A seemingly unrelated regression analysis of regulator selection and electricity prices

Includes bibliographical references (p. 21-22)

Measuring and interpreting current permanent and transitory earnings and dividends : methods and applications / BEBR No. 815

Bibliography: p. 21-22

Skylab mobile laboratory

The Skylab mobile laboratory was designed to provide the capability to obtain necessary data on the Skylab crewmen 30 days before lift-off, within 1 hour after recovery, and until preflight physiological baselines were reattained. The mobile laboratory complex consisted of six laboratories that supported cardiovascular, metabolic, nutrition and endocrinology, operational medicine, blood, and microbiology experiments; a utility package; and two shipping containers. The objectives and equipment requirements of the Skylab mobile laboratory and the data acquisition systems are discussed along with processes such as permanently mounting equipment in the individual laboratories and methods of testing and transporting the units. The operational performance, in terms of amounts of data collected, and the concept of mobile laboratories for medical and scientific experiments are evaluated. The Skylab mobile laboratory succeeded in facilitating the data collection and sample preservation associated with the three Skylab manned flights

An empirical examination of the dynamics of strategic groups

Includes bibliographical references (p. 30-32)

Apollo command module mockup flammability tests

Apollo command module mockup flammability tests using three different atmosphere

¿Era la industria eléctrica de entreguerras un monopolio natural? Evidencia a partir de la Sociedad Hidroeléctrica Española

En los últimos años se ha cuestionado la condición de monopolio natural de la industria eléctrica. La fase de generación ya no es considerada como un monopolio natural, y se debate que la fase de distribución lo sea. Este trabajo parte de las principales aportaciones que se han realizado desde la teoría industrial en vistas a su aplicación a la Sociedad Hidroeléctrica Española, como empresa significativa de la industria eléctrica española del período de entreguerras. El resultado del análisis ha confirmado el carácter de monopolio natural de cada una de las fases de generación, transporte y distribución. Dado que la industria eléctrica del período de entreguerras presentaba una estructura monopolística, estos resultados indican que era el tipo de organización óptima.Over the past two decades it has been questioned whether the electric utility industry is a natural monopoly. Electricity generation is no longer considered a natural monopoly and the topic is debated in relation to electricity distribution. This article explores the main contributions in this field in order to apply their findings to the Spanish Electric Utility Industry in the inter-war period. The study focuses on one of the major Spanish companies, Sociedad Hidroeléctrica Española, and shows that generation, transmission and distribution of electricity were natural monopolies. The results indicate that the monopolistic structure which the inter-war electric utility industry exhibited was the optimal form of organisation.Publicad

The effect of nicotine inhalation on taste receptor gene expression and fungiform papillae density

BACKGROUND: Smoking is one of many acquired causes of smell and taste disorders. The effect on taste may be due to cigarette smoke causing a gustatory disturbance through changing the form, quantity, and vascularization of taste buds. Nicotine’s negative impact on taste buds is elicited through aversive sensory effects like oral irritation and pain as well as bitter taste. Taste buds are located on fungiform, circumvallate, and foliate papillae found on the tongue. Taste receptor cells can be stimulated by one of five basic taste qualities, which are sweet, bitter, umami (savory), salty, and sour. More recently, fat has been proposed as a sixth taste quality. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study is to determine the combined effects of inhaled nicotine and high fat diet (HFD) on bitter, sweet, and fat taste receptor gene expression and the effect of inhaled nicotine and HFD on the density of fungiform papillae at anterior portion of the tongue. METHODS: Adult male C57BL/6N mice were used to investigate the combined effects of nicotine vapor inhalation and HFD on lingual taste receptor expression. The control group received room air and consumed a standard mouse chow diet. Other groups received: 1) room air and consumed a HFD, 2) nicotine via inhalation in an inhalation chamber and consumed a standard mouse chow diet, 3) nicotine via inhalation in an inhalation chamber and consumed a HFD. Following 10 weeks of inhalation exposure and diet consumption, mice were sacrificed, and tongues were harvested. Tri-reagent and a Zymo RNA kit were utilized to isolate RNA from the circumvallate papillae and followed by reverse transcriptase and qPCR. Expression of CD36 mRNA (fat), T1R2 mRNA (sweet), T1R3 mRNA (sweet), and T2R138 mRNA (bitter) was measured and normalized to cyclophilin. To determine density of the fungiform papillae, the anterior 2/3 of the tongue was stained using 0.5% methylene blue to visualize papillae. Body weight was measured, and weight gain was calculated. RESULTS: T1R3 expression was significantly downregulated in the nicotine groups when compared to the groups receiving room air. CD36 expression did not significantly differ between nicotine and room air groups, but there was a trend toward the HFD consuming mice having higher CD36 mRNA levels (p=.167). There was a significant main effect of diet on body weight gain with increased body weight gain in the HFD groups. Nicotine exposure had no effect on body weight gain, T1R3 expression, and T2R138 expression. Data on fungiform papillae staining is forthcoming. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that nicotine inhalation leads to a downregulation in sweet taste receptor gene expression. Further conclusions will be made once more data is available

International Space Station Medical Projects - Full Services to Mars

The International Space Station Medical Projects (ISSMP) Element provides planning, integration, and implementation services for HRP research studies for both spaceflight and flight analog research. Through the implementation of these two efforts, ISSMP offers an innovative way of guiding research decisions to meet the unique challenges of understanding the human risks to space exploration. Flight services provided by ISSMP include leading informed consent briefings, developing and validating in-flight crew procedures, providing ISS crew and ground-controller training, real-time experiment monitoring, on-orbit experiment and hardware operations and facilitating data transfer to investigators. For analog studies at the NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), the ISSMP team provides subject recruitment and screening, science requirements integration, data collection schedules, data sharing agreements, mission scenarios and facilities to support investigators. The ISSMP also serves as the HRP interface to external analog providers including the :envihab bed rest facility (Cologne, Germany), NEK isolation chamber (Moscow, Russia) and the Antarctica research stations. Investigators working in either spaceflight or analog environments requires a coordinated effort between NASA and the investigators. The interdisciplinary nature of both flight and analog research requires investigators to be aware of concurrent research studies and take into account potential confounding factors that may impact their research objectives. Investigators must define clear research requirements, participate in Investigator Working Group meetings, obtain human use approvals, and provide study-specific training, sample and data collection and procedures all while adhering to schedule deadlines. These science requirements define the technical, functional and performance operations to meet the research objectives. The ISSMP maintains an expert team of professionals with the knowledge and experience to guide investigators science through all aspects of mission planning, crew operations, and research integration. During this session, the ISSMP team will discuss best-practices approaches for successfully preparing and conducting studies in both the flight and analog environments. Critical tips and tricks will be shown to greatly improve your chances of successfully completing your research aboard the International Space Station and in Spaceflight Analogs