Measuring educational inequalities:A method and an application to Albania

In this paper, we investigate whether educational inequalities stem rather from differences between families or within families. In a poor economy, schooling is costly for parents and education is likely to be unequally distributed among siblings. Drawing on discrete ordered choice models, we present a simple method to estimate the between and within components of both the explained and unexplained variances of education. For our empirical analysis, we use the LSMS survey conducted in 2002 in Albania. We explain about 40% of the total variance and find that inequalities in education are mainly due to differences between families. Differences within family are lower and far less easily explained.Education, intra-household inequality, random effects ordered Probit models, siblings

Sur le Regina Cœli: Paraphrase de l\u27antienne liturgique

A French arrangement for solo voice of the Regina Cœli, one of the Marian antiphons sung during night prayers (Compline). The music was composed by Charles Bordes and the lyrics are based on a poem by l\u27abbé Picard. Included as part of a supplement in the May 1911 issue of Mois Littéraire et Pittoresque, a monthly Catholic magazine published by the Maison de la Bonne Presse, which was run by the Augustine Fathers of the Assumption.https://ecommons.udayton.edu/imri_sheetmusic/1041/thumbnail.jp

Measurement of the specific surface area of snow using infrared reflectance in an integrating sphere at 1310 and 1550 nm

International audienceEven though the specific surface area (SSA) and the snow area index (SAI) of snow are crucial variables to determine the chemical and climatic impact of the snow cover, few data are available on the subject. We propose here a novel method to measure snow SSA and SAI. It is based on the measurement of the hemispherical infrared reflectance of snow samples using the DUFISSS instrument (DUal Frequency Integrating Sphere for Snow SSA measurement). DUFISSS uses the 1310 or 1550 nm radiation of laser diodes, an integrating sphere 15 cm in diameter, and InGaAs photodiodes. For SSA60 m2 kg−1, snow is usually of low density (typically 30 to 100 kg m−3), resulting in insufficient optical depth and 1310 nm radiation reaches the bottom of the sample, causing artifacts. The 1550 nm radiation is therefore used for SSA>60 m2 kg−1. Reflectance is then in the range 5 to 12% and the accuracy on SSA is 12%. We propose empirical equations to determine SSA from reflectance at both wavelengths, with that for 1310 nm taking into account the snow density. DUFISSS has been used to measure the SSA of snow and the SAI of snowpacks in polar and Alpine regions

Integriertes Werkstückinformationsmodell zur Ausprägung werkstückindividueller Fertigungszustände

Durch die Digitalisierung und die Vernetzung der Fertigung werden Werkstücke zu Informationsträgern. In der Vision der werkstückgetriebenen Fertigung steuern sie eigenständig ihre individuelle Herstellung. Das durchgängige Engineering dieser Werkstücke erfordert die Entwicklung leistungsfähiger Methoden und Werkzeuge. Insbesondere die durchgängige Informationsverarbeitung in den CAx-Prozessketten von der Produktentwicklung bis in die Fertigung wird derzeit nicht ausreichend sichergestellt. Ein durchgängig nutzbares, digitales Informationsmodell zur Ausprägung von werkstückindividuellen Fertigungszuständen in der Fertigung existiert bislang nicht. Das entwickelte Konzept stellt eine Vorgehensweise vor, um diese Lücke in der CAx-Prozesskette zu schließen. Es spezifiziert dazu die digitale Repräsentation des integrierten Werkstückinformationsmodells, welches die geplanten mit den realisierten Fertigungszuständen über webbasierte Ansätze verknüpft. Merkmale und Verhalten werden dazu in der digitalen Repräsentation des 3D-Produktmodells durch semantische Annotationen gekennzeichnet und im Ablaufarbeitsplan zu definierten Fertigungszuständen abgeleitet. Die daraus entstehende Werkstückschablone bildet die informationstechnischen Vorgaben für die Ausprägung werkstückindividueller Fertigungszustände. Während der Fertigung werden dann die Informationen zum realisierten, individuellen Fertigungszustand eines einzelnen Werkstücks in der Werkstückschablone erfasst und webbasiert mit den Produktdaten abgeglichen. Die Auswertung der Werkstückschablone stellt dem Werker in der Fertigung eine Entscheidungsgrundlage bereit, um die Herstellungsprozesse werkstückindividuell im Sinne der werkstückgetriebenen Fertigung zu steuern. Die Tragfähigkeit des Konzepts wurde anhand eines repräsentativen Anwendungsbeispiels erfolgreich nachgewiesen. Das dazu prototypisch implementierte Assistenzsystem APIZ vernetzt über REST-konforme Webdienste Werkstücke als Informationsträger mit dem 3D-CAD-Autorensystem NX

Three-Dimensional Engineered Bone from Bone Marrow Stromal Cells and Their Autogenous Extracellular Matrix

Most bone tissue engineering research uses porous three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for cell seeding. In this work, scaffold-less 3D bone-like tissues were engineered from rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) and their autogenous extracellular matrix (ECM). The BMSCs were cultured on a 2D substrate in medium that induced osteogenic differentiation. After reaching confluence and producing a sufficient amount of their own ECM, the cells contracted their tissue monolayer around two constraint points, forming scaffold-less cylindrical engineered bone-like constructs (EBCs). The EBCs exhibited alizarin red staining for mineralization and alkaline phosphatase activity and contained type I collagen. The EBCs developed a periosteum characterized by fibroblasts and unmineralized collagen on the periphery of the construct. Tensile tests revealed that the EBCs in culture had a tangent modulus of 7.5+/-0.5MPa at 7 days post-3D construct formation and 29+/-9MPa at 6 weeks after construct formation. Implantation of the EBCs into rats 7 days after construct formation resulted in further bone development and vascularization. Tissue explants collected at 4 weeks contained all three cell types found in native bone: osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts. The resulting engineered tissues are the first 3D bone tissues developed without the use of exogenous scaffolding.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78137/1/ten.tea.2007.0140.pd

Does Quantitative Left Ventricular Regional Wall Motion Change after Fibrous Tissue Resection in Endomyocardial Fibrosis?

OBJECTIVES: We compared left ventricular regional wall motion, the global left ventricular ejection fraction, and the New York Heart Association functional class pre- and postoperatively. INTRODUCTION: Endomyocardial fibrosis is characterized by fibrous tissue deposition in the endomyocardium of the apex and/or inflow tract of one or both ventricles. Although left ventricular global systolic function is preserved, patients exhibit wall motion abnormalities in the apical and inferoapical regions. Fibrous tissue resection in New York Heart Association FC III and IV endomyocardial fibrosis patients has been shown to decrease morbidity and mortality. METHODS: We prospectively studied 30 patients (20 female, 30&plusmn;10 years) before and 5&plusmn;8 months after surgery. The left ventricular ejection fraction was determined using the area-length method. Regional left ventricular motion was measured by the centerline method. Five left ventricular segments were analyzed pre- and postoperatively. Abnormality was expressed in units of standard deviation from the mean motion in a normal reference population. RESULTS: Left ventricular wall motion in the five regions did not differ between pre- and postoperative measurements. Additionally, the left ventricular ejection fraction did not change after surgery (0.45&plusmn;0.13% x 0.43&plusmn;0.12% pre- and postoperatively, respectively). The New York Heart Association functional class improved to class I in 40% and class II in 43% of patients postoperatively (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although endomyocardial fibrosis patients have improved clinical symptoms after surgery, the global left ventricular ejection fraction and regional wall motion in these patients do not change. This finding suggests that other explanations, such as improvements in diastolic function, may be operational

Cognitive Information Processing

Contains reports on three research projects.Center for Advanced Television StudiesAmerican Broadcasting CompanyAmpex CorporationColumbia Broadcasting Systems (until 5/86)Harris Corporation (until 5/86)Home Box OfficeKodak (from 1/87)Public Broadcasting ServiceNational Broadcasting CompanyRCA CorporationTektronixZenith (from 5/86)3M Company (until 5/86)International Business Machines, Inc.Defense Advanced Research Agency (Contract N00014-85-K-0213

Salt marsh ecosystem biogeochemical responses to nutrient enrichment : a paired 15N tracer study

Author Posting. © Ecological Society of America, 2009. This article is posted here by permission of Ecological Society of America for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Ecology 90 (2009): 2535-2546, doi:10.1890/08-1051.1.We compared processing and fate of dissolved NO3− in two New England salt marsh ecosystems, one receiving natural flood tide concentrations of 1–4 μmol NO3−/L and the other receiving experimentally fertilized flood tides containing 70–100 μmol NO3−/L. We conducted simultaneous 15NO3− (isotope) tracer additions from 23 to 28 July 2005 in the reference (8.4 ha) and fertilized (12.4 ha) systems to compare N dynamics and fate. Two full tidal cycles were intensively studied during the paired tracer additions. Resulting mass balances showed that essentially 100% (0.48–0.61 mol NO3-N·ha−1·h−1) of incoming NO3− was assimilated, dissimilated, sorbed, or sedimented (processed) within a few hours in the reference system when NO3− concentrations were 1.3–1.8 μmol/L. In contrast, only 50–60% of incoming NO3− was processed in the fertilized system when NO3− concentrations were 84–96 μmol/L; the remainder was exported in ebb tidewater. Gross NO3− processing was 40 times higher in the fertilized system at 19.34–24.67 mol NO3-N·ha−1·h−1. Dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium was evident in both systems during the first 48 h of the tracer additions but <1% of incoming 15NO3− was exported as 15NH4+. Nitrification rates calculated by 15NO3− dilution were 6.05 and 4.46 mol·ha−1·h−1 in the fertilized system but could not be accurately calculated in the reference system due to rapid (<4 h) NO3− turnover. Over the five-day paired tracer addition, sediments sequestered a small fraction of incoming NO3−, although the efficiency of sequestration was 3.8% in the reference system and 0.7% in the fertilized system. Gross sediment N sequestration rates were similar at 13.5 and 12.6 mol·ha−1·d−1, respectively. Macrophyte NO3− uptake efficiency, based on tracer incorporation in aboveground tissues, was considerably higher in the reference system (16.8%) than the fertilized system (2.6%), although bulk uptake of NO3− by plants was lower in the reference system (1.75 mol NO3−·ha−1·d−1) than the fertilized system (10 mol NO3−·ha−1·d−1). Nitrogen processing efficiency decreased with NO3− load in all pools, suggesting that the nutrient processing capacity of the marsh ecosystem was exceeded in the fertilized marsh.This work was funded by National Science Foundation Grant DEB 0213767 and OCE 9726921

Process and Context in Choice Models

We develop a general framework that extends choice models by including an explicit representation of the process and context of decision making. Process refers to the steps involved in decision making. Context refers to factors affecting the process, focusing in this paper on social networks. The extended choice framework includes more behavioral richness through the explicit representation of the planning process preceding an action and its dynamics and the effects of context (family, friends, and market) on the process leading to a choice, as well as the inclusion of new types of subjective data in choice models. We discuss the key issues involved in applying the extended framework, focusing on richer data requirements, theories, and models, and present three partial demonstrations of the proposed framework. Future research challenges include the development of more comprehensive empirical tests of the extended modeling framework