD, and/or CI. We address inherent limitations in TAD and CI for comparative analysis by introducing two new analytical tools to quantify persistence: directionality index and directionality time. With the use of these tools, we show that the mechanical properties of the underlying substrate contribute significantly to the regulation of human neutrophil chemotaxis toward fMLP on Fgn-, Col-, and Fn-coated gels of varying elasticity. The β1-integrin ligand Col demonstrated mechanosensitive speed. In contrast, β2-integrin ligand Fgn supported mechanosensitive persistence. Fn, recognized by β1 and β2 integrins, mechanoregulated speed and persistence. Blocking β2 integrins of cells migrating on Fn identified an underlying β2-integrin-directed modulation of persistence. These data demonstrate that individual components of the neutrophil chemotactic response show integrin dependence and are finely tunable with different ligand, mechanotactic, and chemotactic cues, underscoring the need for sensitive analytical methods.
Linearized wave-equation migration velocity analysis by image warping
Authors: Perrone Francesco , Sava Paul , Andreoletti Clara , Bienati Nicola
Published: February 2014

Seismic imaging produces images of contrasts in physical parameters in the subsurface, e.g., velocity or impedance. To build such images, a background model describing the wave kinematics in the earth is necessary. In practice, the structural image and background velocity model are unknown and have to be estimated from the acquired data. Migration velocity analysis deals with estimation of the background model in the framework of seismic migration and relies on two main elements: data redundancy and invariance of the structures with respect to different seismic experiments. Because all the experiments probe the same model, the reflectors must be invariant in suitable domains (e.g., shots or reflection angle); the semblance principle is the tool used to measure the invariance of a set of multiple images. We measure the similarity of the structural features between pairs of single-shot migrated images obtained from adjacent experiments. By using the estimated warping vector field between two migrated images, we construct an image perturbation which describes the difference in reflectivity observed by two shots. We derive an expression for the image perturbation that drives a migration velocity analysis procedure based on a linearization of the wave-equation with respect to the model parameters. Synthetic 2D examples show promising results in retrieving errors in the velocity model. This methodology can be directly applied to 3D.
Numerical modeling and laboratory measurements of seismic attenuation in partially saturated rock
Authors: Kuteynikova Maria , Tisato Nicola , Jänicke Ralf , Quintal Beatriz
Published: February 2014

To better understand the effects of fluid saturation on seismic attenuation, we combined numerical modeling in poroelastic media and laboratory measurements of seismic attenuation in partially saturated Berea sandstone samples. Although in laboratory experiments many physical mechanisms for seismic attenuation take place simultaneously, with numerical modeling we separately studied the effect of a single physical mechanism: wave-induced fluid flow on the mesoscopic scale. Using the finite-element method, we solved Biot’s equations of consolidation by performing a quasistatic creep test on a 3D poroelastic model. This model represents a partially saturated rock sample. We obtained the stress-strain relation, from which we calculated frequency-dependent attenuation. In the laboratory, we measured attenuation in extensional mode for dry and partially water-saturated Berea sandstone samples in the frequency range from 0.1 to 100 Hz. All the measurements were performed at room pressure and temperature conditions. From numerical simulations, we found that attenuation varies significantly with fluid distribution within the model. In addition to binary distributions, we used spatially continuous distributions of fluid saturation for the numerical models. Such continuous saturation distribution was implemented using properties of an effective single-phase fluid. By taking into account the matrix anelasticity, we found that wave-induced fluid flow on the mesoscopic scale due to a continuous distribution of fluid saturation can reproduce seismic attenuation data measured in a partially saturated sample. The matrix anelasticity was the attenuation measured in the room-condition dry sample.
Dispersion analysis of an average-derivative optimal scheme for Laplace-domain scalar wave equation
Authors: Chen Jing-Bo
Published: February 2014

Laplace-domain modeling is an important foundation of Laplace-domain full-waveform inversion. However, dispersion analysis for Laplace-domain numerical schemes has not been completely established. This hampers the construction and optimization of Laplace-domain modeling schemes. By defining a pseudowavelength as a scaled skin depth, I establish a method for Laplace-domain numerical dispersion analysis that is parallel to its frequency-domain counterpart. This method is then applied to an average-derivative nine-point scheme for Laplace-domain scalar wave equation. Within the relative error of 1%, the Laplace-domain average-derivative optimal scheme requires four grid points per smallest pseudowavelength, whereas the classic five-point scheme requires 13 grid points per smallest pseudowavelength for general directional sampling intervals. The average-derivative optimal scheme is more accurate than the classic five-point scheme for the same sampling intervals. By using much smaller sampling intervals, the classic five-point scheme can approach the accuracy of the average-derivative optimal scheme, but the corresponding cost is much higher in terms of storage requirement and computational time.
Automatic source localization of diffracted seismic noise in shallow water
Authors: Lu Wenkai , Yingqiang Zhang , Boran Zhen
Published: February 2014

We evaluated an automatic source localization approach for diffracted seismic noise (DSN) attenuation based on apex recognition. The potential DSNs in each shot gather were first detected by identifying their apexes. Then, the positions of these detected apexes were used to calculate the source locations of their corresponding DSNs. After that, according to the distribution of the source locations obtained in all shot gathers in one seismic line, we removed some false detected DSNs and further improved the source location estimates of the remaining ones. By assuming that the source location of one DSN is fixed or slowly changed during the seismic data acquisition, for a truly existing DSN, its multiple source location estimates, which are obtained from different streamers in multiple shot gathers, should focus. Therefore, a clustering algorithm was applied to obtain the source location estimates of the final selected DSNs and remove the false recognized DSNs at the same time. To verify the source localization results obtained, we suppressed these DSNs by flattening them along their trajectories and extracting them by multichannel filters, similar to other existing methodologies. A real 3D marine data example demonstrated that the proposed method obtains some promising results for attenuation of the DSNs.
Comparison of NGA-West2 GMPEs
Authors: Gregor Nick , Abrahamson Norman A. , Atkinson Gail M. , Boore David M. , Bozorgnia Yousef , Campbell Kenneth W. , Chiou Brian S.-J. , Idriss I. M. , Kamai Ronnie , Seyhan Emel , Silva Walter , Stewart Jonathan P. , Youngs Robert
Published: February 2014

A presentation of the model parameters and comparison of the median ground-motion values from the NGA-West2 GMPEs is presented for a suite of deterministic cases. In general, the median ground motions are similar, within a factor of about 1.5–2.0 for 5 < M < 7 and distances between 10–100 km. Differences increase (on the order of 2–3) for large-magnitude (M > 8) earthquakes at large distances ( R > 100–200 km) and for close distances ( R < 10 km). A similar increase is observed for hanging-wall sites, and slightly larger differences are observed for soil sites as opposed to rock sites. Regionalization of four of the GMPEs yields similar attenuation rate adjustments based on the different regional data sets. All five GMPE aleatory variability models are a function of magnitude with higher overall standard deviations values for the smaller magnitudes when compared to the large-magnitude events.
Nonlinear Horizontal Site Amplification for Constraining the NGA-West2 GMPEs
Authors: Kamai Ronnie , Abrahamson Norman A. , Silva Walter J.
Published: February 2014

The nonlinear soil amplification models developed by Walling et al. (2008) are revisited for three main reasons: (a) the simulation database on which the models were developed has been updated and extended, (b) two alternatives for the input shaking parameter—(PGA and Sa( T))—are explored, and (c) a constraint on the nonlinearity at long periods is removed. The model is based on site amplification factors, relative to a V S30 = 1;180 m/s site. Simulations included a wide range of soil profiles, shaking amplitudes and soil properties, from which only a subset was used herein. Finally, four models for the nonlinear site amplification are developed using two nonlinear material property models (peninsular range and EPRI) and two input-shaking parameters ( PGA1180 and Sa1180( T)). These results are intended for use by the NGA-West2 developers to constrain the nonlinear scaling of the site response for the horizontal ground motion models.
NGA-West2 Database
Authors: Ancheta Timothy D. , Darragh Robert B. , Stewart Jonathan P. , Seyhan Emel , Silva Walter J. , Chiou Brian S.-J. , Wooddell Katie E. , Graves Robert W. , Kottke Albert R. , Boore David M. , Kishida Tadahiro , Donahue Jennifer L.
Published: February 2014

The NGA-West2 project database expands on its predecessor to include worldwide ground motion data recorded from shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regimes post-2000 and a set of small-to-moderate-magnitude earthquakes in California between 1998 and 2011. The database includes 21,336 (mostly) three-component records from 599 events. The parameter space covered by the database is M 3.0 to M 7.9, closest distance of 0.05 to 1,533 km, and site time-averaged shear-wave velocity in the top 30 m of V S30 = 94 m/s to 2,100 m/s (although data becomes sparse for distances >400 km and V S30 > 1,200 m/s or <150 m/s). The database includes uniformly processed time series and response spectral ordinates for 111 periods ranging from 0.01 s to 20 s at 11 damping ratios. Ground motions and metadata for source, path, and site conditions were subject to quality checks by ground motion prediction equation developers and topical working groups.
NGA-West2 Research Project
Authors: Bozorgnia Yousef , Abrahamson Norman A. , Atik Linda Al , Ancheta Timothy D. , Atkinson Gail M. , Baker Jack W. , Baltay Annemarie , Boore David M. , Campbell Kenneth W. , Chiou Brian S.-J. , Darragh Robert , Day Steve , Donahue Jennifer , Graves Robert W. , Gregor Nick , Hanks Thomas , Idriss I. M. , Kamai Ronnie , Kishida Tadahiro , Kottke Albert , Mahin Stephen A. , Rezaeian Sanaz , Rowshandel Badie , Seyhan Emel , Shahi Shrey , Shantz Tom , Silva Walter , Spudich Paul , Stewart Jonathan P. , Watson-Lamprey Jennie , Wooddell Kathryn , Youngs Robert
Published: February 2014

The NGA-West2 project is a large multidisciplinary, multi-year research program on the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) models for shallow crustal earthquakes in active tectonic regions. The research project has been coordinated by the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER), with extensive technical interactions among many individuals and organizations. NGA-West2 addresses several key issues in ground-motion seismic hazard, including updating the NGA database for a magnitude range of 3.0–7.9; updating NGA ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) for the “average” horizontal component; scaling response spectra for damping values other than 5%; quantifying the effects of directivity and directionality for horizontal ground motion; resolving discrepancies between the NGA and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) site amplification factors; analysis of epistemic uncertainty for NGA GMPEs; and developing GMPEs for vertical ground motion. This paper presents an overview of the NGA-West2 research program and its subprojects.
Progressivism and Academic Public Finance, 1880 to 1930
Authors: Johnson Marianne
Published: February 2014

This article examines the institutionalization of public finance as a subfield of economics in American universities from the founding of professional academic economics departments in the 1880s through the eve of the Great Depression. It is argued that what became identified as the accepted domain of public finance was fundamentally shaped by the Progressivism of leading practitioners, in particular Richard T. Ely, H. C. Adams, and E. R. A. Seligman. Considered is the development of a community of scholars recognized as specialists in public finance and the professionalization of public finance as a distinct field within economics. This includes examination of the subject’s definition, its boundaries, and the types of analyses undertaken. Academic training, including courses and readings, at Columbia, Chicago, Harvard, and Wisconsin is compared.
Paul Samuelson and Revealed Preference Theory
Authors: Hands D. Wade
Published: February 2014

Revealed preference theory is not a specific theory; it is a broad programmatic framework for analyzing choice behavior. Within this broad framework there are a number of different revealed preference theories (different versions of the program)—they all share common features, but there are also sharp differences. The diversity of revealed preference theory is not well understood, and one purpose of this article is to improve our historical understanding of the field by examining this historical diversity. This history is valuable for its own sake, but also because it is relevant to recent debates about the methodological foundations of rational choice theory among experimental psychologists, behavioral economists, neuroeconomists, and others. The second purpose of this article is to use material from the Paul Samuelson archives to help us understand how Samuelson, the originator of revealed preference theory, viewed his contribution to the program and how he evaluated the different versions of revealed preference theory. The article will examine Das Paul Samuelson Problem: the question of whether Paul Samuelson changed his mind about the foundations (the nature, significance, and purpose) of revealed preference theory over time.
Are There Important Differences between Classical and Twenty-First-Century Monetary Theories? Did the Keynesian and Monetarist Revolutions Matter?
Authors: Wood John H.
Published: February 2014

It is not generally realized how little changed monetary theory and the theory and practice of monetary policy are from the time before Keynes’s General Theory. Explanations of business fluctuations by Keynes’s predecessors closely resemble the current literature, notwithstanding significant changes in the economic structure and several vaunted revolutions in theory in the meantime. Monetary policy is similarly unchanged from its dominant focus on financial stability and its atheoretic responses to shocks. The ambitious attempts of Keynes and the monetarists to account for money and uncertainty have been rejected by the mainstream of their fellow economists.
Rigor versus Relevance in Economic Theory: A Plea for a Different Methodological Perspective
Authors: Salanti Andrea
Published: February 2014

A recent exchange between the late Mark Blaug and Heinz Kurz and Neri Salvadori on the relevance of Sraffian economics (and a significant amount of more orthodox approaches, for that matter) does not seem to offer conclusive arguments, mainly because both contenders share some outmoded approaches to the philosophy of science. If we instead adopt the perspective of the so-called semantic view of theories, the trade-off between rigor and relevance naturally comes out as a possible characteristic of models we encounter in many scientific disciplines, with economics not being an exception. Thus, those who argue in favor of an economic analysis both rigorous and relevant should at least have to bear the burden of the proof of its possibility.
Prerelease Buzz Evolution Patterns and New Product Performance
Authors: Xiong Guiyang , Bharadwaj Sundar
Published: February 2014

This study examines the dynamics of online buzz over time before product release. Employing functional data analysis, we treat the curve of prerelease buzz evolution trajectory as the unit of analysis and find that the shape of the curve significantly adds power in predicting new product performance compared with using product characteristics and firm advertising alone. Moreover, daily prerelease buzz evolution data enable accurate sales forecasting long before product release, which allows sufficient time for managers to adjust product design and/or marketing strategy. For example, the forecasting accuracy using an early buzz evolution curve ending on the 61st day before product release is not only higher than that using accumulated buzz volume until then but also higher than that using the total volume of all buzz up until product release. Beyond the sales outcome, we find that prerelease buzz is quickly reflected in firm stock returns before product release and reduces the absolute amount of postrelease stock price correction. The model accounts for endogeneity, and the results are robust after controlling for buzz sentiment. We also explore the factors influencing prerelease buzz evolution patterns, thus generating insights into how to manage prerelease buzz dynamics to enhance new product performance.
La contribución de la investigación geomorfológica en la cuestión ambiental en México
Authors: Bocco Gerardo , Palacio Prieto José Luis
Published: February 2014

A partir de una revisión bibliográfica de los trabajos publicados por geomorfólogos afiliados a instituciones mexicanas se sugieren cuáles han sido los temas clave que han merecido el interés y esfuerzo en esta rama de la geografía, en particular enfatizando las cuestiones ambientales. La búsqueda, si bien minuciosa, se restringió a artículos publicados en revistas indexadas. Ello naturalmente conlleva un sesgo, ya que quedan fuera otro tipo de publicaciones que podrían aportar a este análisis. Sin embargo, se trata de una buena muestra del universo constituido por los trabajos derivados de la práctica geomorfológica. Dos asuntos se tratan con especial atención. En primer lugar, qué tanto los geomorfólogos han valorado las problemáticas teóricas, lo que se deriva del interés (o ausencia del mismo) entre los geógrafos mexicanos, en particular los geógrafos físicos, en ese tema. En el trabajo se extraen conclusiones de este punto, con miras a evaluar las implicaciones en cuanto al rumbo de la geomorfología y su relación con la geografía, tanto física como humana, en México. En segundo lugar, se revisa cuál ha sido la modalidad de la aportación al tema ambiental, clave en estas décadas. Se revisan los trabajos publicados, los enfoques en lo que respecta a las ciencias ambientales, es decir, cómo la geomorfología o bien la práctica geomorfológica visualiza lo ambiental, para verificar la o las modalidades de las aportaciones. Ello teniendo en cuenta que la geomorfología a nivel mundial ha sido una de las primeras subdisciplinas que ha manifestado interés por los aspectos biofísicos de la cuestión ambiental desde hace décadas.
Reconstrucción de precipitación invierno-primavera para el Parque Nacional Pico de Tancítaro, Michoacán
Authors: Cerano Paredes Julián , Villanueva Díaz José , Cervantes Martínez Rosalinda , Vázquez Caciano Lorenzo , Trucios Caciano Ramón , Guerra de la Cruz Vidal
Published: February 2014

Desde la perspectiva del recurso hídrico, el Pico de Tancítaro representa una riqueza hidrológica para la región y el principal elemento para su desarrollo económico. Los registros climáticos instrumentales son muy cortos y los estudios dendroclimáticos que permitan analizar su variabilidad en el tiempo son nulos. En este contexto, este trabajo se planteó como objetivos: a) reconstruir la variabilidad de la precipitación para el Pico de Tancítaro con base en los anillos de crecimiento de Abies religiosa y b) determinar frecuencias importantes en la variabilidad climática de la región. Mediante técnicas dendrocronológicas estándar se logró fechar al año exacto cada uno de los crecimientos de 25 muestras (p<0.05). Se reconstruyó la variabilidad de la precipitación de finales del siglo XIX a la primera década del siglo XXI (1884-2010, 127 años). Las sequías más intensas reconstruidas para el oeste del estado de Michoacán se registraron en los periodos 1890-1896, 1948-1957, 1968-1971, 1982-1989 y 1998-2010. El intervalo de tiempo 1960-1966 representa el periodo más húmedo de los últimos 127 años. Se identificó que la recurrencia de intensas sequías multianuales (1891-1896, 1942-1956 y 1998-2010) es de 42 a 43 años, mismas que están relacionadas con frecuencias significativas (p<0.05) de 42 años.
Environmental Taxes in Duopoly with Soft Capacity Constraints
Authors: Vetter Henrik
Published: February 2014

This paper examines an environmental tax when duopolistic firms engage in capacity-price competition. Under soft capacity constraints, the equilibrium ranges from Bertrand competition to Cournot competition, depending upon parameters. It is shown that a unit tax potentially changes the qualitative nature of equilibrium. That is, the type of tax affects the mode of competition between firms. This effect gives rise to the result that a unit tax is sometimes an inefficient instrument. The explanation is that the tax that leads to the first-best under Cournot competition will in fact sustain Bertrand competition, and vice versa.
Multiple Contrast Tests for Multiple Endpoints in the Presence of Heteroscedasticity
Authors: Hasler Mario
Published: February 2014

This article describes an extension of multiple contrast tests to the case of multiple, correlated endpoints. These endpoints are assumed to be normally distributed with different scales and variances. Unlike in previous articles, the covariance matrices are also assumed to be unequal for the treatment groups. Approximate multivariate
A Faculty Created Strategic Plan for Excellence in Nursing Education
Authors: Evans Connie Joan , Francis Shackell Eileen , Jean Kerr-Wilson Selma , Joan Doyle Glynda , McCutcheon Jodie Anita , Budz Bernice
Published: February 2014

Strategic planning for nursing education, when seen through a faculty lens creates a deeper, more meaningful critical analysis of effective program development. New strategies are required for academic institutions to transform their curricula to meet the needs of a dynamic healthcare and changing global environment to provide quality education for students. In this article, an evidence-informed process is presented that was progressively co-created by the faculty and facilitators. Seminal business frameworks, leadership development philosophies, and innovative interventions enabled faculty to become engaged and developed as they created a strategic plan for a future-driven nursing program. Phase One presents the process of developing a strategic plan for excellence in nursing education by leveraging faculty potential and preparing for an upcoming accreditation. In Phase Two, four team members from Phase One continue as part of Phase Two team serving as the collective memory for this initial work. This method of strategic planning encouraged faculty engagement and leadership and laid the groundwork for a positive culture change among nursing faculty.
Character estimates of adjoint simple Lie groups
Authors: Manack Corey
Published: February 2014

Call a compact, connected, simple Lie group G
adjoint simple if it has trivial center. Let C ⊂ G be a nontrivial conjugacy class, e ∈ G the identity element of G. We prove the existence of a bound N ∈ ℕ, depending on G but not C, such that e lies in the interior of Cn
for all n ≥ N. We then prove that a disk D ⊂ ℂ of radius less than 1, properly contained in the unit disk D
1 and tangent to D
1 at z = 1, contains the image of every normalized character

χ

(
e
)

-
1

χ

${\chi (e)^{-1}\chi }$

of G.
Silicon photonics devices for integrated analog signal processing and sampling
Authors: Spector Steven , Sorace-Agaskar Cheryl
Published: February 2014

Silicon photonics offers the possibility of a reduction in size weight and power for many optical systems, and could open up the ability to build optical systems with complexities that would otherwise be impossible to achieve. Silicon photonics is an emerging technology that has already been inserted into commercial communication products. This technology has also been applied to analog signal processing applications. MIT Lincoln Laboratory in collaboration with groups at MIT has developed a toolkit of silicon photonic devices with a focus on the needs of analog systems. This toolkit includes low-loss waveguides, a high-speed modulator, ring resonator based filter bank, and all-silicon photodiodes. The components are integrated together for a hybrid photonic and electronic analog-to-digital converter. The development and performance of these devices will be discussed. Additionally, the linear performance of these devices, which is important for analog systems, is also investigated.
Arms, A Saint and Inperial sedendo fra più stelle
Authors: Stoessel Jason
Published: February 2014

Scholars have proposed Milan, Pisa and/or Bologna as possible locations for the copying of the inner gatherings (II–IV) of the manuscript Modena, Biblioteca Estense Universitaria, α.M.5.24 (Mod A) and have argued that some of the compositions might have originated in the circle of Archbishop of Milan Pietro Filargo. Yet evidence based on Mod A's repertory and the scant biographies of its composers is insufficient for determining the manuscript’s origin. To solve this problem, I look at Mod A as a cultural artifact, attributing its illumination to the Master of 1411, an illuminator active in Bologna from 1404 to 1411, or to his assistant, both associated with the manuscript workshop of the Olivetan abbey of San Michele in Bosco, on the outskirts of medieval Bologna. The Master of 1411 might have been Giacomo da Padova, an illuminator documented there between 1407 and 1409. Iconographical analysis shows that the illuminator of Mod A possessed considerable knowledge of Paduan culture before the fall of the ruling Carrara family in 1405. This knowledge is apparent in his use of an astrological allusion to Carrara heraldry in his decoration of the song Inperial sedendo. His illumination of a Gloria by Egardus with the figure of Saint Anthony of Padua implies a familiarity with Padua's musical institutions. Mod A may have been illuminated when the papal entourage of John XXIII visited San Michele in Bosco in the fall of 1410, although further compositions were added after the illuminator had finished his work. This conclusion invites scholars to consider afresh the social context that might have fostered the compilation of the repertory in the inner gatherings of Mod A.
After the Rhapsody
Authors: Neimoyer Susan
Published: February 2014

1924 was one of the most demanding years of George Gershwin’s career. In addition to the wildly successful premiere of the Rhapsody in Blue that led to numerous additional performances of the work throughout the year, he wrote the music for three hit musicals, all of which opened during that year. Given this context, a manuscript notebook in the Gershwin Collection at the Library of Congress dating from March and April 1924 is particularly intriguing. Because this notebook contains the earliest known sketch of “The Man I Love” (one of Gershwin’s best-loved popular songs), it has been acknowledged in passing by Gershwin scholars. “The Man I Love,” however, is only one of nine short pieces in the notebook and is the only entry written in what is now defined as Gershwin’s compositional style.

This article briefly addresses the entire contents of this “March–April 1924 notebook,” exploring the possibilities of what Gershwin’s purposes in writing these undeveloped works might have been. Were they unused stage music, ideas for the set of piano preludes he was writing off and on during this era, or were they exercises focused on correcting weaknesses in compositional technique uncovered while writing the Rhapsody in Blue? Whatever their purpose, the pieces in this notebook provide clues as to what Gershwin’s creative priorities may have been, as well as further insights into how Gershwin honed his musical craft.
Modification of Silicone Elastomers Using Silicone Comonomers Containing Hydrophilic Surface Active Endgroups
Authors: Goff Jonathan , Arkles Barry , Sulaiman Santy
Published: February 2014

A facile technique was developed for a long-term increase in silicone elastomer surface hydrophilicity, eliminating the need for post-cure surface treatment (e.g. oxygen plasma or surface grafting). Well-defined silicones (1-4 kDa) with a central vinyl functionality and discrete PEG2, PEG3 and tetrahydrofurfuryl (THF) pendant endgroups were synthesized, characterized and used as comonomers in addition-cure, platinum catalyzed 2-part silicone elastomer formulations. The modified silicone elastomers were optically clear and maintained the mechanical performance characteristic of this class of material with up to 20 wt.% comonomer in the 2-part formulation. Contact angle measurements of deionized water on the silicone elastomer surface showed improved wettability with comonomer content. The elastomer surface shifted from hydrophobic (contact angle ∼120°C) to hydrophilic (contact angle < 90°C) at ∼5 wt.% comonomer loadings for extended time frames (> 5 months). Coefficient of friction measurements of the modified silicone elastomers revealed an increase in surface lubricity with comonomer loadings.
Growth of hBN Using Metallic Boron: Isotopically Enriched h10BN and h11BN
Authors: Hoffman T.B. , Zhang Y. , Edgar J.H. , Gaskill D.K.
Published: February 2014

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals enriched in 10B and 11B isotopes were synthesized using a high temperature (1500° C) Ni-Cr-B reactive-precipitation growth under a N2 atmosphere. Two growth mechanisms were observed: conventional defect-facilitated bulk growth which produced crystals with a platelet-like habit with width and thickness of 20-30 μm and 5 μm, respectively, and vapor-liquid-solid interface growth of hBN whiskers with lengths and diameters as large as 70 μm and 5 μm, respectively. Similar growth mechanisms were seen for samples enriched in either isotope. Isotopic analysis via secondary-ion mass spectrometry showed boron concentrations of 84.4 at% and 93.0 at% for the majority isotopes in the 10B-rich and 11B-rich samples, respectively. Raman spectroscopy showed an increase in peak Raman shift for the 10B-rich sample, having two barely resolved peaks at 1393.5 and 1388.8 cm-1, and a decrease for the 11B-rich sample, having peak at 1359.5 cm-1 (FWHM of 9.4 cm-1), compared to that of natural hBN, with its peak at 1365.8 cm-1 (FWHM of 10.3 cm-1). Raman shift showed a linear trend with increasing 10B concentration allowing for a calibration curve to be developed to estimate 10B enrichment in hBN using non-destructive methods.
Poly-L-Lysine coated fluorescent upconversion nanoparticles for siRNA delivery and tracking
Authors: Bansal Akshaya , Gnanasammandhan Muthu Kumara , Yong Zhang
Published: February 2014

Nanoparticle-based vectors are fast becoming the main choice for nucleic acid delivery. Fluorescent nanoparticles have the added advantage of tracking the delivery process and also of tracking cells transfected with nucleic acids for cell therapy. Fluorescent upconversion nanoparticles (UCNs) are ideal candidates for tracking since they are excited by NIR light and hence have very low phototoxicity, high signal-to-noise ratio and enable imaging in deep tissues. UCNs coated with a layer of silica and adsorbed with siRNA or siRNA loaded into the mesoporous silica coating on the UCNs have been used for siRNA delivery. However the loading of siRNA is very poor since the silica coating is negatively charged and it repels the negatively charged siRNA limiting the amount of siRNA that can be adsorbed on the surface of nanoparticles. Here we report the use of a layer-by-layer approach to coat the UCNs with Poly-L-Lysine (PLL) and use it for delivery. Highly monodispersed UCNs were synthesized with an average size of 50 nm. They were then modified with PLL and STAT-3 siRNA was adsorbed on to the surface of the modified UCNs. The loading of the siRNA was found to be 60 % more efficient by this approach as compared to silica coated UCNs alone. The PLL-coated UCNs also were minimally cytotoxic as shown by MTS assay. The siRNA coated UCNs also efficiently transfected B16F0 cells and knocked down STAT3 significantly and also enabled cell imaging. Thus, This method shows good promise for siRNA delivery and tracking and this could also be extended to in-vivo transfection and tracking.
The trophic role of a forest salamander: impacts on invertebrates, leaf litter retention, and the humification process
Authors: Best Michael L. , Welsh, Jr. Hartwell H.
Published: February 2014

Woodland (Plethodontid) salamanders are the most abundant vertebrates in North American forests, functioning as predators on invertebrates and prey for higher trophic levels. We investigated the role of Ensatina (Ensatina eschscholtzii) in regulating invertebrate numbers and leaf litter retention in a northern California forest. Our objective was to examine how salamander predation on invertebrates affects leaf litter retention and the amount available for soil‐building and carbon capture at the litter‐soil interface. We used field enclosures to quantify the effects of Ensatina on invertebrates and litter retention over two wet seasons, using moisture as a covariate. In the first year Ensatina reduced Coleoptera (beetles) and Diptera (flies) larvae >2 mm, adult Coleoptera, Collembola (springtails), and Formicidae (ants), and increased Oribatid mites, larvae <2 mm (Diptera and Coleoptera), Diplopoda (millipedes), and Aranaea (spiders) <2 mm by reducing their competitors and predators. A single Ensatina in a 1.5m2 enclosure increased litter retention by 13.3% ± 3.6% (mean ± SE) compared to controls, facilitating the capture of 200 kg/ha of carbon. At a similar density range‐wide this would equate to 72.3 metric tons/yr of carbon in one season potentially sequestered in forest soil rather than entering the atmosphere. In the second year invertebrate densities doubled in response to early rains such that while salamanders reduced the numbers of the same taxa, effect sizes were lower compared to year one, producing biological effects that failed to achieve statistical significance. However, three taxa did significantly increase in year two (Annelida [worms], Psocoptera [barklice], and Chelonethida [pseudoscorpions]). Litter retention in year two was greater on treatment plots by 5.6% ± 4.6%; however, high variability across plots precluded statistical significance. Ensatina suppressed some invertebrate taxa, released others, increased leaf litter retention, and facilitated greater carbon capture in both years; however, the strength of the effects were modulated by the bottom‐up effects of the timing and amount of precipitation in year two.
The Nature and Prevalence of Partner Psychological Abuse in a National Sample of Adults
Authors: Follingstad Diane R. , Rogers M. Jill
Published: February 2014

A detailed analysis of the occurrence of serious psychological abuse (PSYAB) in one’s “worst relationship” was solicited from a nationwide sample of adults in the United States. To designate that they experienced any of the psychologically abusive behaviors, respondents had to have perceived malignant intent by the perpetrator. Respondents reported significant rates of the presence and frequency for 14 specified categories of serious PSYAB as well as for the 42 individual behaviors constituting these categories (i.e., 3 per category). The 3 behaviors within each category frequently co-occurred even though they represented distinct manifestations and increasing levels of severity for that type of PSYAB. Only some of the behaviors demonstrated a relationship between frequency of that behavior in a relationship and subsequent emotional and behavioral impact. Neither demographics nor social desirability were strongly related to report of partner PSYAB.
Associations and Experiences Observed for Family and Nonfamily Forms of Violent Behavior in Different Relational Contexts Among Swedish Men and Women
Authors: Simmons Johanna , Wijma Barbro , Swahnberg Katarina
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study was to examine how lifetime experiences of different types of violent behavior as well as violence by different kinds of perpetrators overlap, and to investigate the co-occurrence of experiences of violent behavior by kind of perpetrator. This was done among both sexes in both a random sample from a county population (women n = 1,168, men n = 2,924) and a clinical sample (women n = 2,439, men, n = 1,767) in Sweden. More than 1 kind of perpetrator was reported by 33%–37% of female and 22%–23% of male victims of some kind of violence, whereas 47%–48% of female and 29%–31% of male victims reported more than 1 kind of violence. The reporting of 2 or 3 kinds of perpetrators was associated with the reporting of experiences of more than 1 kind of violent behavior. Health care providers must be trained to recognize the overlap of violent victimization and help prevent further victimization of those who already have such experiences.
Canopy Reflectance‐Based Nitrogen Management Strategies for Subsurface Drip Irrigated Cotton in the Texas High Plains
Authors: Bronson Kevin F. , Malapati Adi , Scharf Peter C. , Nichols Robert L.
Published: February 2014

Nitrogen fertilizer management in subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) systems for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) can be very efficient when N is injected with the irrigation water (fertigated) on a daily basis. However, the daily rates and total amounts of N fertigation are uncertain. Normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI), calculated from weekly canopy reflectance measurements can guide N management in SDI cotton. The objective of this 3‐yr study (2007–2009) on an Acuff sandy clay loam (fine‐loamy, mixed, superactive, thermic Aridic Paleustolls) near Lubbock, TX, was to test two canopy reflectance‐based strategies for estimating and adjusting injection rates of urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertilizer between first square and early mid‐bloom. We also evaluated three N rates; 50, 100, and 150% of the soil test‐based N recommendation for a 1400 kg lint ha−1 yield goal. In the reflectance‐based N strategy‐1 (RN1), UAN was injected starting at first square at 50% of the soil test N rate. When NDVI in RN1 fell significantly below NDVI of plots with 100% soil test N, the N injection rate was increased to match the injection rate of the 100% soil test plots. The reflectance‐based N strategy‐2 (RN2) had an initial N injection rate equal to that of the 100% soil test N, and was raised to match the 150% soil test N based on NDVI. Nitrogen rates for the RN1 averaged across 3 yr were 22 kg N ha−1 less, or 31% less than the soil test treatment, without hurting lint or seed yields. In 2007, N rates with RN2 were 11 kg N ha−1 higher than the soil test N rate, without any yield benefit. Economic optimum N rates for lint production ranged from 23 kg N ha−1 in 2009 to 75 kg N ha−1 in 2008.
Mediterranean Dryland Farming: Effect of Tillage Practices on Selected Soil Properties
Authors: Lammerding Diana Martin , Hontoria Chiquinquirá , Tenorio Jose Luis , Walter Ingrid
Published: February 2014

It is widely accepted that conservation tillage management affords benefits to soil properties and reduces production costs; therefore these practices could be attractive to farmers from semiarid regions. The objective of this study was to assess the long‐term effects of different tillage practices under semiarid conditions on macroaggregate stability (water stable aggregates, WSA), soil organic carbon (SOC), and particulate organic carbon (C‐POM) content of an Alfisol from Spain. The experimental design involved a split plot and four randomized blocks in which tillage was the main factor and crop rotation (fallow–wheat–pea–barley) the secondary factor. Three tillage systems were compared: no tillage (NT), minimum tillage (MT), and conventional tillage (CT). Soil samples were collected on November 2006 and October 2007. In November 2006 no significant differences in WSA were found among the tillage treatments. In October 2007, however, the mean WSA in the upper soil layer for the NT was significantly higher, 24%, that in the CT. No significant differences were seen for the subsurface layer. Under NT, the SOC and C‐POM values for the surface soil layer were significantly higher than those for the other treatments on both sampling dates. At the subsurface depth, no significant differences were seen in either of these variables. The SOC and C‐POM values were more homogeneous throughout the soil profile in the plowed soil than in the NT for which the corresponding values were more stratified. The results show that NT will help improve soil structure and soil fertility, which is particularly relevant to semiarid conditions like the area studied.
Development and Implementation of Site‐Specific Fertilizer Recommendation Model Based on Nutrient Balance for Rubber Plantation
Authors: Chen Bangqian , Cao Jianhua , Wang Jikun , Wu Zhixiang , Xie Guishui
Published: February 2014

Fertilization is one of the key inputs to ensure healthy growth of rubber trees [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex A. Juss.) Müll. Arg.] and maintain the nutrient balance of a rubber plantation. The main objective of this study was to develop and implement a nutrient balance based model to recommend fertilizer for individual rubber trees. We reviewed the theory of nutrient balance, then developed a model to integrate with geographic information system technology, and subsequently provided a detailed description of aboveground nutrient consumption (used for tree growth and latex production) and soil‐supplied nutrient estimation, which was the key step in the model. A case study from a state farm on Hainan Island in China compared the model‐derived results with existing recommendations, which were derived from the foliar analysis model with several decades of cultivation experience. Comparative analysis results showed the mean fertilizer rate of urea, single superphosphate, KCl, and total fertilizer rate was consistent with the existing recommendations. The model optimized the fertilizer application because the model included stand age and soil fertility, thus reduced the cost and ensured the rational use of natural resources. Implementation of this model serves as a supplement and complementary method associated with a foliar analysis model. Furthermore, it also can be used directly as a site‐specific fertilizer recommendation at Hainan State Farm using soil sampling data when leaf sample data are lacking to implement the foliar analysis model.