WWII and Long Run Convergence in the OECD

Existing evidence for unconditional convergence in the OECD is mixed, and depends largely on whether time series or cross sectional methods are used. In this paper we reconsider the evidence for unconditional convergence by dividing the long run data into several subperiods. We use a two stage approach in this work. We first model the growth rate of output directly and use this model to estimate the long-run growth rate for the countries in our sample. We then use the estimates of long-run growth in output to test for unconditional convergence and to test for equality of long-run growth across countries. GLS is used to explicitly take into account the sampling uncertainty inherent in our estimates of the long-run growth rate we found in the first stage of the process. The results show strong evidence for unconditional convergence in the post WWII period 1951-1974, but no evidence of convergence in the periods preceding or following this period. Moreover, it is di±cult to reject the hypothesis that most of the countries in our sample had the same growth rate outside of this period. Thus find little evidence to suggest that absolute convergence has been a continuous long run process, and some evidence for the view that national policies mainly affect income levels rather than growth rateGrowth, Convergence, Technological Change

Live animal performance and carcass characteristics of bulls versus steers

45 pages"Consumers, increasingly, are expressing a preference for beef cuts with a high proportion of lean in relation to fat. The continued increase in consumption of beef of the Choice and Good grades suggests a preference for beef with desirable eating qualities. The production of quality lean beef is a goal that involves many aspects of animal production including breeding, feeding and management. The trend toward leaner beef carcasses and more efficient feedlot performance has focused atterition on the effect of age at the time of castration on feedlot efficiency and carcass meatiness and quality. Since the early 1950's, several reports have suggested that young bulls gain faster and more efficiently than comparable steers and that the bullock carcasses yield a greater percentage of retail cuts. Reports also indicated that the meat from young bulls was similar in palatability to meat from steers of similar age and breeding. The objectives of this st~dy were to compare the feedlot performance, qualitative and quantitative carcass characteristics of beef produced from Hereford bulls, crossbred bulls, Hereford steers castrated at 205 days, crossbred steers castrated .at 205 days, and crossbred steers castrated at birth."--Introduction.Hedrick, Harold B

The Arts, School Practice, and Cultural Transformation

Attempts at articulating and instituting socially responsive programs in art education are heartening and long overdue. The work of the Caucus on Social Theory and Art Education and the Bulletin as a reflection of the issues dealt with by the caucus, are laudatory and provocative. I seek to further these efforts in this essay by: 1) elaborating the social context within which schools function, and detailing how the political, economic, and ideological interests our educational system serves affect school policy, organizational structures within education, and school practice generally; and 2) suggest how the arts may be an effective force in countering the socially useful practices which schools embody. By situating the study of the arts within the literature on schools as agents of social reproduction we may see more clearly both the problems and possibilities for education in the arts that is socially responsive, politically sensitive, and ethically just

Student Perspectives on the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique

A retrospective qualitative study was conducted to explore first-year occupational therapy graduate student perspectives on the Immediate Feedback Assessment Technique (IF-AT) which was implemented during a two-semester neuroscience course. The IF-AT system was used during small group application activities six times across a two-semester course sequence. Students discussed multiple-choice questions in small groups, used critical thinking skills and collaboration to select answers, then finally used the IF-AT scratch-off cards to indicate selections. At the conclusion of the second semester, 33 students provided qualitative feedback regarding their experience using the IF-AT. Conventional content analysis was used to capture the student voice as it relates to the use of the IF-AT system in coursework. Use of the IF-AT system created a positive learning experience for students but also revealed areas of limitations to be addressed in future coursework when the IF-AT scratch-off cards are used. Qualitative data from students indicated the technique facilitated active learning through discussion and problem solving while creating a sense of individual responsibility as well. Student-driven suggestions for improvement are included. Advice for instructors seeking implementation of the IF-AT system in occupational therapy coursework is include

Capturing the Flag: The Struggle for National Identity in Nonviolent Revolutions

One goal of nonviolent resistance movements is to legitimize themselves in opposition to governments by undermining the latter’s leadership. We argue nonviolent groups that can ‘own’ the national identity are more likely to succeed, as they can assert the legitimacy of their vision for the state, and persuade other sectors of society to support their cause. Our argument is supported by the Arab Spring uprisings, where those resistance movements that were able to identify and claim ownership over a homogeneous national identity were more successful in pressing their claims. We view national identity as a component of symbolic power in both successful and unsuccessful nonviolent revolutions. We supplement our argument via a comparison of the Arab Spring uprisings featuring Egypt, Bahrain, and Libya, with nonviolent movements of the past: the ‘early’ cases (Northern Ireland, Iran, and the Philippines) and the color revolutions (Serbia, Georgia, and the Ukraine). We posit that the role of national identity, while not a determinant of success, can play an important role in the struggle for legitimacy, which may help determine the prospects of success for these movements

Culture and Procedural Justice in Transitioning Societies

In any transitional justice mechanism there are tradeoffs between the search for retributive justice and the practical limitations on what can be accomplished. To date, this tension has been discussed in reference to internationally established norms of justice, which the authors argue are limited in the extent to which they can explain why certain mechanisms—such as the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission or Rwanda’s gacaca courts—have been considered successful. We argue that mechanisms that have a high overlap between local culture and elements of procedural justice are perceived as more fair and just, even to those who may not benefit—or indeed may be burdened—by their operation

Will Belgium Dissolve? A Comparative Examination of State Dissolution in Europe

The parliamentary deadlock surrounding the 2007 Belgian election, fake news reports of dissolution and Time magazine’s discussion of a Czechoslovak style divorce, showcase how Belgium may be inching towards breakup. We argue that the case of Belgium will be more likely to follow that of dissolution, the consensual breakup of the center; rather than go through a divisive secession, the removal of a territory on the periphery. This differentiates the Belgian case from other contemporary peaceful separatist movements like Quebec, Catalonia and others which may make it more susceptible to breakup. Moreover, we argue that based on Hancock (1998), sufficient political and economic changes could exacerbate tensions such that dissolution becomes increasingly inevitable in the future. We show how the case of Belgium will likely be similar to that of Czechoslovakia in 1993 as well as providing lessons from the breakups of personal unions such as Norway-Sweden in 1905 and Serbia-Montenegro in 2006. In sum, we argue that Belgium will not easily dissolve and that while dissolution is quite possible, it is not yet probable. This study, therefore, presents some interesting theoretical lessons for dissolution, how it occurs and how mature democracies face very real challenges with state breakup

Identification of Multiple Phosphoinositide-Linked Receptors on Human SK-N-MC Neuroepithelioma Cells

:The biochemical and pharmacological characteristics of receptor-stimulated phosphoinositide (PPI) hydrolysis in human SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells have been examined. Of 11 ligands tested, the addition of four, i.e., nor-epinephrine, oxotremorine-M, endothelin-1, and ATP, each resulted in an increased release (three-to eightfold) of inositol phosphates from [ 3 H]inositol-prelabeled cells. Agonist-stimulated PPI turnover was sustained for at least 30 min and required the addition of Ca 2+ for full effect. An increased release of inositol phosphates could also be elicited by the addition of the Ca 2+ ionophore, ionomycin. All four agonists enhanced the release of radiolabeled inositol mono-and bis-phosphates, inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate, and inositol tetra-kisphosphate. Increases in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate were smaller and only consistently observed in the presence of norepinephrine or oxotremorine-M. Norepinephrine-stim-ulated PPI turnover was potently inhibited by prazosin, WB-4101, and 5-methylurapidil ( K 1 , < 2.5 n M ), but was relatively insensitive to chloroethylclonidine pretreatment. This pharmacological profile is consistent with the involvement of an Α 1A -receptor subtype. The presence of an M 1 muscannic cholinergic receptor is also indicated, because pirenzepine blocked oxotremorine-M-stimulated inositol phosphate release ( K 1 = 35 n M ) with a 30-fold greater potency than the M 2 -selective antagonist, AF-DX 116. Of the three endothelins tested, only the addition of endothelin-1 and endothelin-2 promoted PPI hydrolysis, whereas endothelin-3 was essentially inactive. A P 2 nucleotide receptor of broad agonist specificity is also present on these cells and activates PPI turnover in the absence of a generalized increase in plasma membrane permeability. These results indicate that SK-N-MC cells express at least four PPI-linked receptors. Because the functional coupling of three of these receptors, i.e., Α 1A -adrenergic, endothelin, and P 2 nucleotide, has not been extensively characterized previously in neural tissues, the SK-N-MC cell line may provide a useful model system for studies of these receptors and their regulation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66097/1/j.1471-4159.1991.tb06357.x.pd

A note on barriers to capital accumulation and income

In this paper we clarify the impact that barriers to capital accumulation can have on a two-sector neoclassical growth models ability to explain the observed differences in incomes across countries. We show that the effect of barriers to technology adoption in a two sector model is necessarily identical to a one-sector model when there are no factor market imperfections and each sector has identical technologies. We also show that this result generalizes to the case when the technologies are different across the sectors