Tools or Toys? The Impact of High Technology on Scholarly Productivity

Toys. The impact of computers on productivity has been examined directly on macro data and indirectly (on wages) using microeconomic data. This study examines the direct impact on the productivity of scholarship by considering how high technology might alter patterns of coauthoring of articles in economics and their influence. Using all coauthored articles in three major economics journals from 1970-79 and 1992-96, we find: 1) Sharp growth in the percentage of distant coauthorships (those between authors who were not in the same metropolitan areas in the four years prior to publication), as the theory predicts. Contrary to the theory: 2) Lower productivity (in terms of subsequent citations) of distant than close-coauthored papers; and 3) No decline in their relative disadvantage between the 1970s and 1990s. These findings are reconciled by the argument that high-technology functions as a consumption rather than an investment good. As such, it can be welfare-increasing without increasing productivity.

Residential photovoltaic module and array requirements study

Design requirements for photovoltaic modules and arrays used in residential applications were identified. Building codes and referenced standards were reviewed for their applicability to residential photovoltaic array installations. Four installation types were identified - integral (replaces roofing), direct (mounted on top of roofing), stand-off (mounted away from roofing), and rack (for flat or low slope roofs, or ground mounted). Installation costs were developed for these mounting types as a function of panel/module size. Studies were performed to identify optimum module shapes and sizes and operating voltage cost drivers. It is concluded that there are no perceived major obstacles to the use of photovoltaic modules in residential arrays. However, there is no applicable building code category for residential photovoltaic modules and arrays and additional work with standards writing organizations is needed to develop residential module and array requirements

Evangelism Among Muslims

The issue to be addressed by this project is specifically the apparent ineffectiveness of evangelization among Muslims of the Middle East as evidenced by thirteen centuries of polarization between Muslims and Christians. The project is an analysis and evaluation of existing methods of evangelism and approaches to Muslims as conducted by the Seventh- day Adventist Church with proposals for new and improved methods and approaches emerging from the study

Queen control of a key life-history event in a eusocial insect

In eusocial insects, inclusive fitness theory predicts potential queen–worker conflict over the timing of events in colony life history. Whether queens or workers control the timing of these events is poorly understood. In the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris, queens exhibit a ‘switch point’ in which they switch from laying diploid eggs yielding females (workers and new queens) to laying haploid eggs yielding males. By rearing foundress queens whose worker offspring were removed as pupae and sexing their eggs using microsatellite genotyping, we found that queens kept in the complete absence of adult workers still exhibit a switch point. Moreover, the timing of their switch points relative to the start of egg-laying did not differ significantly from that of queens allowed to produce normal colonies. The finding that bumble-bee queens can express the switch point in the absence of workers experimentally demonstrates queen control of a key life-history event in eusocial insects. In addition, we found no evidence that workers affect the timing of the switch point either directly or indirectly via providing cues to queens, suggesting that workers do not fully express their interests in queen–worker conflicts over colony life history

Cargo adaptors regulate stepping and force generation of mammalian dynein-dynactin.

Cytoplasmic dynein is an ATP-driven motor that transports intracellular cargos along microtubules. Dynein adopts an inactive conformation when not attached to a cargo, and motility is activated when dynein assembles with dynactin and a cargo adaptor. It was unclear how active dynein-dynactin complexes step along microtubules and transport cargos under tension. Using single-molecule imaging, we showed that dynein-dynactin advances by taking 8 to 32-nm steps toward the microtubule minus end with frequent sideways and backward steps. Multiple dyneins collectively bear a large amount of tension because the backward stepping rate of dynein is insensitive to load. Recruitment of two dyneins to dynactin increases the force generation and the likelihood of winning against kinesin in a tug-of-war but does not directly affect velocity. Instead, velocity is determined by cargo adaptors and tail-tail interactions between two closely packed dyneins. Our results show that cargo adaptors modulate dynein motility and force generation for a wide range of cellular functions

Residential photovoltaic module and array requirements study, appendices

Regional building code variations, federal and city codes, and the national electric code are reviewed for their possible effects on the design of photovoltaic modules. Problems that photovoltaic arrays may impose on the insurability of residences are also discussed. Mounting configurations are developed for the modules, and grounding, wiring, terminal, and voltage requirements are established. Installation and materials costs are presented along with performance criteria

USCID fourth international conference

Presented at the Role of irrigation and drainage in a sustainable future: USCID fourth international conference on irrigation and drainage on October 3-6, 2007 in Sacramento, California.Salt management is a critical component of irrigated agriculture in arid regions. Successful crop production cannot be sustained without maintaining an acceptable level of salinity in the root zone. This requires drainage and a location to dispose drainage water, particularly, the salts it contains, which degrade the quality of receiving water bodies. Despite the need to generate drainage water to sustain productivity, many irrigation schemes have been designed and constructed with insufficient attention to drainage, to appropriate re-use or disposal of saline drainage water, and to salt disposal in general. To control the negative effects of drainage water disposal, state and federal agencies in several countries now are placing regulations on the discharge of saline drainage water into rivers. As a result, many farmers have implemented irrigation and crop management practices that reduce drainage volumes. Farmers and technical specialists also are examining water treatment schemes to remove salt or dispose of saline drainage water in evaporation basins or in underlying groundwater. We propose that the responsibility for salt management be combined with the irrigation rights of farmers. This approach will focus farmers' attention on salt management and motivate water delivery agencies and farmers to seek efficient methods for reducing the amount of salt needing disposal and to determine methods of disposing salt in ways that are environmentally acceptable

Determinan Kejadian Komplikasi Persalinan Di Indonesia (Analisis Data Sekunder Survei Demografi Dan Kesehatan Indonesia Tahun 2007)

Analisis data sekunder SDKI 2007 guna mengidentifikasi determinan kejadian komplikasi persalinan di Indonesia. Sampel adalah wanita usia 15-49 tahun yang melahirkan anak 5 tahun terakhir sebelum survei dalam hal ini yang dianalisis adalah kelahiran anak terakhir yaitu sebesar 15.334. Variabel dependen adalah kejadian komplikasi persalinan. Diketahui bahwa proporsi kejadian komplikasi persalinan di Indonesia antara kurun waktu tahun 2002-2007 sebanyak 43,7%. Hasil determinan kejadian komplikasi persalinan adalah paritas 1/≥4 anak, adanya komplikasi kehamilan, adanya riwayat komplikasi persalinan dahulu, adanya masalah dalam mendapatkan pelayanan kesehatan, kunjungan minimal pemeriksaan antenatal, dan penolong persalinan tenaga kesehatan dan tempat persalinan. Dan faktor yang paling dominan berhubungan dengan kejadian komplikasi persalinan adalah riwayat komplikasi persalinan dahulu dengan odds ratio 5,52. Diharapkan adanya kerjasama semua pihak dalam menurunkan angka komplikasi persalinan ini antara pemegang program pusat, daerah dan puskesmas dengan perencanaan program antenatal care terpadu yang merupakan bagian dari pelayanan antenatal guna mendeteksi secara dini kehamilan risiko tinggi dan tanda-tanda komplikasi kehamilan dan mencegah komplikasi persalinan dan nifas

Determinan Upaya Pengobatan Tuberkulosis Pada Anak Di Bawah Umur 15 Tahun

One of the WHO\u27s step of TB strategy reflects the importance of the need to improve care for children with TB. However, children with TB often are neglected to cure, even in the countries with high TB incidence. Around 20 percent children estimated with TB, caused by the spreading of adult TB, and many of them without specific symptom as adult. The aim of this study is to get information about the relation between demography, socio-economic, environmental factors, vaccination status, and contact with adult TB patient, and TB treatment practice of children aged <15 years. The sample was a cross-sectional data of TB Prevalence Survey 2004 and Susenas 2004, which had been merged. The method of analysis was multivariate. The result showed that the significant variable were Sumatera region, household expenditure, BCG scars, and contact with TB patients with log-likelihood < 0.05 (p=0.000). Final model for determinant factors of TB treatment practice for children aged < 15 years were children contact with adult TB patient in the household that had risk of 1.9 times (CI 95%: 1.26-2.89) and place of living classification (Sumatera region) that had risk of 2.6 times (CI 95%: 1.65-4.01). To handle child TB cases and their treatment, there are some actions could be applied, namely: to cure every adult TB until recovery, to conduct active case finding, to educate TB patients and their family to be discipline in taking the drug, to support financial transportation to go to health facility for TB patient in poor family, and to prevent from drop out by supervising them closely