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'2009 Mercedes C300 Sport 4MATIC--$19,000 or Best Offer'--Craigslist Many goods are offered for sale with an asking price. When a seller posts an asking price, it's typically implied that this [...]

The recent financial crisis began with a fall in housing prices in 2006, followed by an increase in delinquencies on subprime mortgages in early 2007.' As subprime borrowers began to [...]

We study a canonical model of decentralized exchange for a durable good or asset, where agents are assumed to have time‐varying, heterogeneous utility types. Whereas the existing literature has focused on the special case of two types, we allow agents' utility to be drawn from an arbitrary distribution. Our main contribution is methodological: we provide a solution technique that delivers a complete characterization of the equilibrium, in closed form, both in and out of the steady state. This characterization offers a richer framework for confronting data from real‐world markets and reveals a number of new economic insights. In particular, we show that heterogeneity magnifies the impact of frictions on equilibrium outcomes and that this impact is more pronounced on price levels than on price dispersion and welfare.

Consumers are faced with an increasingly complex decision process as novel safety technologies become commonplace in new vehicles. Consumers’ knowledge of these systems is potentially limited given the recent introduction and constant evolution of ADAS. We examined consumers’ understanding and perceptions of ADAS and vehicle automation in a national survey. Our analysis focused on consumers’ understanding of how certain driving tasks that can be automated (e.g., steering, braking, navigation, etc.) maps onto proposed levels of vehicle automation. Additionally, we report what sources of information and methods of education consumers prefer to utilize when learning about new safety systems. These data can inform new driver training, public policy and transportation goals of how best to educate the motoring public about new vehicle technologies and the capabilities of next-generation automated vehicles as well as facilitate public acceptance of higher levels of vehicle automation.

Mobile device use is becoming increasingly prevalent during everyday activities. The simultaneous use of such technology while performing various activities may increase risk of human error and accidents, such as falls. In addition to effects on cognitive and attentional resources, mobile device use may influence visual behavior, thus affecting the user’s ability to perceive obstacles in the environment and respond appropriately. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of texting on gaze behavior during the approach and negotiation of a simulated curb. Wireless eye-tracking was used to record gaze during locomotion, with and without concurrent texting. Semantic Gaze Mapping (SMI, Inc.) was used to co-register participants’ gaze to different areas of interest (AOIs). Texting resulted in significant reductions in gaze dwell time on the curb and the number of times the curb was fixated. These findings suggest that mobile device use may have a negative effect on navigation during locomotion by reducing visual attention to task-relevant areas along the future path of travel.

The extent to which drivers’ attitudes toward the use of autonomous vehicle systems can be influenced by various driver factors (e.g., driver age, experience with the systems, etc.) has yet to be firmly established. To investigate driver perceptions and acceptance of advanced vehicle systems, the current research examined initial and repeated exposure to systems while driving under various commonly encountered on-road situations (e.g., emergency braking). Somewhat surprisingly, driver perceptions of safety when driving vehicles with assistive technologies diminished following repeated exposure to the technologies. However, when drivers were afforded more extensive experience, they reported a heightened appreciation of the systems—especially drivers who might benefit most from this assistance (e.g., distracted or older drivers).

Background A critical issue in academic assessment is the effect of children's language and culture on their measured performance. Research on this topic has rarely focused on science education, because science is commonly (though erroneously) assumed to be “culture free.” Students’ scientific understandings are influenced by the cultural values, experiences, and epistemologies of their home communities. Efforts to minimize cultural bias include designing tests to be “culturally neutral” and, conversely, tailoring assessments to specific cultural groups; both approaches are theoretically and practically problematic. Several studies have focused on testing accommodations for English language learners (ELLs), but accommodations raise validity and feasibility issues and are limited by “English-only” policies. This article stresses the linkages between language and culture, drawing on contemporary literacy theory and research on scientific communities as well as groups traditionally marginalized from science.Objective To examine how children's prior linguistic and cultural knowledge mediates their engagement with school science, as reflected in their responses on science assessments.Participants Over 1,500 students from six elementary schools serving diverse populations.Research Design Project-developed assessments included items requiring students to explain scientific phenomena. Scoring revealed that students misinterpreted some items, and scorers had difficulty understanding some students’ responses. Project personnel then undertook qualitative discourse analysis of responses on all tests.Findings Analysis revealed phonological/orthographic and semantic interference from students’ home languages; responses reflecting students’ cultural beliefs and practices; and “languacultural” features related to genre, authorial voice, pragmatic framing, and textual organization.Conclusions/Recommendations Science tests inevitably contain tacit cultural and linguistic knowledge that is not equally accessible to all students. Using “real-life scenarios” in assessment items may confuse students whose lives do not reflect mainstream norms. Furthermore, English-medium assessments are unlikely to accurately measure ELLs’ science knowledge. Teachers can learn to recognize factors that impede ELLs from grasping or expressing science concepts clearly. They should also ensure that all students understand the discursive and textual conventions inherent in assessment instruments. Linguistic and cultural factors shape science knowledge not only of students but of teachers, scientists, and test developers. Uncovering the factors shaping students’ academic performance requires fine-grained qualitative analysis and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries.

As part of a large-scale intervention, this study examined conceptions of the greenhouse effect and global warming among elementary students from diverse languages and cultures in the U.S. To make science relevant and meaningful for diverse student groups, the intervention emphasized the integration of (a) scientific understanding and inquiry, (b) English language and literacy, and (c) students' home language and culture. The study involved 5thgrade students from five elementary schools of varying demographic makeup in a large urban school district. The intervention's effectiveness was measured by student responses on a writing prompt addressing this topic in the beginning and at the completion of instruction over the school year. The results indicate that students overall demonstrated more scientific conceptual understandings after instruction. Furthermore, all demographic subgroups in terms of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, English proficiency, and home language demonstrated statistically significant improvements after instruction, with the exceptions of African-American and Haitian students showing little or no gain.

The article focuses on a research about reading minds to address neurological diseases such as Alzheimer. It notes on the experiment carried out by Demis Hassabis and Eleanor Maguire of the University College London, have turned to functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) which measures brain activity through changes in blood flow. The experiment shows an impressive demonstration of a new method to decode thoughts in the brain .

The article presents a discussion of DNA called immunity-related GTPase family, M (IRGM), adapted from Cemalettin Bekpen/Stockxpert.com.

The article reports on the findings of a research conducted by team led by marine ecologist David Conover that examined the factors that contributed to the declining average size in harvested fish populations. The researchers found out that the declining average size is due to genetic changes in the harvested populations. This trend shows that as bigger fish were removed, those with genetically slower growth rates grew to dominate and drive down the average size.

The article reports on the findings from the study that leadership might be a product of social context than individual temperament, which was based from the behaviors of stickleback fishes. According to the reports of the researchers, when the fish can see each other, the shier fish took their clue from the bold fishes that took the risk and follow them out of cover. It states that the shy fish spent more time exposed when they saw the braver companions than when they could not.

The article discusses the health risks of arsenic exposure. Scientists have found that if a pregnant woman is exposed, the deadly contaminant can alter the activity of several genes in her fetus, potentially increasing the child's risk of cancer later in life. The finding puts urgency on keeping arsenic out of expectant mothers' drinking water.

The article discusses research being done on female topi antelopes that force males to mate with them. It references a study by Jakob Bro-Jørgensen published in the November 29, 2007 issue of "Current Biology." He reasoned that female topi should want to mate as many times as possible with desirable males to maximize their chances of conceiving high-quality offspring. This is said to be the first experiment to suggest that sperm depletion causes such a role reversal in mammal.

The article focuses on a mathematical model created by biologist Hope Klug and mathematical ecologist Michael Bonsall to possibly explain filial cannibalism. Such model introduced an imaginary individual with a mutation for filial cannibalism into a population of generic egg-laying animals. The cannibalism gene spread throughout the population if it gave parents extra calories, but it also took root when parents could choose to cannibalize lower-quality offspring. Klug says overcrowding is not enough to favor the spread of such genes.

The article reports on a study conducted by evolutionary psychologist Gordon Gallup and colleague of the State University of New York in Albany on the relations between hand grip strength (HGS) and genetic fitness. The study found that a firm handshake is an indicator of genetic fitness. The findings link grip strength to aggressive behavior and sexual history. In the study, female participants showed no correlation between HGS and sexual history or social behaviors. Men with high HGS started having sex sooner and were more aggressive during high school.

The article discusses research being done on the response of children to QRIO, a humanoid robot from Sony that can recognize faces and respond to touch. It references a study led by Fumihide Tanaka, published online in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" on November 5, 2007. The study found that children prefer hugging the humanoid robot than hugging a teddy bear or an inanimate robot doll.

The article discusses research being done on the ability of elephants in Kenya to distinguish two tribes based on odors and colors. It references a study led by Lucy Bates and Richard Byrne published online in "Current Biology." The two groups referred to include the elephant-spearing Maasai tribe and the Kamba tribe that pose no threats to the animals. The study reports that elephants moved away 27 percent faster and 65 percent farther from the Maasai scents than from Kamba odors.

The article reports on a study which revealed that African elephants are afraid of bees. Zoologist Lucy J. King and her colleagues recorded the sounds of angry African bees and as a control a waterfall. They played both the recordings to families of elephants through speakers, which made 17 elephant families leave the area after only 10 seconds. After 80 seconds, all group but one had made their exit.

The article presents information on a study which revealed that marine iguanas respond to alarm calls from another species. Marine iguanas fed on algae found on submerged rocks. While basking, iguanas are vulnerable to hawks. Researcher Maren Vitousek and colleagues found that the alarm call of a native mockingbird prompted increased iguana alertness.

The article talks about the defense mechanism of Cyprian honey bees against hornet predators. According to the author, Cyprian honey bees can literally squeeze the hornet's breath away by clogging the hornet's air holes in their abdomen by bee balls. Since Cyprus is isolated, Cyprian bees have not faced many predators which allowed them to evolve tailored defenses only against hornets.

The article discusses research being done on gene transfer between microorganisms. It references a study by Julie Dunning Hotopp, et al published in the August 30, 2007 online issue of "Science." According to the article, findings indicate that bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance by swapping genes with species that have evolved it.

The article reports on a test conducted by biologist Hector Douglas on the possible use of compounds similar to secretions of crested auklets as a natural defense against ticks and other arthropods that plague the bird. Douglas placed two taxidermic auklets into the enclosure with 14 live birds at Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio. The scented piles where approached by the birds more than twice as often as they did control dispensers containing only ethanol.

The article reports on a study conducted by neuroscientists Anya Hurlbert and Yazhu Ling of Newcastle University in Great Britain, on the differences in color preferences between genders. The researchers discovered that males and females both went for blue in the yellow-blue scale. Females preferred red while men preferred green on the green-red scale. According to Hurlbert, the findings of the study is important because it revealed a cross-cultural trend in color preferences.

The article discusses research being done on the use of squirrels' tails as defense against rattlesnakes. It references a study by Aaron Rundus et al, published online in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences." Through a wire mesh, the researchers placed the rodents and rattlesnakes in adjoining cages that faced each other. The researchers used a robotic squirrel with a heatable waveable tail to confirm that a toasty tail was key to the defense.

The article reports on a study which found that the deletion in the norepinephrine receptor gene ADRA2B might cause an increase in a person's ability to remember traumatic events in his or her life. The finding showed that the gene is responsible for emotional memory and could have implications for anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. Dennis Charney, a psychiatrist at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, said that people with the impaired gene are expected to have higher norepinephrine levels.

The article discusses research on the impact of marijuana use on mental health. It references a study by Theresa Moore and colleagues to be published in a July 2007 issue of "The Lancet." The researchers found that marijuana use increases the risk of psychosis and schizophrenia. However, they found no connection between marijuana use and anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

The article focuses on a study which found that eating more than five servings of fruits and vegetables, the amount recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), does not provide any additional protection against breast cancer. However, the study concludes that eating the recommended amount still appears to help protect against the disease. It is stated that breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women.

The article offers information on a study conducted by a team of researchers from the Netherlands, Italy and France to investigate the mirror neuron system in normal and aplasic people with no hands or arms. The team showed videos of hands performing simple actions to 16 normal people and two aplasic people. They found that aplasic people activated motor pathways in the regions needed for moving the feet. It demonstrates that mirror neuron system is working toward a goal not just imitating.

The article reports on the death of geneticist Anne McLaren in a car accident outside London, England on July 7, 2007. McLaren has helped split the mechanics of mammalian development. McLaren was with her ex-husband Donald Michie, a researcher in artificial intelligence, who was also killed in the accident. McLaren got involved in several fields of research such as genetics, developmental biology and reproductive biology.