Heterogeneity, Communication, Coordination and Voluntary Provision of a Public Good

The results of twenty-four laboratory sessions are evaluated with respect to the role of alternative definitions of equity when communication is introduced into an environment in which voluntary contributions determine the level of public good provision to small groups of individuals. Individuals experience both non-communication and communication treatments. Additional treatments include the extent to which subjects have information about others’ payoffs from (preferences for) the consumption of public goods and about others’ incomes and payoff functions (preferences). With communication, participants in incomplete information environments are less able to coordinate their contributions while those in complete information environments succeed more often. Under complex heterogeneity payoff distributions widen with the introduction of communication. The data do not support the emergence of a particular pattern of coordination across all treatments.

Some observations on the therapeutic value of antibacterial serum in the treatment of the severe type of diphtheria

1. Severe Diphtheria occurs, and exacts its toll of human life in Manchester. 2. The idea of a new Therapeutic Agent was conceived in the nature of a Gravis Diphtheria Anti-bacterial Serum. 3. The outline of preparation and standardisation of Gravis Diphtheria Anti-bacterial Serum is described. 4. The attempt at experimental evaluation of the Therapeutic Serum was carried out in animals. 5. The results of the treatment of 35 severe cases of Gravis Diphtheria, with Gravis Anti-bacterial Serum, are compared with the results in 40 cases of similar type and severity, which were treated without Anti-bacterial Serum. 6. The results of the treatment of 6 cases of severe Diphtheria, due to the Intermediate type of Diphtheria organism, with j Gravis Anti-bacterial Serum, are compared with 5 similar cases which were treated without Anti-bacterial Serum. 7. The results of treatment of 3 complicated cases of Gravis Diphtheria with Anti-bacterial Serum, are compared with 3 similar cases which were treated without Anti-bacterial Serum. 8. The results of treatment of 3 severe cases of Diphtheria, due to Atypical Gravis organisms, which were treated with Anti-bacterial Seram, are described. 9. The course of the disease was not modified in any way by the administration of Anti-bacterial Serum

Heterogeneity and the Voluntary Provision of Public Goods

We investigate the effects of heterogeneity, incomplete information and communication on aggregate contributions to a public good using the voluntary contribution mechanism in a nonlinear laboratory environment. One-dimensional heterogeneity (heterogeneity in income or preferences) and two-dimensional heterogeneity (heterogeneity in income and preferences) both increase voluntary contributions. The effect is greatest when information is incomplete in the sense that subjects do not know each other’s payoffs. Incomplete information also reduces contributions in the homogeneous case. Communication reverses the relative importance of oneand two-dimensional heterogeneity in promoting cooperation.

The effect of ruminal and duodenal application of different levels of calcium and phosphorus to sheep on semi-purified diets

Nege behandelings van CaoPo, Car, Cad, Pd, (CAP)r, CadPr, (CaP)d en CarPd (o = geen supplementasie; r -= aan rumen en d = aan duodenum) is ondersoek. P-supplementasie onderdruk Ca-absorpsie en -retensie en omgekeerd. P-absorpsie in duodenum is konsentrasie-afhanklik en Ca- en anolgllniese P-konsentrasie in die rumen is afhanklik van die inname: Ca meer so as P. Serum-Ca was betreklik konstant terwyl serum anorganiese P (Pi) beduidend deur die behandelings beinvloed is. Ca- en P-onderhoudsbehoeftes kan as 3,0 en 1,8 g/dag en die totale endogene verlies 0,5 en ongeveer 0,34 g/dag onderskeidelik beskou word. Die Ca/p verhouding vir die rumen-mikro-organismes is nie kritiesnie maar die Ca-peil mag gewoonweg meer krities as die P-peil in die rumen wees. 'n'Wye Ca/P verhouding vir herkouers is aan te beveel. Konsentrasiesvan Pi en vetsure in rumenvloeistof is betekenisvol gekorreleerd sowel as rumen-Ca met vetsure en TCA-N.The effect of different levels and combinations of Ca and P consisting of nine treatments as CaoPo, Car, Pr,Cad, Pd, (CaP)r, CadPr, (CaP)d and CarPd were investigated with an unrestricted semi-purified diet (r = to the rumen; d = to the duodenum, and o = no supplementation). P supplementation, irrespective of site, depressed Ca absorption and retention and vice versa. P absorption is favoured by high concentrations in the duodenum, absorption thus being concentration dependent. Ca and inorganic P (Pi) concentration in rumen liquor isintake dependent; the former more so than the latter. The serum Ca was relatively stable despite treatment differences, whereas serum Pi concentrationwas significantly affected by treatments. Serum Ca and Pi are negatively correlated (r = -0,5307). Car resulted in the highest concentrationof serum Ca but depressed serum Pi more effectively than e.g. CaoPo and Cad. The Ca and P maintenance requirements were found to be 3,0 and 1,8 g/day and the endogenous loss 0,5 and approximately 0,34 g/day respectively. The Ca/P ratio for the rumen microorganisms is not critical but the rumen Ca level may usually be of a more critical nature in contrast to rumen Pi levels, and thus, favouring a wider ratio than is usually recommended for non-ruminants. Concentrations of rumen liquor Pi and VFA were found to be significantly associated as well as rumen Ca with VFA and TCA-N, respectively.

Optimization of Crew Comfort System

This paper presents an engineering evaluation of the environmental parameters that affect man\u27s comfort during shirtsleeve operation under conditions of weightlessness. To obtain a minimum weight system, the penalty for providing convective, radiative, and evaporative cooling was established. Mathematical expressions were developed to relate how the total metabolic heat generated by a crew member is divided among radiation, convection, and evaporation. These expressions included the vehicle design parameters — air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and mean radiant temperature (MRT), and the crew-oriented parameters of clothing thermal resistance and effective wetted surface area. A basic premise was that the system be designed so that the crew memberT s effective wetted skin is 10 percent of the total area, and the crew member is comfortable under these conditions. For fixed values of the MRT and clothing thermal resistance, the velocity required to provide sufficient convection and evaporation was found as a function of compartment air temperature. The equipment required to dehumidify the compartment and provide air circulation is affected by the relative amounts of heat lost by convection, radiation, and evaporation. Equipment weight and power penalties were established for each mode of heat transfer for fixed values of MRT and clothing thermal resistance and as a function of compartment air temperature. The total vehicle penalty was then obtained. Before the system design point could be chosen, an examination of the system off-design performance was necessary. This was done by examining how much the effective wetted area increases as the metabolic load increases. The design metabolic loads examined were for maintenance activities and for exercising. The sensitivity of the optimum design values to changes in crew clothing were investigated by establishing how they would change if the crew were to wear a minimum-thermal-resistance garment. Decreasing the clothing thermal resistance allows the use of lower design air velocities and higher MRT and results in lower vehicle weight penalties. Savings were obtained at the expense of flexibility in operating at off-design conditions. This study demonstrates that one can find an optimum combination of design parameters of air velocity, air temperature, clothing thermal resistance; and MRT for a wide range of crew activities. Additional work is required to verify the predicted heat and mass transfer coefficients in space vehicles

Relaxation and exercise in lymphoma survivors (REIL study): a randomised clinical trial protocol.

Background: Lymphoma survivors commonly report ongoing complaints including fatigue, pain, depression and decreased quality of life (QoL) following treatment. Although evidence suggests that both relaxation and exercise can significantly improve such symptoms, there is no consensus on which intervention is more effective. This paper presents the REIL (Relaxation and Exercise In Lymphoma) Study protocol. The REIL study aims to compare the effect of two home-based interventions - relaxation and exercise - on QoL in lymphoma survivors. Methods: Eligible participants (n = 36) will be randomised to a relaxation or exercise programme to perform at least three times per week. The primary outcome measure is QoL, assessed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Secondary outcome measures include body composition, cardiovascular status, pulmonary function, grip strength, functional exercise capacity (six minute walk test), well-being assessed by the FACT-Lym questionnaire, and psychological status assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Total duration of the study will be twelve weeks and outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, six weeks and at the end of the study. Discussion: It is anticipated that results from this preliminary study will begin to highlight effective pathways to improve QoL following chemotherapy for this population. This will better inform healthcare professionals to optimise QoL of lymphoma patients, and enable a smooth transition from being a cancer patient to survivor. Trial registration: The REIL study has been registered on a publicly accessible database, ClinicalTrials.gov, Registration Number: NCT02272751, October 2014

Interaction of Laser Radiation with Plasmas and Nonadiabatic Motion of Particles in Magnetic Fields

Contains reports on two research projects.United States Atomic Energy Commission (Contract AT(30-1)-3285