Alien Registration- Bossie, Diana (Millinocket, Penobscot County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/7759/thumbnail.jp

The Effects of Fiscal Policy on Savings and Investment

This dissertation contains three essays exploring the effect of fiscal policy shocks on savings and lending behavior of the private economy. Two essays focus on World War II and one essay focuses on the entire postwar period. Essay I looks at the response of monetary policy to fiscal policy shocks and the effect of fiscal policy on the private sector\u27s balance sheet over a period that covers 1954 and 2007. I find a minimal response of the Federal Reserve to fiscal policy shocks. I also find the the main response of the private sector to fiscal policy shocks manifests itself in household assets. Long term assets in particular react very strongly. Essay II establishes the important role of savings during and immediately after World War II. I show that the unexpectedly high savings rates that persisted after the war ended was driven by the fact that housing purchases are counted as a kind of savings. Treating housing as a durable consumption good produces the negative savings expected. Essay III looks at the behavior of commercial banks in the period 1940 to 1955. I find that there is a--both economic and statistically--significant negative effect of war spending on total assets, mortgage lending, and commercial, industrial and agricultural loans made by commercial banks throughout the war and until 1949. The response of bank assets during the immediate postwar period is indicative of the unusual pattern of output and the money supply between 1946 and 1950. All this is taken as evidence that reconversion was not as smooth and robust as commonly argued

Oral History Transcription with Edwin J Bossie

A transcription of an oral historyhttps://digitalmaine.com/stockholm_docs/1018/thumbnail.jp

Qualification of a CO2 Storage Site Using an Integrated Reservoir Study

Abstract In recent years, global concerns about greenhouse gas emissions have stimulated considerable interest in CO 2 storage as a potential "bridging technology", which could reduce significantly CO 2 emissions, while allowing fossil fuels to be used until alternative energy sources are more widely deployed. Flow modeling is a relevant step in the characterization of a CO 2 storage site, to provide quantitative predictions of reservoir behavior and assessing the uncertainty [1] . The scope of this work is to analyze the impact of CO 2 injection in Pliocene offshore water-bearing sands potentially suitable for CO 2 storage, through the implementation of an integrated reservoir study. The approach undertaken was first to build several geological models (local and regional), stochastically populate them with petrophysical properties and, through the gathering and generation of representative dynamic data, develop a dynamic model to simulate a set of possible CO 2 injection scenarios. Furthermore a base case scenario was identified to perform a comparison between two different simulators: COORES TM , a code designed by IFPEN, and ECLIPSE300 - CO2STORE TM , the Schlumberger compositional tool designed specifically for CO 2 storage in saline aquifers

Role of paliperidone extended-release in treatment of schizoaffective disorder

Schizoaffective disorder is characterized by the presence of symptoms of both schizophrenia and a major mood disorder. The coexistence of these symptoms can be difficult to manage, and these patients are generally treated with antipsychotics as well as mood stabilizers and/or antidepressants. Additionally, no established treatment guidelines exist for this disorder. This review describes the combined results of two international, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies of paliperidone extended-release (ER), an atypical antipsychotic recently approved in the US for the treatment of schizoaffective disorder. Subjects in these six-week trials were aged 18–65 years, had a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder based on the Structural Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition) Disorders, and were experiencing an acute exacerbation. The subjects from these studies had significant symptomatology as evidenced by a mean (standard deviation) baseline Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total score of 92.8 (13.0). Based on Young Mania Rating Scale and/or a 21-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression score of ≥16 at baseline, 79.5% and 66.9% of subjects presented with prominent manic and depressive symptoms, respectively, and 46.4% presented with mixed symptoms. Approximately half (45%) of subjects were taking adjunctive mood stabilizers and/or antidepressants. Paliperidone ER was found to be effective in improving psychotic and mood symptoms in these subjects. Paliperidone ER was also effective as monotherapy or adjunctive to mood stabilizers and/or antidepressants for subjects with prominent manic, depressive, or mixed symptoms at baseline. No new tolerability signals were observed in this population. To the best of our awareness, these pooled data provide the largest data set of patients with schizoaffective disorder, and extend our knowledge of disease characteristics and treatment response

Onset of efficacy with acute long-acting injectable paliperidone palmitate treatment in markedly to severely ill patients with schizophrenia: post hoc analysis of a randomized, double-blind clinical trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This post hoc analysis (trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00590577) assessed onset of efficacy and tolerability of acute treatment with once-monthly paliperidone palmitate (PP), a long-acting atypical antipsychotic initiated by day 1 and day 8 injections, in a markedly to severely ill schizophrenia population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects entering the 13-week, double-blind trial were randomized to PP (39, 156, or 234 mg [25, 100, and 150 mg eq of paliperidone, respectively]) or placebo. This subgroup analysis included those with a baseline Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S) score indicating marked to severe illness. PP subjects received a 234-mg day 1 injection (deltoid), followed by their assigned dose on day 8 and monthly thereafter (deltoid or gluteal). Thus, data for PP groups were pooled for days 4 and 8. Measures included Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), CGI-S, Personal and Social Performance (PSP), and adverse events (AEs). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and last-observation-carried-forward (LOCF) methodologies, without multiplicity adjustments, were used to assess changes in continuous measures. Onset of efficacy was defined as the first time point a treatment group showed significant PANSS improvement (assessed days 4, 8, 22, 36, 64, and 92) versus placebo, which was maintained through end point.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 312 subjects met inclusion criterion for this subgroup analysis. After the day 1 injection, mean PANSS total scores improved significantly with PP (all received 234 mg) versus placebo at day 4 (<it>P </it>= 0.012) and day 8 (<it>P </it>= 0.007). After the day 8 injection, a significant PANSS improvement persisted at all subsequent time points in the 234-mg group versus placebo (<it>P </it>< 0.05). PANSS improvements were greater from day 36 through end point in the 156-mg group (<it>P </it>< 0.05) and only at end point in the 39-mg group (<it>P </it>< 0.05). CGI-S and PSP scores improved significantly in the 234-mg and 156-mg PP groups versus placebo at end point (<it>P </it>< 0.05 for both, respectively); improvement in the 39-mg group was not significant. The most common AEs for PP-treated subjects (≥10%, any treatment group) were headache, insomnia, schizophrenia exacerbation, injection site pain, and agitation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this markedly to severely ill population, acute treatment with 234 mg PP improved psychotic symptoms compared with placebo by day 4. After subsequent injections, observed improvements are suggestive of a dose-dependent effect. No unexpected tolerability findings were noted.</p

Maintenance therapy with once-monthly administration of long-acting injectable risperidone in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder: a pilot study of an extended dosing interval

BACKGROUND: Several clinical studies have established the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of long-acting risperidone administered once every 2 weeks in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. This report evaluates preliminary efficacy, safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic data for a novel (once-monthly) administration of long-acting injectable risperidone 50 mg in patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. METHODS: Clinically stable patients participated in a 1-year, open-label, single-arm, multicenter pilot study. During the 4-week lead-in phase, patients received long-acting risperidone 50 mg injections every 2 weeks, with 2 weeks of oral risperidone supplementation. Injections of long-acting risperidone 50 mg every 4 weeks followed for up to 48 weeks, without oral supplementation. The primary endpoint was relapse; other assessments included PANSS, CGI-S, adverse event reports, and determination of risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone plasma concentrations. RESULTS: Twelve patients in the intent-to-treat population (n = 67) met relapse criteria (17.9%). Relapse risk at 1 year was estimated as 22.4%. Non-statistically significant improvements in symptoms (PANSS) and clinical status (CGI-S) at endpoint were observed. The most common adverse events included schizophrenia aggravated not otherwise specified (19.5%), anxiety (16.1%), insomnia (16.1%), and headache (11.5%). There were no unexpected safety and tolerability findings. Mean plasma concentrations for risperidone and 9-hydroxyrisperidone were generally stable during the study. CONCLUSION: Once-monthly dosing of long-acting risperidone was well tolerated, associated with a relatively low relapse rate (similar to that reported with other antipsychotics), and maintained the clinically stable baseline status of most patients. Although the results suggest that some symptomatically stable patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder might be safely managed with long-acting risperidone 50 mg once monthly, these findings alone do not identify which patients will have a sufficient therapeutic benefit nor do they quantify comparative effects of standard and altered dosing. Study limitations (the open-label pilot study design, small sample size, and lack of a concurrent biweekly treatment arm) prevent broad interpretations and extrapolations of results. Controlled studies would be required to support a recommendation for alternative dosing regimens

Risk assessment-led characterisation of the SiteChar UK North Sea site for the geological storage of CO2

Risk assessment-led characterisation of a site for the geological storage of CO2 in the UK northern North Sea was performed for the EU SiteChar research project as one of a portfolio of sites. Implementation and testing of the SiteChar project site characterisation workflow has produced a ‘dry-run’ storage permit application that is compliant with regulatory requirements. A site suitable for commercial-scale storage was characterised, compatible with current and future industrial carbon dioxide (CO2) sources in the northern UK. Pre-characterisation of the site, based on existing information acquired during hydrocarbon exploration and production, has been achieved from publicly available data. The project concept is to store captured CO2 at a rate of 5 Mt per year for 20 years in the Blake Oil Field and surrounding Captain Sandstone saline aquifer. This commercial-scale storage of 100 Mt CO2 can be achieved through a storage scenario combining injection of CO2 into the oil field and concurrent water production down-dip of the field. There would be no encroachment of supercritical phase CO2 for more than two kilometres beyond the field boundary and no adverse influence on operating hydrocarbon fields provided there is pressure management. Components of a storage permit application for the site are presented, developed as far as possible within a research project. Characterisation and technical investigations were guided by an initial assessment of perceived risks to the prospective site and a need to provide the information required for the storage permit application. The emphasis throughout was to reduce risks and uncertainty on the subsurface containment of stored CO2, particularly with respect to site technical performance, monitoring and regulatory issues, and effects on other resources. The results of selected risk assessment-led site characterisation investigations and the subsequent risk reassessments are described together with their implications for the understanding of the site. Additional investigations are identified that could further reduce risks and uncertainties, and enable progress toward a full storage permit application. Permit performance conditions are presented as SiteChar-recommended useful tools for discussion between the competent authority and operator

The helminth product, ES-62, protects against airway inflammation by resetting the Th cell phenotype

We previously demonstrated inhibition of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airway hyper-responsiveness in the mouse using ES-62, a phosphorylcholine-containing glycoprotein secreted by the filarial nematode, Acanthocheilonema viteae. This inhibition correlated with ES-62-induced mast cell desensitisation, although the degree to which this reflected direct targeting of mast cells remained unclear as suppression of the Th2 phenotype of the inflammatory response, as measured by eosinophilia and IL-4 levels in the lungs, was also observed. We now show that inhibition of the lung Th2 phenotype is reflected in ex vivo analyses of draining lymph node recall cultures and accompanied by a decrease in the serum levels of total and OVA-specific IgE. Moreover, ES-62 also suppresses the lung infiltration by neutrophils that is associated with severe asthma and is generally refractory to conventional anti-inflammatory therapies, including steroids. Protection against Th2-associated airway inflammation does not reflect induction of regulatory T cell (Treg) responses (there is no increased IL-10 or Foxp3 expression) but rather a switch in polarisation towards increased T-bet expression and IFNγ production. This ES-62-driven switch in the Th1/Th2 balance is accompanied by decreased IL-17 responses, a finding in line with reports that IFNγ and IL-17 are counter-regulatory. Consistent with ES-62 mediating its effects via IFNγ-mediated suppression of pathogenic Th2/Th17 responses, we found that neutralising anti-IFNγ antibodies blocked protection against airway inflammation in terms of pro-inflammatory cell infiltration, particularly by neutrophils and lung pathology. Collectively, these studies indicate that ES-62, or more likely small molecule analogues, could have therapeutic potential in asthma, in particular for those subtypes of patients (e.g. smokers, steroid-resistant) who are refractory to current treatments