Herbivores limit the population size of big-leaf mahogany trees in an Amazonian forest

The Janzen–Connell hypothesis proposes that specialized herbivores maintain high numbers of tree species in tropical forests by restricting adult recruitment so that host populations remain at low densities. We tested this prediction for the large timber tree species, Swietenia macrophylla, whose seeds and seedlings are preyed upon by small mammals and a host-specific moth caterpillar Steniscadia poliophaea, respectively. At a primary forest site, experimental seed additions to gaps – canopy-disturbed areas that enhance seedling growth into saplings – over three years revealed lower survival and seedling recruitment closer to conspecific trees and in higher basal area neighborhoods, as well as reduced subsequent seedling survival and height growth. When we included these Janzen–Connell effects in a spatially explicit individual-based population model, the caterpillar's impact was critical to limiting Swietenia's adult tree density, with a > 10-fold reduction estimated at 300 years. Our research demonstrates the crucial but oft-ignored linkage between Janzen–Connell effects on offspring and population-level consequences for a long-lived, potentially dominant tree species.

Imperial Eyes. Van Dycks Porträtmalerei als globale Technologie

Zu Beginn des 17. Jahrhunderts hatte sich die Malerei in Antwerpen vor allem durch Rubens als Medium einer zunehmend global verbundenen Welt etabliert. Doch auch zahlreiche von Van Dycks Porträts sind Zeugnisse eines oft hochgradig ambivalenten Kosmopolitismus. Neben Gemälden von international agierenden Antwerpener Händlern und Gelehrten fertigte der Künstler auch in Genua und England Porträts der adligen Elite an, in welchen sich deren globale Erfahrungen und Ambitionen spiegelten. Van Dyck reagierte in der Inszenierung der Marchesa Elena Grimaldi Cattaneo, mit einem schwarzen Sklaven, wie in der des Earl of Denbigh, zwischen einheimischen und exotischen Elementen, auf spezifische Anforderungen an das repräsentative Porträt im Zeitalter des disenclavement. Diese Anforderungen werden besonders deutlich in dem für eine geplante Expedition nach Madagaskar entstandenen Porträt des Earls of Arundel und dessen Frau Alethea Talbot. Das Gemälde verbindet Elemente herrschaftlicher, merkantilistischer und intellektueller Selbststilisierung mit einer Reduktion auf wenige, innovative Elemente. Die majestätische Inszenierung des Paars ist nur in einem globalen Kontext zu erklären, so dass sich die Frage nach der Funktion des in mehreren Werkstattkopien erhaltenen Gemäldes stellt. Hatte Van Dyck in seiner Komposition eine Lösung gefunden, die im Kontext des englischen Hofes, möglicherweise als Teil eines Festes, wie auch für potentielle Investoren, sowie die verarmte Landbevölkerung, die in der Indentur ihre einzige Hoffnung sah, gleichermaßen überzeugend wirkte? Die Hybris in dem überlebensgroßen Porträts des Paares, das mit leuchtend heller Haut, in kostbar glänzende Stoffe gekleidet und mit modernen Messinstrumenten in den Händen dargestellt ist, lässt es als ideales Medium der globalen Ambitionen des Paars erscheinen.

Nitric oxide inhalation reduces brain damage, prevents mortality, and improves neurological outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage by resolving early pial microvasospasms.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a stroke subtype with particularly bad outcome. Recent findings suggest that constrictions of pial arterioles occurring early after hemorrhage may be responsible for cerebral ischemia and - subsequently - unfavorable outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Since we recently hypothesized that the lack of nitric oxide may cause post-hemorrhagic microvasospasms, our aim was to investigate whether inhaled nitric oxide, a treatment paradigm selectively delivering nitric oxide to ischemic microvessels, is able to dilate post-hemorrhagic microvasospasms; thereby improving outcome after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to experimental SAH. Three hours after subarachnoid hemorrhage pial artery spasms were quantified by intravital microscopy, then mice received inhaled nitric oxide or vehicle. For induction of large artery spasms mice received an intracisternal injection of autologous blood. Inhaled nitric oxide significantly reduced number and severity of subarachnoid hemorrhage-induced post-hemorrhage microvasospasms while only having limited effect on large artery spasms. This resulted in less brain-edema-formation, less hippocampal neuronal loss, lack of mortality, and significantly improved neurological outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage. This suggests that spasms of pial arterioles play a major role for the outcome after subarachnoid hemorrhage and that lack of nitric oxide is an important mechanism of post-hemorrhagic microvascular dysfunction. Reversing microvascular dysfunction by inhaled nitric oxide might be a promising treatment strategy for subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Differential diagnosis of the honey bee trypanosomatids Crithidia mellificae and Lotmaria passim

Trypanosomatids infecting honey bees have been poorly studied with molecular methods until recently. After the description of Crithidia mellificae (Langridge and McGhee, 1967) it took about forty years until molecular data for honey bee trypanosomatids became available and were used to identify and describe a new trypanosomatid species from honey bees, Lotmaria passim (Evans and Schwarz, 2014). However, an easy method to distinguish them without sequencing is not yet available. Research on the related bumble bee parasites Crithidia bombi and Crithidia expoeki revealed a fragment length polymorphism in the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), which enabled species discrimination. In search of fragment length polymorphisms for differential diagnostics in honey bee trypanosomatids, we studied honey bee trypanosomatid cell cultures of C. mellificae and L. passim. This research resulted in the identification of fragment length polymorphisms in ITS1 and ITS1-2 markers, which enabled us to develop a diagnostic method to differentiate both honey bee trypanosomatid species without the need for sequencing. However, the amplification success of the ITS1 marker depends probably on the trypanosomatid infection level. Further investigation confirmed that L. passim is the dominant species in Belgium, Japan and Switzerland. We found C. mellificae only rarely in Belgian honey bee samples, but not in honey bee samples from other countries. C. mellificae was also detected in mason bees (Osmia bicornis and Osmia cornuta) besides in honey bees. Further, the characterization and comparison of additional markers from L. passim strain SF (published as C. mellificae strain SF) and a Belgian honey bee sample revealed very low divergence in the 18S rRNA, ITS1-2, 28S rRNA and cytochrome b sequences. Nevertheless, a variable stretch was observed in the gp63 virulence factor.

Production of Ethanol from Hardwood

Diminishing crude oil and natural gas supplies, along with concern about greenhouse gas are major driving forces in the search for efficient renewable energy sources. The conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to energy and useful chemicals is a component of the solution. Ethanol is most commonly produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of complex carbohydrates to simple sugars followed by fermentation using yeast. C6Hl0O5 + H2O −Enxymes→ C6H12O6 −Yeast→ 2CH3CH2OH + 2C02 In the U.S. corn is the primary starting raw material for commercial ethanol production. However, there is insufficient corn available to meet the future demand for ethanol as a gasoline additive. Consequently a variety of processes are being developed for producing ethanol from biomass; among which is the NREL process for the production of ethanol from white hardwood. The objective of the thesis reported here was to perform a technical economic analysis of the hardwood to ethanol process. In this analysis a Greenfield plant was compared to co-locating the ethanol plant adjacent to a Kraft pulp mill. The advantage of the latter case is that facilities can be shared jointly for ethanol production and for the production of pulp. Preliminary process designs were performed for three cases; a base case size of 2205 dry tons/day of hardwood (52 million gallons of ethanol per year) as well as the two cases of half and double this size. The thermal efficiency of the NREL process was estimated to be approximately 36%; that is about 36% of the thermal energy in the wood is retained in the product ethanol and by-product electrical energy. The discounted cash flow rate of return on investment and the net present value methods of evaluating process alternatives were used to evaluate the economic feasibility of the NREL process. The minimum acceptable discounted cash flow rate of return after taxes was assumed to be 10%. In all of the process alternatives investigated, the dominant cost factors are the capital recovery charges and the cost of wood. The Greenfield NREL process is not economically viable with the cost of producing ethanol varying from $2.58 to $2.08/gallon for the half capacity and double capacity cases respectively. The co-location cases appear more promising due to reductions in capital costs. The most profitable co-location case resulted in a discounted cash flow rate of return improving from 8.5% for the half capacity case to 20.3% for the double capacity case. Due to economy of scale, the investments become more and more profitable as the size of the plant increases. This concept is limited by the amount of wood that can be delivered to the plant on a sustainable basis as well as the demand for ethanol within a reasonable distance of the plant.

A MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND EVALUATION SCHEME FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Early Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) had their origin in humanitarian motives, and there was little concern for their cost/benefit ratios; however, as some programs began accumulating data and analyzing it over time, even with single variables such as absenteeism, it became apparent that the humanitarian reasons for a program could be reinforced by cost savings particularly when the existence of the program was subject to justification.^ Today there is general agreement that cost/benefit analyses of EAPs are desirable, but the specific models for such analyses, particularly those making use of sophisticated but simple computer based data management systems, are few.^ The purpose of this research and development project was to develop a method, a design, and a prototype for gathering managing and presenting information about EAPS. This scheme provides information retrieval and analyses relevant to such aspects of EAP operations as: (1) EAP personnel activities, (2) Supervisory training effectiveness, (3) Client population demographics, (4) Assessment and Referral Effectiveness, (5) Treatment network efficacy, (6) Economic worth of the EAP.^ This scheme has been implemented and made operational at The University of Texas Employee Assistance Programs for more than three years.^ Application of the scheme in the various programs has defined certain variables which remained necessary in all programs. Depending on the degree of aggressiveness for data acquisition maintained by program personnel, other program specific variables are also defined. ^

B cells in ADA deficiency

Deficiency of the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA) results in severe lymphopenia in humans. Mice with an inactivating mutation in the ADA gene also exhibit profound lymphopenia, as well as pulmonary insufficiency and ribcage abnormalities. In fact, the mouse model has a phenotype that is remarkably similar to that of the human disease, making the mice valuable tools for unraveling the mechanism of lymphocyte destruction in absence of this housekeeping gene. T cell deficiency in ADA deficiency has been extensively studied by others, revealing a block in early thymocyte development. In contrast, our studies revealed that early B cell development in the bone marrow is normal. ADA-deficient mice, however, exhibit profound defects in germinal center formation, preventing antigen-dependent B cell maturation in the spleen. ADA-deficient spleen B cells display significant defects in proliferation and activation signaling, and produce more IgM than their normal counterparts, suggesting that extrafollicular plasmablasts are overrepresented. B cells from ADA-deficient mouse spleens undergo apoptosis more readily than those from normal mouse spleens. Levels of ADA's substrates, adenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine, are elevated in both bone marrow and spleen in ADA-deficient mice. S ′-adenosyihomoeysteine hydrolase (SAH hydrolase) activity is significantly inhibited in both locales, as well. dATP levels, though, are only elevated in spleen, where B cell development is impaired, and not in bone marrow, where B cell ontogeny is normal. This finding points to dATP as the causative agent of lymphocyte death in ADA deficiency. ADA deficiency results in inhibition of the enzyme ribonucleotide reductase, thereby depleting nucleoside pools needed for DNA repair. Another mouse model that lacks a functional gene encoding a protein involved in DNA repair and/or cell cycle checkpoint regulation, p53-binding protein 1, exhibits blocks in T and B cell development that are similar to those seen in ADA-deficient mice. Unraveling the mechanisms of lymphocyte destruction in ADA deficiency may further understanding of lymphocyte biology, facilitate better chemotherapeutic treatment for lymphoproliferative diseases, and improve gene and enzyme therapy regimens attempted for ADA deficiency. ^

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 44 - Korrespondenzen u.a. mit Marthe Roth (p. I 21, 313-463)

2 Briefe und 1 Lebenslauf von Max Horkheimer an Arthur Rosenberg, 1939, 1941; 2 Briefe zwischen Kurt Rosenfeld und Karl Brandt, 22.04.1937, 27.04.1937; 5 Briefe von Kurt Rosenfeld an Max Horkheimer, 1937-19378; 4 Brief und Beilage an Kurt Rosenfeld, 1937-1943; 11 Briefe zwischen Hans W. Rosenhaupt und Max Horkheimer, 1935, 1941, 1942, 1947; 4 Briefe zwischen Samuel I. Roseman und Max Horkheimer, 1939, 03.01.1940; 2 Briefe zwischen J. Rosenstock und Max Horkheimer, 15.07.1946; 2 Briefe zwischen Joseph Adolphe Rosenthal und Max Horkheimer, 09.04.1941, 08.05.1941, sowie Briefwechsel mit Sophie Ries; 2 Briefe zwischen Sophie Ries und Max Horkheimer, 08.05.1941, 11.05.1941; 1 Brief von Max Horkheimer an Lore Woedthke, 08.05.1941; 2 Briefe zwischen Morris Rosenthal und Max Horkheimer, 01.10.1935, 04.10.1935; 1 Brief von Max Horkheimer an das Rosenwald Capital Outlay Fund New York, 30.01.1940; 1 Brief B. Lifschitz an Marthe Roth, 21.04.1937; 1 Brief von Chamorel et Simond an Marthe Roth, 11.06.1937; 1 Brief von F.K. Sung an Marthe Roth, 24.06.1937; 12 Briefe zwischen Marthe Roth und Max Horkheimer, Juli 1937-1938, sowie Briefwechsel mit Louis Vogt; 4 Briefe zwischen Louis Vogt und Max Horkheimer, 10.08.1937, 1937; 1 Brief von Max Horkheimer an Dr. Rothen, 31.01.1935; 1 Umzugsmitteilung von Hans Rothmann; 2 Briefe zwischen Richard C. Rothschild und Max Horkheimer, 11.05.1940, 13.05.1940; 4 Briefe zwischen Ludwig Rothschild, Hilde Rothschild und Max Horkheimer, 1936-15.09.1939; 2 Briefe zwischen S. Rothschildt und Max Horkheimer, 23.11.1940, 29.11.1940; 4 Brief zwischen J. S. Roucek und Max Horkheimer, 1941; 1 Brief von Joseph Rovan an Max Horkheimer, 11.05.1948; 2 Brief zwischen Wilmina Rowland und Max Horkheimer, 13.03.1949, 11.04.1949; 2 Briefe zwischen dem Royal Automobile Club und Max Horkheimer, 26.08.1937, 22.09.1937; 2 Briefe zwischen Royal Motors Inc. und Max Horkheimer, 05.02.1940, 06.03.1940; 1 Beitrag von Nina Rubinstein zur Soziologie des Fremden; 1 Brief von Theodor W. Adorno an Rudd, 09.09.1940; 1 Brief von Jay Rumney an Goldstein, 18.06.1936; 20 Briefe und Beilage zwischen Jay Rumney und Max Horkheimer, 1934- 1937, 1949 sowie Briefwechsel mit D. Mitrany; 3 Briefe zwischen D. Mitrany und Max Horkheimer, 01.12.1937, 1937; 3 Briefe von Theodor W. Adorno an Dagobert D. Runes, 1941; 1 Brief und 1 Beilage von N. Waterman an Georg Rusche, 03.05.1939; 12 Briefe und Beilage zwischen Georg Rusche und Max Horkheimer, 1939-1942 sowie Briefwechsel mit N. Waterman; 1 Brief von N. Waterman an Georg Rusche, 03.04.1939; 2 Briefe zwischen N. Waterman und Max Horkheimer, 21.04.1939, 05.05.1939; 1 Brief von Ruth an Max Horkheimer;

Na 1 Nachlass Max Horkheimer, 103 - Korrespondenzen u.a. mit Maria Pattermann und Franz Neumann (p. III 11, 1-335)

1 Drucksache der Rechtsanwaltskanzlei Pacht, Tannenbaum & Ross, 1951; 2 Briefe zwischen der Pädagogischen Hauptstelle der Gewerkschaft Erziehung u. Wissenschaft und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief vom Pädagogischen Verlag B. Schulz an Max Horkheimer, 1950; 3 Briefe zwischen dem Professor Erwin Walter Palm und Max Horkheimer, 1957-1958; 2 Briefe zwischen Helena Brans und Max Horkheimer, 1953; 2 Briefe vom Park-Hotel Frankfurt an Max Horkheimer,1957-1958; 1 Brief von Enno Patalas an Max Horkheimer, 1 Brief von Theodor W. Adorno an Enno Patalas, 1956; 2 Briefe zwischen Dieter Pätzold und Max Horkheimer, 1952; 8 Briefe zwischen Maria Pattermann und Max Horkheimer, 1952-1958; 2 Briefe zwischen F. Perrot und Max Horkheimer, 1953; 2 Briefe zwischen der Buchhandlung Werner Peter und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 3 Briefe zwischen Alfred Peters und Max Horkheimer, 1952-1953; 1 Zeugnis von dem Studenten Joachim Peter, 1953; 1 Brief von Max Horkheimer an F.H. Peterson, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Studenten Klaus Peuker und Max Horkheimer, 1951; 1 Brief des Chefredakteuren Karl Pfannkuch an Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von Dr. Karl Pfauter an Max Horkheimer, 1952; Briefwechsel zwischen der Studentin Renate Pflaume und Max Horkheimer, 1952; Briefwechsel zwischen Joseph B. Phillips und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von Professor Josef Pieper an Max Horkheimer , 1951; 1 Brief von Ehrenfried Pihan an Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief von F. G. Pincus an Theodor W. Adorno, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Koppel S. Pinson und Max Horkheimer, 1956; 2 Briefe zwischen dem Professor Kurt Pinthus und Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief an Dr. Knut Pipping von Max Horkheimer, 1950; 2 Briefe zwischen Erwin Piscator und Max Horkheimer, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften und Max Horkheimer, 1953-1955; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Richard Plant und Max Horkheimer, 1953 und 2 Briefe zwischen Professor Richard Plant und Margarete Feretty-Füredi, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Johann Plenge und Max Horkheimer, 1951-1952; Briefwechsel zwischen Barbara Pleyer und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief von Erich Paul Pechmann an Max Horkheimer, 1952; Briefwechsel zwischen Dr. Gerhard Poetzsch und an Max Horkheimer, 1958; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Committee on Science & Freedom und Max Horkheimer, 1955-1956; 1 Brief an den Professor Rudolf Pohl von Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief von der Zeitschrift "Die politsche Meinung" an Max Horkheimer, 1956; 1 Brief von Max F. Pollack an Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief von dem Professor Wilhelm Polligkeit an Max Horkheimer, 1951; 1 Brief von dem Poli-Verlag an Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen Alexej Poremsky und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von Rita Post an Max Horkheimer, 1952; 1 Brief von Max Potzin an Max Horkheimer, 1951; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Oberstudienrat Max Preitz und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von dem Professor Wolfgang Preiser an Max Horkheimer, 1952; 1 Gutachten und Beilagen von Dr. Karl A. Preuschen an Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel und Beilagen zwischen dem Direktor des The Commonwealth Fund E. K. Wickman und Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Klaus H. Pringsheim und Max Horkheimer, 1952-1958; 1 Brief von Curt Freiherr von Preuschen an Max Horkheimer, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen Rüdiger Proske und Max Horkheimer, 1951; Briefwechsel und Beilagen zwischen Dr. Harry Pross und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief von dem Professor Franz Neumann an Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief an G. H. Graber von Max Horkheimer, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Quaker Service und Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischn Günther Quandt und Max Horkheimer, 1953 und 2 Todesanzeigen, 1955; 1 Brief an den Querido-Verlag von Max Horkheimer, 1951; Briefwechsel zwischen Emil Querinjean und Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen John Raatjes und Max Horkheimer, 1956; Briefwechsel zwischen der Zeitschrift the humanist radical und Max Horkheimer, 1957; Briefwechsel zwischen Sitangghu Chatterji und Max Horkheimer, 1957; 1 Brief von der Radio Corporation of America an Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief und Beilagen vom Radiodiffusion et Télévision Francaises an Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Österreichischer Rundfunk Radio Wien und Max Horkheimer, 1956; 1 Brief von dem Professor Boris Rajewsky an Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief an Else Rang von Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen Heinz Raspini und Max Horkheimer, 1956; 1 Drucksache zwischen Hanna Becker vom Rath und Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Telegramm von dem Professor Roland Rather an Max Horkheimer und 2 Briefe von Max Horkheimer an Roland Rather, 1957; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor L. J. Rather und Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Phillip Roth und Max Horkheimer, 1958; Briefwechsel zwischen Sibnarayan Ray und Max Horkheimer, 1956-1957; Briefwechsel mit Beilagen zwischen dem Rationalisierungs-Kuratorium der Deutschen Wirtschaft und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Aktennotiz von dem Jornalisten Rasten der dänischen Zeitung Politiken, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen Wolfgang M. Rauch und Max Horkheimer, 1956; 1 Anzeige der Ingeborg Rauter, 1953; 1 Brief von dem Hotel Reber au lac an Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Alice Reboly und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 3 Briefe an die Regensburger Zeitungen von Max Horkheimer, 1956; 1 Brief an den Professor Klaus Reich von Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Reinhardt, Ernst, Verlag und Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief von dem Apotheker Hermann Reitberger an Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Dr. Paul Reiwald und Max Horkheimer, 1950; 1 Brief von dem Journalist Godo Remszhardt an Max Horkheimer, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen Dr. Irmgard Rexroth-Kern und Max Horkheimer, 1952; Briefwechsel zwischen Hans Rheinbay und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von der Universität Bonn an Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief an den Rheinischer Merkur von Max Horkheimer, 1951; 1 Brief an die Rheinische Post von Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief an Hans Richter von Max Horkheimer, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen Dr. Hermann Riefstahl und Max Horkheimer, 1957; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Svend Riemer und Max Horkheimer, 1957; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Ring-Verlag und Max Horkheimer, 1957; Briefwechsel zwischen Werner Rings und Max Horkheimer, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen Martha Ritter-Raabe und Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Otto-Heinz Rocholl und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief von Hilde Rodemann an Max Horkheimer, 1952; 1 Brief von Edouard Roditi an Max Horkheimer, 1951 und 1 Brief von Theodor W. Adorno an Edouard Roditi, 1951; Briefwechsel zwischen der Zeitschrift Studenten-Kurier und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief von Karl Roeloffs an Max Horkheimer, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen der Kunsthistorikerin Hanna Rhode und Max Horkheimer, 1950-1951; 1 Brief an Dr. Anna Ronge von Max Horkheimer, 1954; 2 Brief an Kathe Romney von Max Horkheimer, 1952-1955; Briefwechsel zwischen Dr. Paul Rompel und Max Horkheimer, 1952; 1 Brief an den Zahnartz Dr. Ingo Ropper von Max Horkheimer, 1953; Briefwechsel zwischen Ilse Wallis Ross und Max Horkheimer, 1955-1956; 1 Brief von dem Professor Hans W. Rosenhaupt an Max Horkheimer, 1952; 1 Brief von Rosenthal an Max Horkheimer, 1958; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Generalstaatsanwalt und Staatssekretär Erich Rosenthal-Pelldram und Max Horkheimer, 1952-1956; Briefwechsel zwischen Lessing J. Rosenwald und Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Lieutenant Dr. Alan O. Ross und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 4 Briefe und Beilagen von Günther Roth an Max Horkheimer, 1953-1957; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Wolfram Eberhardt und Max Horkheimer, 1955; 1 Brief an den Professor M. A. Stewart von Theodor W. Adorno, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Rheinhard Bendix und Max Horkheimer, 1955; Briefwechsel zwischen der Studentin Valentine Rothe und Max Horkheimer, 1957; 1 Brief von dem Student Rudolf Rothrock an Max Horkheimer, 1953; 1 Brief von Guy Roustang an Max Horkheimer, ohne Jahr; 1 Brief von Heinz Maria Ledig-Rowohlt an Max Horkheimer, 1950; Briefwechsel zwischen Ellen Roy und Max Horkheimer, 1956; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Professor Paul Royen und Max Horkheimer, 1954; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Staatsminister August Rucker und Max Horkheimer, 1955-1957 1 Brief an den Staatsminister August Rucker von Leopold von Wiese, 1955; 1 Bericht von Walter Rüegg, 1953 und 2 Briefe von Max Horkheimer an den Professor Walter Rüegg, 1955; 3 Briefe an den Professor Alexander Rüstow von Max Horkheimer, 1953-1958; Briefwechsel zwischen Käthe von Ruckteschell und Max Horkheimer, 1951-1954; Briefwechsel zwischen dem Student Gerhard Rudolph und Max Horkheimer, 1954; 1 Brief von der Ruf und Echo, Arbeitsgemeischaft an Max Horkheimer, 1952; 3 Briefe an den Professor Jay Rumney von Max Horkheimer, 1952-1954; Briefwechsel zwischen Clarence R. Rungee und Max Horkheimer, 1951-1952;

Bayesian doubly optimal group sequential designs for randomized clinical trials

When conducting a randomized comparative clinical trial, ethical, scientific or economic considerations often motivate the use of interim decision rules after successive groups of patients have been treated. These decisions may pertain to the comparative efficacy or safety of the treatments under study, cost considerations, the desire to accelerate the drug evaluation process, or the likelihood of therapeutic benefit for future patients. At the time of each interim decision, an important question is whether patient enrollment should continue or be terminated; either due to a high probability that one treatment is superior to the other, or a low probability that the experimental treatment will ultimately prove to be superior. The use of frequentist group sequential decision rules has become routine in the conduct of phase III clinical trials. In this dissertation, we will present a new Bayesian decision-theoretic approach to the problem of designing a randomized group sequential clinical trial, focusing on two-arm trials with time-to-failure outcomes. Forward simulation is used to obtain optimal decision boundaries for each of a set of possible models. At each interim analysis, we use Bayesian model selection to adaptively choose the model having the largest posterior probability of being correct, and we then make the interim decision based on the boundaries that are optimal under the chosen model. We provide a simulation study to compare this method, which we call Bayesian Doubly Optimal Group Sequential (BDOGS), to corresponding frequentist designs using either O'Brien-Fleming (OF) or Pocock boundaries, as obtained from EaSt 2000. Our simulation results show that, over a wide variety of different cases, BDOGS either performs at least as well as both OF and Pocock, or on average provides a much smaller trial. ^

The influence of contact pressure, moisture, and compression time on the performance of cotton anti-contamination clothing

The objectives of this research were (1) to study the effect of contact pressure, compression time, and liquid (moisture content of the fabric) on the transfer by sliding contact of non-fixed surface contamination to protective clothing constructed from uncoated, woven fabrics, (2) to study the effect of contact pressure, compression time, and liquid content on the subsequent penetration through the fabric, and (3) to determine if varying the type of contaminant changes the effect of contact pressure, compression time, and liquid content on the transfer by sliding contact and penetration of non-fixed surface contamination. ^ It was found that the combined influence of the liquid (moisture content of the fabric), load (contact pressure), compression time, and their interactions significantly influenced the penetration of all three test agents, sucrose- 14C, triolein-3H, and starch-14C through 100% cotton fabric. The combined influence of the statistically significant main effects and their interactions increased the penetration of triolein- 3H by 32,548%, sucrose-14C by 7,006%, and starch- 14C by 1,900%. ^

A systematic review of community-based colorectal cancer screening randomized controlled trials with multi-ethnic groups

Background. The CDC estimates that 40% of adults 50 years of age or older do not receive time-appropriate colorectal cancer screening. Sixty percent of colorectal cancer deaths could be prevented by regular screening of adults 50 years of age and older. Yet, in 2000 only 42.5% of adults age 50 or older in the U.S. had received recommended screening. Disparities by health care, nativity status, socioeconomic status, and race/ethnicity are evident. Disparities in minority, underserved populations prevent us from attaining Goal 2 of Healthy People 2010 to “eliminate health disparities.” This review focuses on community-based screening research among underserved populations that includes multiple ethnic groups for appropriate disparities analysis. There is a gap in the colorectal cancer screening literature describing the effectiveness of community-based randomized controlled trials. ^ Objective. To critically review the literature describing community-based colorectal cancer screening strategies that are randomized controlled trials, and that include multiple racial/ethnic groups. ^ Methods. The review includes a preliminary disparities analysis to assess whether interventions were appropriately targeted in communities to those groups experiencing the greatest health disparities. Review articles are from an original search using Ovid Medline and a cross-matching search in Pubmed, both from January 2001 to June 2009. The Ovid Medline literature review is divided into eight exclusionary stages, seven electronic, and the last stage consisting of final manual review. ^ Results. The final studies (n=15) are categorized into four categories: Patient mailings (n=3), Telephone outreach (n=3), Electronic/multimedia (n=4), and Counseling/community education (n=5). Of 15 studies, 11 (73%) demonstrated that screening rates increased for the intervention group compared to controls, including all studies (100%) from the Patient mailings and Telephone outreach groups, 4 of 5 (80%) Counseling/community education studies, and 1 of 4 (25%) Electronic/multimedia interventions. ^ Conclusions. Patient choice and tailoring education and/or messages to individuals have proven to be two important factors in improving colorectal cancer screening adherence rates. Technological strategies have not been overly successful with underserved populations in community-based trials. Based on limited findings to date, future community-based colorectal cancer screening trials should include diverse populations who are experiencing incidence, survival, mortality and screening disparities. ^

THE EFFECTS OF COST-SHARING ON USE OF SERVICES AND CONSUMER CHARACTERISTICS IN A STATE'S CRIPPLED CHILDREN'S DIVISION

The present study analyzed some of the effects of imposing a cost-sharing requirement on users of a state's health service program. The study population consisted of people who were in diagnosed medical need and included, but was not limited to, people in financial need.^ The purpose of the study was to determine if the cost-sharing requirement had any detrimental effects on the service population. Changes in the characteristics of service consumers and in utilization patterns were analyzed using time-series techniques and pre-post policy comparisons.^ The study hypotheses stated that the distribution of service provided, diagnoses serviced, and consumer income levels would change following the cost-sharing policy.^ Analysis of data revealed that neither the characteristics of service users (income, race, sex, etc.) nor services provided by the program changed significantly following the policy. The results were explainable in part by the fact that all of the program participants were in diagnosed medical need. Therefore, their use of "discretionary" or "less necessary" services was limited.^ The study's findings supported the work of Joseph Newhouse, Charles Phelps, and others who have contended that necessary service use would not be detrimentally affected by reasonable cost-sharing provisions. These contentions raise the prospect of incorporating cost-sharing into programs such as Medicaid, which, at this writing, do not demand any consumer payment for services.^ The study concluded with a discussion of the cost-containment problem in health services. The efficacy of cost-sharing was considered relative to other financing and reimbursement strategies such as HMO's, self-funding, and reimbursement for less costly services and places of service. ^