John M. Gerdes

Using web-based search data to predict macroeconomic statistics

Tracking common search terms used on the Web can produce accurate, useful statistics about the unemployment rate. We hope to extend this approach to other economic statistics.

On the business value and technical challenges of adopting web services

This paper provides a balanced perspective of the business value and technical challenges of adopting Web services. Technology adoption is a continual challenge for both tool developers and enterprise users. Web services are a prime example of an emerging technology that is fraught with adoption issues. Part of the problem is separating marketing hype from business reality. Web services are network-accessible interfaces to application functionality. They are built using Internet technologies such as XML and standard protocols such as SOAP. The adoption issues related to Web services are complex and multifaceted. For example, determining whether this technology is a fundamental advance, rather than something old under a new name, requires technical depth, business acumen, and considerable historical knowledge of past developments. A sample problem from the health care industry is used to illustrate some of the adoption issues.

EDGAR-analyzer: automating the analysis of corporate data contained in the SEC's EDGAR database

Publicly owned companies, their officers and major investors are required to file regular disclosures with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). To improve accessibility to these public documents, the SEC began developed the EDGAR (Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval) electronic disclosure system. This system provides ready, free access to all electronic filings made since 1994. The paper describes a tool that automates the analysis of SEC filings, emphasizing the unstructured text sections of these documents. To illustrate the capabilities of the EDGAR-Analyzer program, results of a large-scale case study of corporate Y2K disclosures in 18,595 10K filings made from 1997 to 1999 is presented.

Adoption challenges in migrating to web services

This paper outlines some of the challenges inherent in migrating to Web services. Technology adoption is a continual challenge for both tool developers and enterprise users. Web services are a prime example of a red-hot technology that is fraught with adoption issues. Part of the problem is separating marketing hype from business reality. Web services are network-accessible interfaces to application functionality. They are built using Internet technologies such as XML and standard protocols such as SOAP. The adoption issues related to Web services are complex and multifaceted. For example, determining whether this technology is a fundamental advance, rather than something old under a new name, requires technical depth, business acumen, and considerable historical knowledge of past claims. A model problem from the health care industry is used to illustrate some of the adoption issues that arise in migrating to Web services.

Timeliness of investor relations data at corporate web sites

Online data for investors is often stale, even when of high quality. How can this situation be improved?

Biochemical properties of A-homovitamin D derivatives: 1,4-Dihydroxy-3-deoxy-A-homo-19-nor-9, 10-secocholesta-5,7-dienes☆

Abstract A study has been made in the chick of the stereostructural requirements of A-ring-functionalized vitamin D analogs which elicit vitamin D 3 and 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 -dependent biological responses of intestinal calcium absorption (ICA) and bone calcium mobilization (BCM). Ring expansion of vitamin D 3 to produce (1 S ,4 S ), (1 S ,4 R ), or (1 R ,4 S )-(7 E )-1,4-dihydroxy-3-deoxy-A-homo-19-nor-9,10-secocholesta-5,7-dienes resulted in the loss of both ICA and BCM biological activity at dose levels of steroid of up to 650 nmol/0.1 kg birds. Accordingly the three A-homo analogs of vitamin D 3 were assessed for their ability to inhibit or increase the ICA or BCM responses of D 3 and 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 . Only (1 R ,4 S )-(7 E )-diol-C, maintaining a cis -β,β-hydroxyl orientation showed antagonistic biological activity. Intraperitoneal doses (65–325 nmol) of diol-C administered in conjunction with D 3 (0.8–3.25 nmol) inhibited the BCM responses selectively and had no effect on the ICA response. Doses of analog-C (16.3-3.25 nmol) injected before and after the active hormone 1,25-(OH) 2 D 3 (0.13–01.30 nmol) stimulated the ICA response of the latter above its normal levels (a synergistic response) when administered alone.

The viability of supporting anonymous employees

Identifying contractual mechanisms to support anonymity in the employment environment.