Core measures of inflation as predictors of total inflation

Two rationales offered for policymakers' focus on core measures of inflation as a guide to underlying inflation are that core inflation omits food and energy prices, which are thought to be more volatile than other components, and that core inflation is thought to be a better predictor of total inflation over time horizons of import to policymakers. The authors' investigation finds little support for either rationale. They find that food and energy prices are not the most volatile components of inflation and that depending on which inflation measure is used, core inflation is not necessarily the best predictor of total inflation. However, they do find that combining CPI and PCE inflation measures can lead to statistically significant more accurate forecasts of each inflation measure, suggesting that each measure includes independent information that can be exploited to yield better forecasts.Inflation (Finance)

Automated data pre-processing via meta-learning

The final publication is available at link.springer.comA data mining algorithm may perform differently on datasets with different characteristics, e.g., it might perform better on a dataset with continuous attributes rather than with categorical attributes, or the other way around. As a matter of fact, a dataset usually needs to be pre-processed. Taking into account all the possible pre-processing operators, there exists a staggeringly large number of alternatives and nonexperienced users become overwhelmed. We show that this problem can be addressed by an automated approach, leveraging ideas from metalearning. Specifically, we consider a wide range of data pre-processing techniques and a set of data mining algorithms. For each data mining algorithm and selected dataset, we are able to predict the transformations that improve the result of the algorithm on the respective dataset. Our approach will help non-expert users to more effectively identify the transformations appropriate to their applications, and hence to achieve improved results.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Tissue and stage-specific juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) and epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) enzyme activities and \u3ci\u3eJhe \u3c/i\u3etranscript abundance in lines of the cricket\u3ci\u3e Gryllus assimilis \u3c/i\u3eartificially selected for plasma JHE activity: Implications for JHE microevolution

Fat body and midgut juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) and juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) specific activities, and plasma JHE activity, were measured throughout the last stadium in two pairs (blocks) of lines of the cricket Gryllus assimilis, each pair of which had been artificially selected for high- or low-plasma JHE activity. Highly significant differences were observed between high- and low-activity lines of each block on most days for fat body JHE, and on one day for midgut JHE activity. In each block, line differences in developmental profiles for fat body JHE activity paralleled line differences in plasma JHE activity during the early-mid stadium, but not during the latter part of the stadium. The developmental profile of midgut JHE activity differed from that of plasma and fat body JHE activity, exhibiting peaks during the early and latter parts of the stadium. Midgut and fat body JHEH activities exhibited a mid-stadium peak in all lines, but activities were very similar in all lines. Fat body JHE appears to be a more significant contributor to plasma JHE than is midgut JHE. During the middle of the last stadium (day 4), Jhe transcript abundance was significantly higher in fat body or midgut of highvs. low-JHE-activity lines. Jhe transcript abundance was positively correlated with JHE enzyme activity in either fat body or midgut, and with plasma JHE activity. Natural populations of G. assimilis harbor genetic variation for Jhe gene expression which appears to contribute to genetic variation in JHE specific activity in fat body and midgut. These genes appear to have been the targets of artificial selection that resulted in lines that differ dramatically in high- or low-plasma JHE activity. These genes appear to have little, if any, pleiotropic effects on JHEH specific activity

Neural crest stem cells undergo multilineage differentiation in developing peripheral nerves to generate endoneurial fibroblasts in addition to Schwann cells

Neural crest stem cells (NCSCs) persist in peripheral nerves throughout late gestation but their function is unknown. Current models of nerve development only consider the generation of Schwann cells from neural crest, but the presence of NCSCs raises the possibility of multilineage differentiation. We performed Cre-recombinase fate mapping to determine which nerve cells are neural crest derived. Endoneurial fibroblasts, in addition to myelinating and non-myelinating Schwann cells, were neural crest derived, whereas perineurial cells, pericytes and endothelial cells were not. This identified endoneurial fibroblasts as a novel neural crest derivative, and demonstrated that trunk neural crest does give rise to fibroblasts in vivo, consistent with previous studies of trunk NCSCs in culture. The multilineage differentiation of NCSCs into glial and non-glial derivatives in the developing nerve appears to be regulated by neuregulin, notch ligands, and bone morphogenic proteins, as these factors are expressed in the developing nerve, and cause nerve NCSCs to generate Schwann cells and fibroblasts, but not neurons, in culture. Nerve development is thus more complex than was previously thought, involving NCSC self-renewal, lineage commitment and multilineage differentiation

Сульфидная система в раннепротерозойских породах чечелеевского литолого-стратиграфического уровня Кировоградского мегаблока (Украинский щит)

На основе минералогических, изотопных и термобарогеохимических исследований прослежена эволюция сульфидной системы от исходных метаморфогенных до гидротермально-метасоматических ассоциаций. В рамках этой эволюции проведено сопоставление изотопного состава серы магнитных и немагнитных пирротинов.На основі мінералогічних, ізотопних і термобарогеохімічних досліджень простежено еволюцію сульфідної системи від вихідних метаморфогенних до гідротермально- метасоматичних асоціацій. В межах цієї еволюції проведено порівняння ізотопного складу сірки магнітних та немагнітних піротинів.On the base of mineralogical, isotopic and thermobarogeochemical investigations the evolution of sulfide system from host metamorphic to hydrothermal-metasomatic associations was trashed. At the frames of this evolution the comparison of isotopic composition of magnetic and nonmagnetic pyrrhotite sulfur was carried out

Suicide: A Constitutional Right?

Recent advocacy of a right to suicide raises the question of whether statutes which penalize the assistance of suicide and the widespread practice of intervention to stop suicide attempts are unconstitutional. This article considers the claim that the right of privacy or substantive due process encompasses autonomy to do whatever affects no one else, and concludes that the Supreme Court has recognized only those forms of autonomy that it has deemed to be rooted in the traditions and history of our society. After outlining the attitudes toward suicide at various stages in Western Civilization, focusing on Anglo- American history and particularly on the legal tradition, the authors conclude that the predominant approach has been to discourage suicide and to penalize its assistance, while, at least in American history, to treat rather than condemn the suicide attempter. In their view, suicide has not historically been treated as a fundamental right. The article then relates psychological and sociological evidence that those who attempt suicide are normally ambivalent, usually do so for reasons other than a settled desire to die, and are predominantly the victims of mental disorder. Finally, the authors argue that societal sanctions for suicide would lead to manipulation by others and social pressure that would induce many unstable individuals, who would otherwise be helped, to commit suicide. For these reasons, the authors regard recognition of a right to suicide as unjustified and undesirable

Simulation studies of improved sounding systems

Two instrument designs for indirect satellite sounding of the atmosphere in the infrared are represented by the High Resolution Infra-Red Sounder, Model 2 (HIRS-2) and by the Advanced Meteorological Temperature Sounder (AMTS). The relative capabilities of the two instruments were tested by simulating satellite measurements from a group of temperature soundings, allowing the two participants to retrieve the temperature profiles from the simulated data, and comparing the results with the original temperature profiles. Four data sets were produced from radiosondes data extrapolated to a suitable altitude, representing continents and oceans, between 30S and 30N. From the information available, temperature profiles were retrieved by two different methods, statistical regression and inversion of the radiative transfer equation. Results show the consequence of greater spectral purity, concomitant increase in the number of spectral intervals, and the better spatial resolution in partly clouded areas. At the same time, the limitation of the HIRS-2 without its companion instrument leads to some results which should be ignored in comparing the two instruments. A clear superiority of AMTS results is shown

Utilizing the R/V Marcus G. Langseth’s streamer to measure the acoustic radiation of its seismic source in the shallow waters of New Jersey’s continental shelf

Shallow water marine seismic surveys are necessary to understand a range of Earth processes in coastal environments, including those that represent major hazards to society such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and sea-level rise. Predicting the acoustic radiation of seismic sources in shallow water, which is required for compliance with regulations designed to limit impacts on protected marine species, is a significant challenge in this environment because of variable reflectivity due to local geology, and the susceptibility of relatively small bathymetric features to focus or shadow acoustic energy. We use data from the R/V Marcus G. Langseth’s towed hydrophone streamer to estimate the acoustic radiation of the ship’s seismic source during a large survey of the shallow shelf off the coast of New Jersey. We use the results to estimate the distances from the source to acoustic levels of regulatory significance, and use bathymetric data from the ship’s multibeam system to explore the relationships between seafloor depth and slope and the measured acoustic radiation patterns. We demonstrate that existing models significantly overestimate mitigation radii, but that the variability of received levels in shallow water suggest that in situ real-time measurements would help improve these estimates, and that post-cruise revisions of received levels are valuable in accurately determining the potential acoustic impact of a seismic survey