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Control of oxygen fugacity during high-temperature phase equilibrium experiments is required to simulate the conditions that exist in natural systems. At high pressures, oxygen fugacity may be imposed using solid buffer equilibria via the classic “double capsule” technique. This design becomes untenable, however, at temperatures above the melting points of commonly used noble metal capsule materials and/or where buffer assemblages may alloy with the capsule or contaminate the sample. Here we introduce and test a modified double capsule approach that includes a solid metal-oxide buffer in close proximity to but separate from the sample of interest. Buffers used include (in order of most oxidized to reduced) Ni-NiO, Co-CoO, W-WO3, Fe-FeO, Mo-MoO2, Cr-Cr2O3, V-V2O3, Ta-Ta2O5, and Nb-NbO. At a fixed temperature, these buffers span a wide range—up to 10 log fO2units. To demonstrate the buffering capacity of this double capsule approach, secondary redox equilibria and V-doped CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2system glasses were studied in experiments using the double capsule geometry. The secondary equilibria provide an independent verification of the oxygen fugacity established in the double capsule environment. The glasses proved difficult to interpret, and our results provide guidance to future efforts to utilize the glass oxybarometer at reducing conditions. Application of this modified double capsule technique to studies of V valence in MgAl2O4spinels led to the recognition of several factors that will affect V valence in this system: temperature of equilibration, duration of experiment, and spinel bulk composition. We have synthesized V-bearing MgAl2O4spinel at the reduced conditions of the Cr-Cr2O3, (IW-3.51), Ta-Ta2O5, (IW-5.37), and Nb-NbO buffers (IW-5.44). This spinel exhibits a very small V3+pre-edge peak consistent with its reduced nature. The absence of evidence for V2+suggests that MgAl2O4spinel excludes V2+due to the preference of V for octahedral sites. This finding is supported by DFT calculations for spinels of variable composition, and in agreement with some other indirect evidence for preference for V3+in aluminous spinels (Bosi et al. 2016,; Paque et al. 2013,).

In a recent issue of UtilitasGerald Lang provided an appealing new solution to the Wrong Kind of Reason problem for the buck-passing account of value. In subsequent issues Jonas Olson and John Brunero have provided objections to Lang's solution. I argue that Brunero's objection is not a problem for Lang's solution, and that a revised version of Lang's solution avoids Olson's objections. I conclude that we can solve the Wrong Kind of Reason problem, and that the wrong kind of reasons for pro-attitudes are reasons that would not still be reasons for pro-attitudes if it were not for the additional consequences of having those pro-attitudes.

Despite the fact that the former Soviet Union was perhaps the most multinational state in the world, until recently data were not available to undertake a systematic investigation of patterns of nationality population, distribution, redistribution and segregation within Soviet cities. However, nationality data were recently published for the 32 rayons of Moscow for the last two census years of 1979 and 1989.

After the test of the Kiwi-A reactor on July I, 1959, the uptake of radioactive materials by rodents and rabbits within the fallout pattern was assessed. Statistically significant increases in bone Sr90and in the gross beta activities of bone, skin; muscle, and gastrointestinal tracts and contents were established. The presence of I131in the thyroids of both kinds of mammals was also demonstrated, and this radioiodine was attributable to the reactor test. However, the levels of radioactivity observed following the test were only a very small fraction of those observed after earlier weapons tests.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the articles "Talk Story" with President Bill Kaneko of Hawaii Institute for Public Affairs (HIPA) and "Hawaii 2050 Can Work" by George Ariyoshi, both in the December 2007 issue.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Editors Desktop," in the November 2006 issue, "Family Matters--How to Avoid Family feud When Dealing With Family-Business Succession," by Lisa Ro and "Nota Bene," in the December 2006 issue.

Presents letters to the editor referencing articles and topics discussed in previous issues. Infusion of money for the military services in Hawaii; "Tanks A Lot: Increased Federal Spending Fuels the Local Economy," which dealt with the per capita defense spending in Hawaii; "A Long, Straight Course," which focused on the philosophy of growing government power.

Comments on a newspaper critique of Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Mazie Hirono. Alleged reasons for Hirono's refusal to visit small businesses and find out about their problems.

Proposes the elimination of licensing and regulatory boards in Hawaii. Effects of the boards's limitation of the number of practitioners to consumers; Consumer protection in the insurance industry; Long-term negative effects of licensing and regulatory boards.