9,633 research outputs found
Causes of Corruption:History, Geography, and Government
Corruption, which remains a serious problem in many countries, has prompted considerable research in recent years. This paper adds to the extant literature with insights on factors influencing corrupt activity. Using cross-country data for about 100 nations, the roles of national history, geography, and government are examined to see how they affect conditions for corruption, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The innovative aspects of this research include use of a wide set of historical, geographical, and governmental determinants of corruption, as well as detailed assessment of several previously considered determinants. The main issues addressed are the effects of the size and scope of government on the incidence of corruption across countries, and the significance of historical and geographic factors in corruption. Regarding the first question, the authors find the size and scope of government can significantly affect corruption. On the second, it is shown that historical institutional inertia in older countries and new rent-seeking opportunities in younger nations can encourage corruption, while certain geographic factors can mitigate corruption. The paper ends with discussion aimed at the policymaker.corruption; bribery; government size; government scope; rent-seeking; history; geography
A genome-wide survey of segmental duplications that mediate common human genetic variation of chromosomal architecture.
Recent studies have identified a small number of genomic rearrangements that occur frequently in the general population. Bioinformatics tools are now available for systematic genome-wide surveys of higher-order structures predisposing to such common variations in genomic architecture. Segmental duplications (SDs) constitute up to 5 per cent of the genome and play an important role in generating additional rearrangements and in disease aetiology. We conducted a genome-wide database search for a form of SD, palindromic segmental duplications (PSDs), which consist of paired, inverted duplications, and which predispose to inversions, duplications and deletions. The survey was complemented by a search for SDs in tandem orientation (TSDs) that can mediate duplications and deletions but not inversions. We found more than 230 distinct loci with higher-order genomic structure that can mediate genomic variation, of these about 180 contained a PSD. A number of these sites were previously identified as harbouring common inversions or as being associated with specific genomic diseases characterised by duplication, deletions or inversions. Most of the regions, however, were previously unidentified; their characterisation should identify further common rearrangements and may indicate localisations for additional genomic disorders. The widespread distribution of complex chromosomal architecture suggests a potentially high degree of plasticity of the human genome and could uncover another level of genetic variation within human populations
Non-Universal Gaugino Masses, CDMS, and the LHC
We consider the possibility that the recently reported events at the CDMS-II
direct dark matter detection experiment are the result of coherent scattering
of supersymmetric neutralinos. In such a scenario we argue that non-universal
soft supersymmetry breaking gaugino masses are favored with a resulting
lightest neutralino with significant Higgsino and wino components. We discuss
the accompanying signals which must be seen at liquid-xenon direct detection
experiments and indirect detection experiments if such a supersymmetric
interpretation is to be maintained. We illustrate the possible consequences for
early discovery channels at the LHC via a set of benchmark points designed to
give rise to an observed event rate comparable to the reported CDMS-II data.Comment: Typos corrected and references adde
Assessing An Economics Programme: Hansen Proficiencies, ePortfolio, and Undergraduate Research
Numerous sources calling for more accountability in higher education are putting increased pressure on many economics departments to develop assessment plans. This paper discusses a set of principles for programmatic assessment gleaned from the assessment literature, while highlighting one US economic department's journey to develop an assessment of student learning outcomes based on Hansen's proficiencies. We explain the curriculum reforms that culminate with independent undergraduate research as suggested by the highest level of Hansen's proficiencies. We describe ePortfolios which showcase student abilities and integrate evidence of student learning across the curriculum. For departments without direct guidance from accreditation boards or other agencies, we put forth a process of forming programmatic assessment in economics.
A Physical Theory of the Competition that Allows HIV to Escape from the Immune System
Competition within the immune system may degrade immune control of viral
infections. We formalize the evolution that occurs in both HIV-1 and the immune
system quasispecies. Inclusion of competition in the immune system leads to a
novel balance between the immune response and HIV-1, in which the eventual
outcome is HIV-1 escape rather than control. The analytical model reproduces
the three stages of HIV-1 infection. We propose a vaccine regimen that may be
able to reduce competition between T cells, potentially eliminating the third
stage of HIV-1.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
COMMUNITY ECONOMICS: A SIMULATION MODEL FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNERS
Community/Rural/Urban Development,
Fecundity of Male White-Tailed Deer on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge
Male reproductive tracts were collected from 57 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge during the 1988 and 1989 archery deer seasons. Organ weights and total numbers of spermatozoa present were determined for both testes and epididymides. Among yearling and adult males, the mean weights of testes and epididymides peaked during November and decreased through the end of the collection period in mid-December. Total number of spermatozoa in the tract increased through October, peaked during the last half of November, and decreased through mid- December. No significant difference was found between the mean number of spermatozoa in the tracts of yearling (1.5 years old) and adult â„ 2.5 years old) males (p= 0.48). Testicular spermatozoa numbers (x 10âč ) averaged 2.9 ± 0.5 S.E. and 3.7 ± 0.6 S.E. for yearlings and adults, respectively. The mean number (x 10âč) ofspermatozoa in the epididymides averaged 8.6 ± 1.1 S.E. and 9.8 ± 1.3 S.E. for yearlings and adults. No spermatozoa were found in the epididymides of 19 fawns sampled. However, low numbers of spermatozoa were present in the testes of 3 (16%) fawns
CRATE: A Simple Model for Self-Describing Web Resources
If not for the Internet Archiveâs eïŹorts to store periodic snapshots of the web, many sites would not have any preservation prospects at all. The barrier to entry is too high for everyday web sites, which may have skilled webmasters managing them, but which lack skilled archivists to preserve them. Digital preservation is not easy. One problem is the complexity of preservation models, which have speciïŹc meta-data and structural requirements. Another problem is the time and eïŹort it takes to properly prepare digital resources for preservation in the chosen model. In this paper, we propose a simple preservation model called a CRATE, a complex-object consisting of undiïŹerentiated metadata and the resource byte stream. We describe the CRATE complex object and compare it with other complex-object models. Our target is the everyday, personal, departmental, or community web site where a long-term preservation strategy does not yet exist
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