Resources and student achievement – evidence from a Swedish policy reform

This paper utilizes a policy change to estimate the effect of teacher density on student performance. We find that an increase in teacher density has a positive effect on student achievement. The baseline estimate – obtained by using the grade point average as the outcome variable – implies that resource increases corresponding to the class-size reduction in the STAR-experiment (i.e., a reduction of 7 students) improves performance by 2.6 percentile ranks (or 0.08 standard deviations). When we use test score data for men, potentially a more objective measure of student performance, the effect of resources appears to be twice the size of the baseline estimate.Student performance; teacher/student ratio; policy reform; differences-in-differences

The impact of the lanthanide contraction on the structure of complexes of a calix[4]arene trisamide

The syntheses of samarium, holmium, and ytterbium complexes of a tris-amide calix[4]arene are described, and the resulting structures are compared with the previously reported gadolinium complex. The syntheses involved the reaction of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-24-hydroxy-26,27,28- tris(diethylcarbamoylmethoxy)calix[4]arene with the appropriate lanthanide picrate hydrate. Structural studies demonstrated that a picrate anion acts as a quasi-bidentate ligand with Sm (and Gd), is unidentate in the Ho complex, but is found in the second coordination sphere for the smallest lanthanide cation (Yb) investigated

Structural Variations in the Complete Series of Lanthanoid Complexes of a Calix[4]arene Trisamide

Lanthanoid picrate (pic) complexes of 5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25-hydroxy-26,27,28-tris(diethylcarbamoylmethoxy)calix[4]arene (LH) have been synthesised and structurally characterised, to complete this series for all lanthanoids (other than promethium). From cerium to lutetium, three structural types are observed: Type I, [Ln(L)(O,O'-pic)](pic), Ln = Ce-Dy; Type II, [Ln(L)(O-pic)](pic), Ln = Tb, Ho; Type III, [Ln(L)(HOEt)](pic)2, Ln = Er-Lu. With lanthanum, three different ten-coordinate complexes were characterised; [Ln(L)(O,O'-pic)(HOEt)](pic), [Ln(L)(O,O'-pic)(OH2)](pic), and [Ln(L)(O,O'-pic)(HOMe)](pic). The crystallisation of Type I and II observed for terbium shows that the stability of the different structures are sensitively poised at the transition points. Nevertheless, the structures show that the vacant space in the coordination sphere left by the trisamide L tends to reduce across the series as expected. It is occupied by a bidentate picrate anion and unidentate solvent molecule with lanthanum, a bidentate picrate anion for cerium to dysprosium (Type I), a unidentate picrate anion for terbium and holmium (Type II), and finally a unidentate solvent molecule from erbium to lutetium (Type III). The coordination number thus reduces from 10 to 8 across the series

Relationship Between Exercise Motivation, Exercise Enjoyment, and Daily Cognition of Collegiate Student-Athletes

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Fingolimod: therapeutic mechanisms and ocular adverse effects.

Fingolimod is an oral immunomodulating drug used in the management of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). We aim to review the published literature on ocular manifestations of fingolimod therapy and their possible underlying mechanisms. The therapeutic effects of fingolimod are mediated via sphingosine receptors, which are found ubiquitously in various organs, including lymphoid cells, central nervous system, cardiac myocytes, and smooth muscle cells. Fingolimod-associated macular oedema (FAME) is the most common ocular side effect but retinal haemorrhages and retinal vein occlusion can occur. The visual consequences appear to be mild and, in cases of FAME, resolution is often attained with discontinuation of therapy. However, in cases of retinal vein occlusion, discontinuation of fingolimod alone may not be sufficient and intra-vitreal therapy may be required. We also propose a pragmatic service pathway for monitoring patients on fingolimod therapy, which includes stratifying them by risk and visual acuity

Phosphonate additives do not always inhibit crystallization

This paper investigates crystal growth modifiers based on 1,3,5-substituted benzene derivatives. The results show that as expected, the phosphonated derivative inhibits calcite precipitation to a much greater degree than the analogous sulfonate. However, on barium sulfate, both molecules show some crystallization promotion behaviour, with the phosphonate being the more potent promoter overall. Thus, the functional group alone does not determine the impact the organic molecule will have on crystallization. This opens the way for additives that have dual purposes (inhibiting the crystallization of one phase while not impacting or promoting the crystallization of other phases)

A "plug-and-play" approach to the preparation of transparent luminescent hybrid materials based on poly(methyl methacrylate), a calix[4]arene cross-linking agent, and terbium ions

A novel methodology to prepare transparent luminescent hybrid materials is reported. Using a calixarene ionophore as a PMMA cross-linker avoids problems, such as phase segregation, andproduces a polymer monolith that can be loaded with the metal ion required for luminescence post-synthesis. This approach is versatile and will simplify the production of such materials

Atmospheric characterisation and tighter constraints on the orbital misalignment of WASP-94 A b with HARPS

We present high spectral resolution observations of the hot Jupiter WASP-94 A b using the HARPS instrument on ESO's 3.6m telescope in La Silla, Chile. We probed for Na absorption in its atmosphere as well as constrained the previously reported misaligned retrograde orbit using the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. Additionally, we undertook a combined atmospheric retrieval analysis with previously published low-resolution data. We confirm the retrograde orbit as well as constrain the orbital misalignment with our measurement of a projected spin-orbit obliquity of $\lambda = 123.0 \pm 3.0 ^\circ$. We find a tentative detection of Na absorption in the atmosphere of WASP-94 A b, independent of the treatment of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect in our analysis (3.6$\sigma$ and 4.4$\sigma$). We combine our HARPS high resolution data with low resolution data from the literature and find that while the posterior distribution of the Na abundance results in a tighter constraint than using a single data set, the detection significance does not improve (3.2$\sigma$), which we attribute to degeneracies between the low and high resolution data.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

Distinguishing blood and lymph vessel invasion in breast cancer: a prospective immunohistochemical study

Recently, peritumoural (lympho)vascular invasion, assessed on haematoxylin–eosin (HE)-stained slides, was added to the St Gallen criteria for adjuvant treatment of patients with operable breast cancer (BC). New lymphatic endothelium-specific markers, such as D2-40, make it possible to distinguish between blood (BVI) and lymph vessel invasion (LVI). The aim of this prospective study was to quantify and compare BVI and LVI in a consecutive series of patients with BC. Three consecutive sections of all formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 95 BC resection specimens were (immuno)histochemically stained in a fixed order: HE, anti-CD34 (pan-endothelium) and anti-D2-40 (lymphatic endothelium) antibodies. All vessels with vascular invasion were marked and relocated on the corresponding slides. Vascular invasion was assigned LVI (CD34⊕ or ⊖/D2-40⊕) or BVI (CD34⊕/D2-40⊖) and intra- (contact with tumour cells or desmoplastic stroma) or peritumoural. The number of vessels with LVI and BVI as well as the number of tumour cells per embolus were counted. Results were correlated with clinico-pathological variables. Sixty-six (69.5%) and 36 (37.9%) patients had, respectively, LVI and BVI. The presence of ‘vascular' invasion was missed on HE in 20% (peritumourally) and 65% (intratumourally) of cases. Although LVI and BVI were associated intratumourally (P=0.02), only peritumoural LVI, and not BVI, was associated with the presence of lymph node (LN) metastases (pperi=0.002). In multivariate analysis, peritumoural LVI was the only independent determinant of LN metastases. Furthermore, the number of vessels with LVI was larger than the number of vessels with BVI (P=0.001) and lymphatic emboli were larger than blood vessel emboli (P=0.004). We demonstrate that it is possible to distinguish between BVI and LVI in BC specimens using specific lymphatic endothelium markers. This is important to study the contribution of both processes to BC metastasis. Furthermore, immunohistochemical detection of lymphovascular invasion might be of value in clinical practice