A FINANCIAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR USDA/FSA BORROWERS: EVOLUTION AND IMPACTS

A financial training program designed by Cooperative Extension specialists was provided to over 2,000 USDA/FSA borrowers from the Northeast during the period 1994-1999. Key to the success of the workshops was an in-depth, user friendly curriculum that evolved over time, eventually replacing satellite-feed instruction with pre-taped videos. Cluster analysis classified nearly 70% of workshop participants as "Low Finance Priority" or "Low Finance Knowledge." Farmers in these clusters received a relatively greater educational benefit from the program than those not in these clusters. Impact analysis indicated that perceived annual gain in farm net worth from application of workshop tools ranged from approximately $5,000 to$10,000. The training addressed the needs of producers typically isolated from Cooperative Extension because the workshop was the only extension program attended that year by nearly two-thirds of them.Agricultural Finance,

Canonical Formulation of A Bosonic Matter Field in 1+1 Dimensional Curved Space

We study a Bosonic scalar in 1+1 dimensional curved space that is coupled to a dynamical metric field. This metric, along with the affine connection, also appears in the Einstein-Hilbert action when written in first order form. After illustrating the Dirac constraint analysis in Yang-Mills theory, we apply this formulation to the Einstein-Hilbert action and the action of the Bosonic scalar field, first separately and then together. Only in the latter case does a dynamical degree of freedom emerge.Comment: 21 page

The Compositional Nature of Verb and Argument Representations in the Human Brain

How does the human brain represent simple compositions of objects, actors,and actions? We had subjects view action sequence videos during neuroimaging (fMRI) sessions and identified lexical descriptions of those videos by decoding (SVM) the brain representations based only on their fMRI activation patterns. As a precursor to this result, we had demonstrated that we could reliably and with high probability decode action labels corresponding to one of six action videos (dig, walk, etc.), again while subjects viewed the action sequence during scanning (fMRI). This result was replicated at two different brain imaging sites with common protocols but different subjects, showing common brain areas, including areas known for episodic memory (PHG, MTL, high level visual pathways, etc.,i.e. the 'what' and 'where' systems, and TPJ, i.e. 'theory of mind'). Given these results, we were also able to successfully show a key aspect of language compositionality based on simultaneous decoding of object class and actor identity. Finally, combining these novel steps in 'brain reading' allowed us to accurately estimate brain representations supporting compositional decoding of a complex event composed of an actor, a verb, a direction, and an object.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Properties of nonaqueous electrolytes Sixth summary report, 20 Sep. 1967 - 19 Mar. 1968

Physical properties and structural studies on propylene carbonate, dimethyl formamide, and acetonitrile solvent electrolyte

Exploring Point of Sale Strategies for Improving Seafood Retailing: The Case of the Australian Oyster Industry

The commodification of many food products, combined with increasing market share of supermarkets, has increased the importance of point of sale (POS) strategies in speciality food retailers such as fishmongers. The purpose of this study is to develop strategies to improve the retailing of seafood in fishmongers, specifically oysters, a species which is currently underutilised; as although they are eaten by many consumers, purchase frequency is low. A literature review identifies the key drivers and barriers to oyster consumption and the information consumers want at the POS. Based on these findings, a retailing strategy for oysters is developed and tested in two consumer focus groups. Based on focus group results, revisions are recommended to the retail strategy, importantly including a change in collateral from a production focus to a consumption focus. This study makes a clear contribution to theory and practice by bringing together the existing literature on drivers and barriers and consumer information requirements about oysters to develop and test practical retail strategy concepts

Analytical sun synchronous low-thrust manoeuvres

Article describes analytical sun synchronous low-thrust manoeuvres