432 research outputs found
National bank notes and silver certificates
From 1883 to 1892, the circulation of national bank notes in the United States fell nearly 50 percent. Previous studies have attributed this to supply-side factors that led to a decline in the profitability of note issue during this period. This paper provides an alternative explanation. The decline in note issue was, in large part, demand-driven. The presence of a competing currency with superior features caused the public to substitute away from national bank notes.Paper money ; National bank notes ; Silver
A Comparison of Methodologies for Valuing Decreased Health Effects from Wildfire Smoke
Wildfire seasons are becoming longer and more intense throughout the world, making it increasingly important to monetize the full damages caused by wildfires when analyzing various fire management policies. We estimate the economic costs of the health effects associated with exposure to wildfire smoke using a simple cost of illness approach and for the first time to our knowledge we estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) for a decrease in symptom days from wildfire smoke using the contingent valuation method and the averting behavior method. Comparing estimates across all three common approaches for estimating the economic cost of exposure to an air pollutant is an important contribution to the literature. This study uses data from the largest wildfire in Los Angeles Countyâs modern history, the Station Fire of 2009. Our results show that a simple cost of illness estimate is about 43 or 74 - $98 to avoid one day of wildfire-smoke induced symptom days, depending on model specification.averting behavior method, contingent valuation method, cost of illness, wildfire smoke, health, morbidity, Environmental Economics and Policy, Health Economics and Policy, Q,
ToxicitĂŠ Ă court terme Ă l'ĂŠgard du vairon (Phoxinus phoxinus L.) de divers fongicides
Relating Spatial Patterns of Stream Metabolism to Distributions of Juveniles Salmonids at the River Network Scale
Understanding the factors that drive spatial patterns in stream ecosystem processes and the distribution of aquatic biota is important to effective management of these systems and the conservation of biota at the network scale. In this study, we conducted field surveys throughout an extensive river network in NE Oregon that supports diminishing populations of wild salmonids. We collected data on physical habitat, nutrient concentrations, biofilm standing stocks, stream metabolism (gross primary production [GPP] and ecosystem respiration [ER]), and ESAâlisted juvenile salmonid density from approximately 50 sites across two subâbasins. Our goals were to (1) to evaluate network patterns in these metrics, and (2) determine networkâscale linkages among these metrics, thus providing inference of processes driving observed patterns. Ambient nitrateâN and phosphateâP concentrations were low across both subâbasins (\u3c40 Îźg/L). NitrateâN decreased with watershed area in both subâbasins, but phosphateâP only decreased in one subâbasin. These spatial patterns suggest coâlimitation in one subâbasin but N limitation in the other; experimental results using nutrient diffusing substrates across both subâbasins supported these predictions. Solar exposure, temperature, GPP, ER, and GPP:ER increased with watershed area, but biofilm Chl a and ashâfree dry mass (AFDM) did not. Spatial statistical network (SSN) models explained between 70% and 75% of the total variation in biofilm Chl a, AFDM, and GPP, but only 21% of the variation in ER. Temperature and nutrient concentrations were the most supported predictors of Chl aand AFDM standing stocks, but these variables explained little of the total variation compared to spatial autocorrelation. In contrast, solar exposure and temperature were the most supported variables explaining GPP, and these variables explained far more variation than autocorrelation. Solar exposure, temperature, and nutrient concentrations explained almost none of the variation in ER. Juvenile salmonidsâa key management focus in these subâbasinsâwere most abundant in cool stream sections where rates of GPP were low, suggesting temperature constraints on these species restrict their distribution to oligotrophic areas where energy production at the base of the food web may be limited
Development of a Web-Based Human Resource Sourcing System for Labour Only Contracts
Nowadays in some areas of Nigeria, it has been noticed that the search for a satisfactory team of labourers (skilled and unskilled) or even the right amount of people to undertake the job has become a laborious activity. Therefore, there is need to build a two-way partnership system linking construction firms with the required skilled labour and vice versa. The aim of this research is to develop a web-based
human resource sourcing system for labour only contracts. The study made use of a questionnaire instrument and developed a web-based interface for skilled labour
sourcing. The questionnaire was distributed to fifty (50) construction professionals who were selected through a convenience sampling technique. The data collected was
analyzed using SPSS v.21. The design of the system was done using hypertext markup language (HTML) for authoring web pages. The study revealed that contractorsâ sourcing techniques for skilled labour on construction projects were
mostly by referral from colleagues and workers from past projects. The study identified the major barriers in sourcing for skilled labour on construction projects as
the unavailability of trained skilled labour. The study revealed that years of experience, wages charged and behavior of the worker were major criteria considered
while sourcing for skilled labour on construction projects. In conclusion, the study developed a web based human resource sourcing system for labour only contracts that
incorporated the needs of the skilled labour and requirement of construction firms. It was recommended that construction professionals and contractors need to harness the
benefits of web-based technologies. In addition, there is need to increase the information and communication technology (ICT) trainings of workers in the construction industry so has to have a successful integration of ICT and the construction industry
Exotic Corn Lines with Increased Resistant Starch and Impact on Starch Thermal Characteristics
Ten parent corn lines, including four mutants (dull sugary2, amyloseextender sugary2, amylose-extender dull, and an amylose-extender with introgressed Guatemalen germplasm [GUAT ae]) and six lines with introgressed exotic germplasm backgrounds, were crossed with each other to create 20 progeny crosses to increase resistant starch (RS) as a dietary fiber in corn starch and to provide materials for thermal evaluation. The resistant starch 2 (RS2) values from the 10 parent lines were 18.3â52.2% and the values from the 20 progeny crosses were 16.6â34.0%. The %RS2 of parents was not additive in the offspring but greater RS2 in parents was correlated to greater RS2 in the progeny crosses (r = 0.63). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measured starch thermal characteristics, revealing positive correlations of peak gelatinization temperature and change in enthalpy with %RS2 (r = 0.65 and r = 0.67, P ⤠0.05); however, % retrogradation (a measure of RS3) and retrogradation parameters did not correlate with %RS2. The %RS2 and onset temperature increased with the addition of the ae gene, likely because RS delays gelatinization
Caloric restriction augments radiation efficacy in breast cancer.
Dietary modification such as caloric restriction (CR) has been shown to decrease tumor initiation and progression. We sought to determine if nutrient restriction could be used as a novel therapeutic intervention to enhance cytotoxic therapies such as radiation (IR) and alter the molecular profile of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which displays a poor prognosis. In two murine models of TNBC, significant tumor regression is noted with IR or diet modification, and a greater regression is observed combining diet modification with IR. Two methods of diet modification were compared, and it was found that a daily 30% reduction in total calories provided more significant tumor regression than alternate day feeding. At the molecular level, tumors treated with CR and IR showed less proliferation and more apoptosis. cDNA array analysis demonstrated the IGF-1R pathway plays a key role in achieving this physiologic response, and multiple members of the IGF-1R pathway including IGF-1R, IRS, PIK3ca and mTOR were found to be downregulated. The innovative use of CR as a novel therapeutic option has the potential to change the biology of tumors and enhance the opportunity for clinical benefit in the treatment of patients with TNBC
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