Fixed Point Indices and Manifolds with Collars

This paper concerns a formula which relates the Lefschetz number L(f) for a map f:M --> M' to the fixed point index I(f) summed with the fixed point index of a derived map on part of the boundary of M. Here M is a compact manifold and M' is M with a collar attached.Comment: Accepted for publication in Fixed Point Theory and Applications as part of the proceedings of the Newfoundland conference on fixed points, 200

Teacher Evaluation and Collective Bargaining: The New Frontier of Civil Rights

Article published in the Michigan State Law Review

A Signaling Theory of Distributive Policy Choice: Evidence from Senegal

A recent literature emphasizes political economy factors behind the wave of administrative splits across the developing world. While previous studies have focused on why some groups are more likely to obtain new administrative units, they do not explain why vote-maximizing incumbents use this arguably less efficient policy in the first place. We contribute to this literature by embedding administrative splits within incumbents’ broader electoral strategy of distributive policies. We develop a model in which incumbents target local public goods to groups for whom this is a credible signal of commitment, namely, those with a history of reciprocal relationship. When incumbents face increased electoral competition, however, other groups require a stronger signal, which is emitted by the costly creation of new units that reduces the cost of future transfers to those groups. We test our theory using electoral and public goods data from Senegal and find robust support for its predictions

Teacher Evaluation and Collective Bargaining: The New Frontier of Civil Rights

Article published in the Michigan State Law Review

Clinical decision making is improved by BioFire Pneumonia Plus in suspected lower respiratory tract infection after lung transplantation: Results of the prospective DBATE‐IT * study

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in lung transplant (LTx) recipients. Timely and precise pathogen detection is vital to successful treatment. Multiplex PCR kits with short turnover times like the BioFire Pneumonia Plus (BFPPp) (manufactured by bioMérieux) may be a valuable addition to conventional tests. Methods: We performed a prospective observational cohort study in 60 LTx recipients with suspected LRTI. All patients received BFPPp testing of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in addition to conventional tests including microbiological cultures and conventional diagnostics for respiratory viruses. Primary outcome was time‐to‐test‐result; secondary outcomes included time‐to‐clinical‐decision and BFPPp test accuracy compared to conventional tests. Results: BFPPp provided results faster than conventional tests (2.3 h [2–2.8] vs. 23.4 h [21–62], p < 0.001), allowing for faster clinical decisions (2.8 [2.2–44] vs. virology 28.1 h [23.1–70.6] and microbiology 32.6 h [4.6–70.9], both p < 0.001). Based on all available diagnostic modalities, 26 (43%) patients were diagnosed with viral LRTI, nine (15 %) with non‐viral LRTI, and five (8 %) with combined viral and non‐viral LRTI. These diagnoses were established by BFPPp in 92%, 78%, and 100%, respectively. The remaining 20 patients (33 %) received a diagnosis other than LRTI. Preliminary therapies based on BFPPp results were upheld in 90% of cases. There were six treatment modifications based on pathogen‐isolation by conventional testing missed by BFPPp, including three due to fungal pathogens not covered by the BFPPp. Conclusion: BFPPp offered faster test results compared to conventional tests with good concordance. The absence of fungal pathogens from the panel is a potential weakness in a severely immunosuppressed population

Finite volume methods for unidirectional dispersive wave models

We extend the framework of the finite volume method to dispersive unidirectional water wave propagation in one space dimension. In particular we consider a KdV-BBM type equation. Explicit and IMEX Runge-Kutta type methods are used for time discretizations. The fully discrete schemes are validated by direct comparisons to analytic solutions. Invariants conservation properties are also studied. Main applications include important nonlinear phenomena such as dispersive shock wave formation, solitary waves and their various interactions.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures, 51 references. Other authors papers can be downloaded at http://www.lama.univ-savoie.fr/~dutykh