The 2-Factor Polynomial Detects Even Perfect Matchings

In this paper, we prove that the 2-factor polynomial, an invariant of a planar trivalent graph with a perfect matching, counts the number of 2- factors that contain the the perfect matching as a subgraph. Consequently, we show that the polynomial detects even perfect matchings.Comment: 16 pages, 17 figure

The Effects of School Uniforms on Student Behavior and Perceptions in an Urban Middle School

Public opinion polls have consistently highlighted the prevalence of violence in America\u27s schools. Specifically, school personnel have witnessed increased assault and theft related to the wearing of expensive clothing. Concomitantly, administrators have noted decreased attendance rates triggered by clothing issues. Given the gravity of these problems, school officials nationwide have enacted uniform policies in hopes of improving school safety and student behavior. However, current research establishing the effectiveness of these policies is largely anecdotal. The few studies utilizing empirical measures mainly highlight short-term outcomes and often fail to address student perceptions regarding clothing-related problems. By contrast, this study investigated the effects of a mandatory uniform policy on student behavior and perceptions three years after its implementation. Participants included students from two large urban middle schools, one with a mandatory uniform policy and the other without. Counts of violations provided by the school district were used to assess differences in student behavior between the two schools. Additionally, the Student Perception Survey (McCarty, 1999) was used to assess attitudes toward fear of crime/harm, sense of belonging to the school community, and satisfaction with clothing policy. Analyses indicated that students who experienced a uniform policy had less fear of crime/harm. These students also felt a greater sense of belonging. On the other hand, students in the school without a uniform policy, free to choose their own attire, reported more satisfaction with the school clothing policy than those in the school with a uniform Policy. While there were some effects based on demographics, none of these effects interacted with the dress policy variable. Analysis of the behavioral data revealed no trends over time in terms of student violations. Overall, results indicate that uniforms may have both positive and negative effects on student perceptions. Such findings could profit school administrators considering the implementation or modification of a mandatory uniform policy. Suggestions are made for administrators considering a change in uniform policy

Juvenile Justice: The Economics of Ineptitude

The Juvenile Justice System is complex and wrought with problems. This Article reviews the scope and cost of the juvenile justice system. The article looks at the national and human costs of the system, with an eye towards change where the federal government assumes more of a leadership position, but not full control of the system. To alter the current juvenile justice system, the Article proposes a formula with which to measure the benefits and gauge the attitude towards the system. The author concludes that the government should focus efforts on modifying the system’s objective, putting constructive materials in the hands of children, and publicizing the effectiveness of the system

La religion libyque préromaine: Ethnographie coloniale et le problème des «survivances» religieuses

Since its inception, the study of Iron Age North African (“Libyan”) religion has been bound up with European ethnographic accounts of modern Berber practices and mentalities. Analyses are based around notions of “survival” and “permanence” observed in later (Roman, post-antique) material and retrojected as belonging to an earlier stage. This approach is itself drawn from 19th century anthropology, and remains current. To move the study of Iron Age cult forwards, we must pose new questions which recognise that religión is never an ahistorical mentality, but rather is entangled with dynamics of social power and lived experience.L’étude de la religion maghrébine durant le premier millénaire av. J.-C. – la religion «libyque» – est toujours mêlée à l’ethnographie européenne coloniale et la construction d’une mentalité berbère basée sur les observations contemporaines. Les méthodes d’étudier la religion libyque sont fondées sur les concepts de «survivance» et «permanence» visibles dans les pratiques plus récentes (romaines, islamiques, modernes), qui sont retrojetées à une période plus antique. Cette aproche est empruntée de l’anthropologie anglaise du 19e siècle, mais elle reste au courant. Pour renouveler l’étude des cultes pratiqués par les libyens antiques, nous devons poser des questions qui prennent en compte que la religion n’est pas une mentalité anhistorique, mais des pratiques vivantes impliquées dans les dynamiques de pouvoir social

Azithromycin (Zithromax®)

Azithromycin (Zithromax®, Pfizer, Inc., New York, NY) is a 15-membered-ring macrolide and the first azalide antibiotic. It is distinguished from other macrolides by its rapid and extensive penetration into intracellular and interstitial tissue compartments, accompanied by prolonged tissue and serum half-lives. Azithromycin shares the gram-positive activity of erythromycin but is more potent against gram-negative organisms. For urethritis and cervicitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, azithromycin is effective and well tolerated in a single dose of 1 g, a regimen recommended by the CDC. A 5-day dosage regimen is available for the treatment of community-acquired respiratory-tract and skin and skin-structure infections caused by susceptible organisms. Azithromycin provides short-duration, high-compliance, cost-effective regimens that should improve outcomes

The effect of chine tires on nose gear water-spray characteristics of a twin engine airplane

An experimental investigation was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of nose gear chine tires in eliminating or minimizing the engine spray ingestion problem encountered on several occasions by the Merlin 4, a twin-engine propjet airplane. A study of the photographic and television coverage indicated that under similar test conditions the spray from the chine tires presented less of a potential engine spray ingestion problem than the conventional tires. Neither tire configuration appeared to pose any ingestion problem at aircraft speeds in excess of the hydroplaning speed for each tire, however, significant differences were noted in the spray patterns of the two sets of tires at sub-hydroplaning speeds. At sub-hydroplaning speeds, the conventional tires produced substantial spray above the wing which approached the general area of the engine air inlet at lower test speeds. The chine tires produced two distinct spray plumes at sub-hydroplaning speeds: one low-level plume which presented no apparent threat of ingestion, and one which at most test speeds was observed to be below the wing leading edge and thus displaced from the intakes on the engine nacelle

Static and yawed-rolling mechanical properties of two type 7 aircraft tires

Selected mechanical properties of 18 x 5.5 and 49 x 17 size, type 7 aircraft tires were evaluated. The tires were subjected to pure vertical loads and to combined vertical and lateral loads under both static and rolling conditions. Parameters for the static tests consisted of tire load in the vertical and lateral directions, and parameters for the rolling tests included tire vertical load, yaw angle, and ground speed. Effects of each of these parameters on the measured tire characteristics are discussed and, where possible, compared with previous work. Results indicate that dynamic tire properties under investigation were generally insensitive to speed variations and therefore tend to support the conclusion that many tire dynamic characteristics can be obtained from static and low speed rolling tests. Furthermore, many of the tire mechanical properties are in good agreement with empirical predictions based on earlier research