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Operating in Washington, DC from 1903 to 1960, the Washington Conservatory of Music was the first conservatory established by and for Black Americans in the United States. In this article we demonstrate the significant, continuing impact of the Washington Conservatory of Music through a study of the lives and contributions of the conservatory's first thirty graduates, from the inaugural classes of 1910 through 1914. As teachers, performers, composers, activists, and leaders, the graduates of the Washington Conservatory were cornerstones of musical communities across the United States. Graduates of the Washington Conservatory rarely achieved fame as concert artists, but their lack of fame ultimately says less about the extent of their accomplishments than it says about longstanding silences in music historiography that privileges composers and performers over educators and church musicians. Drawing on physical and digitized primary sources including newspapers, city directories, census records, and extensive archival material, we further the critical historical recovery undertaken by Doris McGinty, Sarah Schmalenberger, Maud Cuney-Hare, and Eileen Southern that answers basic--but frustratingly elusive--questions about a relatively quotidian matter: who did what in Black musical communities. We argue that Washington Conservatory alumni were not only anchors in musical networks that extend through the present but representative figures who built lasting institutions and who exemplify the ubiquity of Black classical musicianship through American music history. Keywords: Black classical musicians, American music, Washington Conservatory of Music, historiography, historical recovery, The Washington Conservatory of Music and School of Expression was the first conservatory founded by and for Black musicians in the United States. (1) Established in Washington, DC in 1903 [...]

The Promise and Peril of Making Digital Maps Sing As geographer Mark Monmonier has noted in his popular textbook How to Lie with Maps, all maps necessarily reduce and distort [...]

Nadia Boulanger and Her World, edited by Jeanice Brooks. Chieago: University of Chicago Press and the Bard Music Festival, 2020. xvi, 364 pp. Nadia Boulanger's name has long served as [...]

Regulatory policy and regulations in Alberta require oil sands companies to reduce their production and storage of fluid fine tailings by creating deposits that can be reclaimed in a timely manner. To meet the regulatory requirements, some companies are adding flocculants to the fluid fine tailings and then using thickeners, inline flocculation or centrifuges to increase the solids content. Freeze-thaw and drying processes are then used to further dewater the tailings. The effects of flocculating, thickening, and freeze-thaw treatments were investigated by performing large-strain consolidation and shear strength tests on these treated fluid fine tailings. The consolidation and shear strength results were then compared with those of untreated fluid fine tailings. All of the treatments increased the hydraulic conductivity of the fluid fine tailings to some degree, but had little to no effect on the compressibility and shear strength. The effects of the treatment processes are discussed and evaluated. Key words: tailings, consolidation, thickening. La reglementation et les reglements en vigueur en Alberta exigent que les entreprises de sables bitumineux reduisent leur production et leur entreposage de residus fins liquides en creant des gisements qui peuvent etre recuperes en temps opportun. Pour repondre aux exigences reglementaires, certaines entreprises ajoutent des floculants aux residus fins fluides, puis utilisent des epaississants, de la floculation en ligne ou des centrifugeuses pour augmenter la teneur en solides. Des procedes de congelation-decongelation et sechage sont ensuite utilises pour deshydrater davantage les residus. Les effets des traitements de floculation, d'epaississement et de congelation-decongelation ont ete etudies en effectuant de grands essais de consolidation de la deformation et de resistance au cisaillement sur ces residus fins fluides traites. Les resultats de la consolidation et de la resistance au cisaillement ont ensuite ete compares a ceux des residus fins fluides non traites. Tous les traitements ont augmente la conductivite hydraulique des residus fins fluides dans une certaine mesure, mais ont eu peu ou pas d'effet sur la compressibilite et la resistance au cisaillement. Les effets des processus de traitement sont discutes et evalues. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: residus, consolidation, epaississant., Introduction Oil sands tailings have been produced for 50 years and now cover an area of 220 km2 (AESRD 2014). The volume of fluid fine tailings (FFT) stored in tailings [...]

Vision in insects has been subject to intense behavioural (1),physiological (2) and anatomical (3) investigations, yet our understanding of its underlying neural computations is still far from complete. One such [...], Animal behaviour arises from computations in neuronal circuits, but our understanding of these computations has been frustrated by the lack of detailed synaptic connection maps, or connectomes. For example, despite intensive investigations over half a century, the neuronal implementation of local motion detection in the insect visual system remains elusive. Here we develop a semi-automated pipeline using electron microscopy to reconstruct a connectome, containing 379 neurons and 8,637 chemical synaptic contacts, within the Drosophila optic medulla. By matching reconstructed neurons to examples from light microscopy, we assigned neurons to cell types and assembled a connectome of the repeating module of the medulla. Within this module, we identified cell types constituting a motion detection circuit, and showed that the connections onto individual motion-sensitive neurons in this circuit were consistent with their direction selectivity. Our results identify cellular targets for future functional investigations, and demonstrate that connectomes can provide key insights into neuronal computations.

Mitochondrial release of cytochrome c in apoptotic cells activates caspases, which execute apoptotic cell death. However, the events themselves that culminate in caspase activation can have deleterious effects because caspase inhibitor-saved cells ultimately die in a caspase-independent manner. To determine what events may underlie this form of cell death, we examined bioenergetic changes in sympathetic neurons deprived of NGF in the presence of a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, boc-aspartyl-(OMe)-fluoromethylketone. Here, we report that NGF-deprived,boc-aspartyl-(OMe)-fluoromethylketone--saved neurons rely heavily on glycolysis for ATP generation and for survival. Second, the activity of F0F1 contributes to caspase-independent death, but has only a minor role in the maintenance of mitochondrial membrane potential, which is maintained primarily by electron transport. Third, permeability transition pore inhibition by cyclosporin A attenuates NGF deprivation-induced loss of mitochondrial proteins, suggesting that permeability transition pore opening may have a function in regulating the degradation of mitochondria after cytochrome c release. Identification of changes in caspase inhibitor-saved cells may provide the basis for rational strategies to augment the effectiveness of the therapeutic use of postmitochondrial interventions.

Opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) has been implicated as an important mitochondrial event that occurs during apoptosis. We examined the role of the PTP in the well-characterized cell death of rat sympathetic neurons deprived of nerve growth factor (NGF) in vitro. Removal of NGF causes these neurons to undergo either a classic apoptotic cell death or, when treated with a broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor such as boc-aspartyl(OMe)-fluoromethylketone (BAF), a delayed, nonapoptotic cell death. The PTP inhibitor, cyclosporin A (CsA), blocked commitment-to-die in the presence of BAF, as defined by the ability of NGF readdition to rescue cells, but had little effect on commitment-to-die in the absence of BAF. CsA did not have trophic effects on BAF-saved cells, but did block the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. These data suggest that PTP opening is a critical event in caspase-independent, nonapoptotic (but not caspase-dependent, apoptotic) death of NGF-deprived rat sympathetic neurons.

Primer extension analysis was employed to show that the divergently transcribed regB and senC-regA-hvrA transcripts contain stable 5' ends 43 nucleotides apart within the regB-senC intergenic region in Rhodobacter capsulatus. Findings indicated that autoregulation by RegA is a factor contributing to the maintenance of an optimal low level of RegA expression that permits responsiveness to activation by phosphorylation.

We compare execution costs (market impact plus commission) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq for institutional investors. The differences in cost generally conform to each market's area of specialization. Controlling for firm size, trade size, and the money management firm's identity, costs are lower on Nasdaq for trades in comparatively smaller firms, while costs for trading the larger stocks are lower on NYSE. The cost differences estimated from a regression model are, however, sensitive to the choice of time period. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

We examine whether the predictability of future returns from past returns is due to the market's underreaction to information, in particular past earnings news. Past return and past earnings surprise each predict large drifts in future returns after controlling for the other. Market risk, size, and book-to-market effects do not explain the drifts. There is little evidence of subsequent reversals in the returns of stocks with high price and earnings momentum. Security analysts' earnings forecasts also respond sluggishly to past news, especially in the case of stocks with the worst past performance. The result suggest a market that responds only gradually to new information. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Model-based segmentation and analysis of brain images depends on anatomical knowledge which may be derived from conventional atlases. Classical anatomical atlases are based on the rigid spatial distribution provided by a single cadaver. Their use to segment internal anatomical brain structures in a high-resolution MR brain image does not provide any knowledge about the subject variability, and therefore they are not very efficient in analysis. We present a method to develop three-dimensional computerized composite models of brain structures to build a computerized anatomical atlas. The composite models are developed using the real MR brain images of human subjects which are registered through the Principal Axes Transformation. The composite models provide probabilistic spatial distributions, which represent the variability of brain structures and can be easily updated for additional subjects. We demonstrate the use of such a composite model of ventricular structure to help segmentation of the ventricles and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) of MR brain images. In this paper, a composite model of ventricles using a set of 22 human subjects is developed and used in a model-based segmentation of ventricles, sulci, and white matter lesions. To illustrate the clinical usefulness, automatic volumetric measurements on ventricular size and cortical atrophy for an additional eight alcoholics and 10 normal subjects were made. The volumetric quantitative results indicated regional brain atrophy in chronic alcoholics.

Computerized automatic registration of MR-PET images of the brain is of significant interest for multimodality brain image analysis. In this paper, we discuss the Principal Axes Transformation for registration of three-dimensional MR and PET images. A new brain phantom designed to test MR-PET registration accuracy determines that the Principal Axes Registration method is accurate to within an average of 1.37 mm with a standard deviation of 0.78 mm. Often the PET scans are not complete in the sense that the PET volume does not match the respective MR volume. We have developed an Iterative Principal Axes Registration (IPAR) algorithm for such cases. Partial volumes of PET can be accurately registered to the complete MR volume using the new iterative algorithm. The quantitative and qualitative analyses of MR-PET image registration are presented and discussed. Results show that the new Principal Axes Registration algorithm is accurate and practical in MR-PET correlation studies.

All trades executed by 37 large investment management firms from July 1986 to December 1988 are used to study the price impact and execution cost of the entire sequence ('package') of trades that we interpret as an order. We find that market impact and trading cost are related to firm capitalization, relative package size, and, most importantly, to the identity of the management firm behind the trade. Money managers with high demands for immediacy tend to be associated with larger market impact. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

Use of T7 RNA polymerase expression system helps isolate two trans-acting factors, RegA and a truncated portion of RegB (RegB'), associated with anaerobic induction of light harvesting and reaction center gene expression in Rhodobacter capsulatus. In vitro analysis of autophosphorylation and phosphotransfer activities of these segments reveals the ability of RegB' to autophosphorylate and transfer a phosphate to RegA. Autophosphorylation in RegB occurs at a conserved histidine, and the transferred phosphate is accepted by RegA at a conserved aspartate.

The moral conflict that takes place between the main characters of Joseph Conrad's 'Heart of Darkness' occurs between supporting characters in Francis Ford Coppola's 'Apocalypse Now.' One position is that of the dedicated craftsman or professional, protected from moral collapse by dedication to an ideal. Opposed to that is the role of the hollow man, empty of morality and ready to embrace evil. These roles are not represented as well in the main characters of the film as well as in the subordinate characters who exist on the film's margin.

The treatment of hemolytic anemia of the newborn often requires support by compatible blood transfusions. Before the discovery of the Rh factor such blood was often only ABO compatible, and for convenience, the patient's father, who we now know is always Rh positive, was often used as the donor. We noted that the infant's hemoglobin level often fell rapidly, even with repeated transfusions. Because Rh positive cells are destroyed much more rapidly than Rh negative cells, it seemed logical to use only Rh negative blood as a means to achieve the highest blood levels for protection of the patient, and we began to do this after 1941. We have recently been able to show that the serum of severely affected infants contains free maternal anti Rh agglutinins and the infant's red cells are often completely coated with this antibody. The removal of much of the baby's blood should theoretically diminish the damage resulting from this antibody. Such reasoning lead us to try replacement transfusion as treatment for erythroblastosis. Although it is not a new procedure, to perform it in a newborn adds difficulty to an inherently difficult technic. Earlier methods employed the longitudinal sinus and a peripheral vein or a vein and an artery, requiring prolonged exposure of the infant on an operating table with resultant cold exposure. To prevent clotting, patients also received heparin with its risk of hemorrhage. The pediatrician cannot help but be attracted to the large and readily accessible vein in the umbilical cord. The development of a bland polyethylene catheter by Dr Ingraham of our neurosurgery department overcame some of the major difficulties of the exsanguination procedure. This catheter can be easily threaded through the umbilical vein into the vena cava through the ductus venosus or by-passing the ductus venosus into the portal vein. The catheter is connected to a needle and then to a three way stopcock. The first valve of the stopcock is connected by a tube to an exhaust pail. The second valve is connected to a bottle of blood and the third to a syringe. By alternate maneuvers of first removing and then putting in blood, 20 cc at a time, the infant can be gradually exsanguinated and most of its blood volume replaced with relatively little trauma. The procedure is carried out with the baby in a warm Hess bed with oxygen administration as needed. We usually use about a pint of Rh negative blood and the procedure takes an hour to an hour and a half. By actual measurement this replaces 90 to 95% of the infant's own red cells which are coated with antibody. At the end of the procedure, the infant is given calcium to overcome the alkalotic tetany that might result from the sodium citrate in the blood. In a quarter of cases, it is necessary to transfuse an infant again in the 2nd-4th week because of anemia, but we have rarely had to offer more than a simple transfusion. Infants can be discharged with the mother, sometimes before the eighth day has passed. Previously, the average period of hospitalization for infants with severe erythroblastosis requiring multiple transfusions was three weeks or more, during which time secondary infections could occur. Not every infant with erythroblastosis requires replacement transfusion and in the past year we have treated only about one in eight babies sent to us. We insist that we receive a specimen of the mother's blood to prove that the mother has Rh agglutinins which can be on the infant's Rh positive red cells. Further evaluation is based on clinical signs: anemia, jaundice, edema, and hepatosplenomegaly. The presence of these clinical signs with antibodies in the mother's circulation implies the need for immediate replacement transfusion. Even in the absence of these clinical signs, certain laboratory evidence may indicate the need for immediate treatment. If the baby's Rh positive cells are coated with antibody and the baby has free antibody in its circulation, our selected data over several years indicate that replacement transfusion should be done because such infants quite regularly develop severe symptoms within the second to fourth day of life. The absence of clinical signs and the absence of the laboratory findings suggest that the infant will do well enough without such drastic treatment. As a background for an evaluation of our present mode of therapy, we have statistics collected over the past 15 years. Before 1941, taking all of the infants sent to us, there was a 35-40% mortality. Between 1941 and 1946, with Rh negative transfusions, our mortality dropped to 30% or less. Our present data covers about 15 months of experience and 85 infants treated personally by replacement transfusions through the umbilical vein. Sixty-five are now living and well with follow ups of 3 to 15 months. A number of the surviving infants came from families where a previous infant had died of erythroblastosis. In such families the chance of a subsequent affected infant surviving is less than 10%. The survival of such children in our series was 70%. Seven patients died, but not of erythroblastosis. The causes were immaturity, tentorial tears or other factors which cannot be directly related to erythroblastosis. Seven patients died of the disease; six of these showed kernicterus. This mode of therapy has the advantage of ease and greater safety in performance. An added advantage is earlier discharge from the hospital at 7 or 8 days rather than 2 to 3 weeks. Although this is not a panacea for erythroblastosis, replacement transfusion seems to be a better method of treatment for many cases., COMMENTARY This seminal article was delivered by Dr Diamond on the occasion of his receiving the Mead Johnson award in 1946. The article is absolutely characteristic of Diamond, who through [...]

This study examines the information content of Mexican and U.S. advertisements in a popular men's magazine to determine the relative levels of information content in the advertising. The research team [...]