A comparison of A-level performance in economics and business studies: how much more difficult is economics?

This paper uses ALIS data to compare academic performance in two subjects often viewed as relatively close substitutes for one another at A-level. The important role of GCSE achievement is confirmed for both subjects. There is evidence of strong gender effects and variation in outcomes across Examination Boards. A counterfactual exercise suggests that if the sample of Business Studies candidates had studied Economics nearly 40% of those who obtained a grade C or better in the former subject would not have done so in the latter. The opposite exercise uggests that 12% more Economics candidates would have achieved a grade C or better if they had taken Business Studies. In order to render a Business Studies A-level grade comparable to an Economics one in terms of relative difficulty, we estimate that a downward adjustment of 1.5 UCAS points should be applied to the former subject. This adjustment is lower than that suggested by correction factors based on conventional subject pair analysis for these two subjects

Borman Expressway Point-to-Point Wireless Modem

The Federal Highway Administration has a nationwide allocation of five frequency pairs in the 220-222 MHz Narrowband Radio Services band which are intended for application in Intelligent Transportation Systems. These frequencies are available for use by state DOTs (subject to FHWA approval) and provide an attractive solution for certain low to medium bit rate data communications applications. However, given the limited bandwidth available in these channels, very efficient modems will be required to make maximum beneficial use of this resource. The goal of this project was to design, field test, and deploy a digital radio which uses the 220-222 MHz spectral allocation and is suitable for stationary point-to-point data communications applications. The target application for this project was the control (pan, tilt, and zoom) of a video camera located at the interchange of I-65 and the Borman Expressway. The wireless link extends from the camera location to the traffic operations center (approximately 1.5 miles). There were three main tasks needed to produce a deployable modem: 1) interface circuitry was required between the 220 MHz modem and the camera control keypad and the camera pan/tilt/zoom receiver, 2) the fabrication of a compact and rugged transmitter was required, and 3) the fabrication of a compact and rugged receiver was required. The receiver size constraints were more exacting than those of the transmitter as the receiver is deployed in a roadside cabinet, while the transmitter is deployed in the traffic management center. The work plan was divided into a set of twelve tasks. The 220 MHz modem can serve INDOT as a general purpose link for low to medium rate data communications in a wide variety of applications. The most significant issue outstanding with regard to widespread implementation of the technology is the mass production cost and the availability of a reliable source of production versions of the device. Efforts are continuing at both Purdue and Ohio State toward further simplifications aimed at complexity reduction in the receiver. As topics for further study, the following should be considered: 1) a detailed cost/benefit analysis should be made comparing the 220 MHz technology to other alternative technologies, and 2) a preliminary design study of interoperability issues should be performed for the 220 MHz technology in transportation applications

Richard Wilbur: 03-13-1969

In an interview recorded March 13, 1969, Richard Wilbur discusses oratorical qualities in American poetry. Wilbur cites Allen Ginsberg\u27s Howl and three political works of his own to compare, as interviewer Wiliam Heyen notes, poles of the spectrum of poetry at the time. Wilbur notes that increased public readings, topics of the time and trends towards strong poetic voice are noticeable, and pleasantly so.https://digitalcommons.brockport.edu/writers_videos/1033/thumbnail.jp

Nucleosomal arrangement affects single-molecule transcription dynamics.

In eukaryotes, gene expression depends on chromatin organization. However, how chromatin affects the transcription dynamics of individual RNA polymerases has remained elusive. Here, we use dual trap optical tweezers to study single yeast RNA polymerase II (Pol II) molecules transcribing along a DNA template with two nucleosomes. The slowdown and the changes in pausing behavior within the nucleosomal region allow us to determine a drift coefficient, χ, which characterizes the ability of the enzyme to recover from a nucleosomal backtrack. Notably, χ can be used to predict the probability to pass the first nucleosome. Importantly, the presence of a second nucleosome changes χ in a manner that depends on the spacing between the two nucleosomes, as well as on their rotational arrangement on the helical DNA molecule. Our results indicate that the ability of Pol II to pass the first nucleosome is increased when the next nucleosome is turned away from the first one to face the opposite side of the DNA template. These findings help to rationalize how chromatin arrangement affects Pol II transcription dynamics

Guanfacine treatment improves ADHD phenotypes of impulsivity and hyperactivity in a neurofibromatosis type 1 mouse model

BACKGROUND: Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder with a mutation in one copy of the neurofibromin gene (NF1+/-). Even though approximately 40-60% of children with NF1 meet the criteria for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), very few preclinical studies, if any, have investigated alterations in impulsivity and risk-taking behavior. Mice with deletion of a single NF1 gene (Nf1+/-) recapitulate many of the phenotypes of NF1 patients. METHODS: We compared wild-type (WT) and Nf1+/- mouse strains to investigate differences in impulsivity and hyperactivity using the delay discounting task (DDT), cliff avoidance reaction (CAR) test, and open field. We also investigated whether treatment with the clinically effective alpha-2A adrenergic receptor agonist, guanfacine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.), would reverse deficits observed in behavioral inhibition. RESULTS: Nf1+/- mice chose a higher percentage of smaller rewards when both 10- and 20-s delays were administered compared to WT mice, suggesting Nf1+/- mice are more impulsive. When treated with guanfacine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.), Nf1+/- mice exhibited decreased impulsive choice by waiting for the larger, delayed reward. Nf1+/- mice also exhibited deficits in behavioral inhibition compared to WT mice in the CAR test by repetitively entering the outer edge of the platform where they risk falling. Treatment with guanfacine ameliorated these deficits. In addition, Nf1+/- mice exhibited hyperactivity as increased distance was traveled compared to WT controls in the open field. This hyperactivity in Nf1+/- mice was reduced with guanfacine pre-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our study confirms that Nf1+/- mice exhibit deficits in behavioral inhibition in multiple contexts, a key feature of ADHD, and can be used as a model system to identify alterations in neural circuitry associated with symptoms of ADHD in children with NF1

Educating for Practical Wisdom: An Ideal and a Journey

This working paper details the work of the Habits of Inquiry and Reflection Practical Wisdom Fellows. It offers an understanding of the term, discusses opportunities for growing in practical wisdom, and connects it to learning across campus

The cultural capitalists: notes on the ongoing reconfiguration of trafficking culture in Asia

Most analysis of the international flows of the illicit art market has described a global situation in which a postcolonial legacy of acquisition and collection exploits cultural heritage by pulling it westwards towards major international trade nodes in the USA and Europe. As the locus of consumptive global economic power shifts, however, these traditional flows are pulled in other directions: notably for the present commentary, towards and within Asia