Paintings and their implicit presuppositions : a preliminary report

In a series of earlier papers (Social Science Working Papers 350, 355. 357) we have studied the ways in which differences in "implicit presupposi tions" (i. e •• differences in world views) cause scientists and historians to reach differing conclusions from a consideration of the same evidence. In this paper we show that paintings are characterized by implicit presuppositions similar to those that characterize the written materials -- essays, letters, scientific papers -- we have already studied

Paintings and their implicit presuppositions: High Renaissance and Mannerism

All art historians who are interested in questions of "styles" or "schools" agree in identifying a High Renaissance school of Italian painting. There is, however, a disagreement, which has seemed nonterminating, regarding Mannerism: Is it another distinct school or is it merely a late development of the Renaissance school? We believe that this disagreement can be terminated by distinguishing questions of fact about paintings from questions about the definitions of schools. To this end we have had two representative subsets of paintings--one earlier, one later--rated on four of the dimensions of implicit presuppositions that we have introduced in other Working Papers. When the paintings are scaled in this way a very distinct profile emerges for the earlier, or Renaissance, paintings. In contrast, the later, or Mannerist, paintings are so heterogeneous that we conclude that they are best described as deviations from the Renaissance profile, rather than a separate school. These results are not unimportant--at least for art historians. But they are more important methodologically inasmuch as the procedures applied here can be used in classifying and distinguishing from one another all kind of cultural products

Methods for Evaluating Innovative Health Programs (EIHP): A Multi-Country Study

Designed as a global research initiative, the EIHP project aims at adding to the evidence base of health interventions that have the potential to improve health outcomes in Africa and Asia. The project focuses on rigorous, quantitative evaluations of innovative local initiatives that address the Millennium Development Goals for health: reductions in child and maternal mortality and communicable diseases. This overview brings together the outcomes and lessons from the project for evaluation methods. It draws together the methodological implications of carrying out impact evaluations under very different settings and emphasizes the need to build in evaluations in project designs.Millennium Development Goals; child and maternal health; communicable diseases; impact evaluation; capacity building; Asia; Africa; Latin America

Evaluating Innovative Health Programs: Lessons for Health Policy

The Global Development Network’s (GDN) project “Evaluating Innovative Health Programs” (EIHP), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, seeks to inform policy on the effectiveness of health solutions that have the potential to improve health outcomes in developing countries. It evaluates the impact of nineteen programs from across developing and transition countries that focus on the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing child and maternal mortality, and halting and reversing the trend of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. The policy implications of the diverse set of interventions are distinguished between programs that involved earmarking resources, changing incentives, and developing innovative methods of health care delivery.Millennium Development Goals; child and maternal health; communicable diseases; impact evaluation; capacity building; Asia; Africa; Latin America

The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation on Emotion Regulation, Cognition and Social Skills

This review seeks to bridge the gap between the separate but interacting mechanisms of emotion regulation and cognition, as well as their potential relationship with mindfulness meditation tools. By way of mindfulness meditation, individuals can learn how to regulate their emotions in a way that aversive stimuli will be viewed objectively; thus, the person can be free of attachment from said negative feelings. Knowing this, there is a potential link between emotion regulation processes and cognitive mechanisms that allow such regulation to take place, including selective or focused attention and inhibition. The literature on this theory so far has been inconsistent, however more claims suggest that there is a relationship between the two. This review initially speaks to existing mindfulness research and its implications on emotion regulation and cognitive processes. We then discuss emotion and the underlying processes and potential benefits of emotion regulation practice, as they are related to mindfulness mechanisms. Cognition, and the relationship between emotional intelligence and social skills are also discussed. Finally, we put it all together by suggesting a proactive mindfulness technique, which proves to be beneficial for each area mentioned

Lipid content and biomass analysis in autotrophic and heterotrophic algal species

Biofuels are a form of renewable energy derived from living matter, typically plants. The push for biofuels began in order to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere, as biofuels are essentially carbon neutral. The idea is the same amount of CO2 the plants took in to perform photosynthesis will then be released in the burning of the biofuels. Algae is an excellent source of biofuels because it grows quickly and is versatile in terms of the type of fuel it can produce. The two most common mechanisms for algae growth are heterotrophic or photoautotrophic. Heterotrophically grown algae uses an exogenous energy source, such as glucose, and uses the energy stored in it to perform cellular functions. Glucose also serves as a source of carbon and hydrogen, which are the primary elements found in lipids. In addition heterotrophic algae requires other nutrients for survival, such as water, vitamins, and inorganic ions. Algae grown photoautotrophically uses pigments in cellular photoreceptors to convert energy from light into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), an energy source, and to produce glucose. It also requires water, vitamins, and inorganic ions like the heterotrophic algae does. Some algal species, such as Chlorella zofingiensis, can be grown both photoautotrophically and heterotrophically. This algae species will be the subject of our experiment. Our experiment seeks to discover the most efficient way of growing algae to produce the highest amount of lipids. In addition to serving as a key component of cell and organelle membranes, lipids are a common form of high efficiency, long-term energy storage for living organisms, which is why lipids are extracted and processed to form biofuels. We propose growing one species of algae photoautotrophically by providing it with proper amounts of light but eliminating any glucose available. We will also grow the same species heterotrophically, with exogenous access to glucose, but eliminating all exposure to light sources. Finally, we will grow the same species mixotrophically with access to both glucose and light. Once the algae is grown, it will be harvested and analyzed for its lipid profile to determine which algae sample has the highest percent lipid content. We will also measure the percent biomass of each sample to determine which primary energy source leads to the greatest amount of total algal growth, percent organic material, and percent lipid content. We predict the algae grown with access to both sunlight and exogenous glucose will produce both the highest lipid content and the highest percent of biomass

Controlled Environmental Effects on Creep Test Data of Woven Fabric Webbings for Inflatable Space Modules

eveloping technologies for proposed lunar and Mars space exploration missions. Enhanced habitation sy g studied as potential habitats due to their inherent low mass and small launch volume. One goal of inflatable module research is quantification of the safe-life and end-of-life creep-strain spectrum. Full-scale pressurized inflatable modules are large, costly, and difficult to experimentally study. Therefore, material subcomponents are often studied as an alternative. An experimental thermally controlled long-term creep study of VectranTM webbings for application to inflatable modules is presented. Vectran fibers have high strength and low creep properties. High strength webbing materials are desirable for the load bearing restraint layer of inflatable modules because they are strong, flexible, and lightweight. Characterization of the creep behavior, safe-life, and end-of- life of webbing specimens will help quantify comparable life properties for inflatable modules. Several experimental multiple-year creep studies of webbing specimens in uncontrolled thermal environments have been conducted at NASA Langley Research Center. Experimental data obtained exhibits the classic creep-strain curve due to load, coupled with unique sinusoidal variation due to variation in temperature and humidity over daily and annual time periods. Results also have indicated that specimens fail within a year if the applied load is greater than 50 percent of the rated load. The primary goal of this study is to eliminate thermal effects from the creep data for a group of webbing specimens, and to allow uncontrolled thermal effects to influence the creep data of a second group of webbing specimens. Comparison of both sets of data will define how temperature influences creep data. A unique creep test facility was fabricated to facilitate the generation and comparison of the two sets of data. The facility consists of five creep test stands with an integrated heating and cooling system, and four creep test stands exposed to external environmental or ambient conditions. The facility contains displacement, temperature, humidity, and load sensors. Test specimens consist of one- inch wide, 48-inch long Vectran webbings rated at 12,500 pounds-per-inch. Experimental thermally controlled creep-strain data has been generated for two groups of webbing specimens. Applied load for all test stands was above 9000 lbs and greater than 50 percent of the rated load. Temperatures varied between 58F and 83F for the four test stands exposed to ambient conditions. Associated creep data exhibited the classic creep- strain profiles. The temperature was set to 72F for the five test stands in the controlled temperature environment. Creep data for tests with temperature control also exhibited the classic strain profiles. Data indicated that if the load is greater n thermal effects do not manifest. Therefore, creep tests with loads less than 50 percent of the rated load are planned for in the near future

Forecasting Inflation: the Relevance of Higher Moments

We provide evidence that higher moments of the relative price distribution improve out-of-sample forecasts of inflation. Further, we show how theoretically consistent higher moments can be calculated by expanding the seminal work by Theil (1967). Results presented here are of direct relevance to monetary authorities, policy analysts and academic economistsrelative price distribution, higher moments, out-of-sample inflation forecasting