Traditional public schools versus charter schools: a comparison of technical efficiency

This paper addresses the now famous question of “Does Money Matter?†in public education. While the general consensus is that additional expenditures may improve educational outcomes, this is by no means a guarantee. Indeed, some studies indicate that a school's resources are not an important determinant of student performance. As Adkins and Moomaw (2003) suggest, the true relationship between resources and performance may become more apparent in a better specified model accounting for technical inefficiency. Along these lines, we attempt to measure the technical efficiency gains of charter schools over traditional public schools using a stochastic frontier production model.Charter Schools

Essays on excise taxation: Cross -border effects, quality substitution, and tax earmarking

This dissertation is a collection of essays examining the secondary effects of excise taxation. The first chapter discusses the history of the excise tax in the United States and provides an introduction to some of the major areas of research examining the excise tax. In addition, this chapter outlines the research agenda for the dissertation. Chapter 2 considers the effects of cross-border sales and tourism on state tax revenues from wine and liquor taxation in the state of West Virginia. The empirical results of this chapter suggest that the revenue impact of cross-border shopping and tourism is economically significant relative to the total tax revenue collected from these sources. Chapter 3 empirically analyzes the effects of the gasoline excise tax on the purchase of gasoline grade. The results show that the per-unit excise tax causes consumers to substitute toward higher quality (higher octane) gasoline while the ad valorem excise tax exerts little influence on the purchase of gasoline grade. Chapter 4 builds upon the previous chapter by modifying the empirical model to control for spatial dependence and controlling for the impact that cross-border shopping may have on the purchase of quality. The results suggest that an increase in a state\u27s per-unit excise tax induces two conflicting effects on the purchase of product quality, with the cross-border effect dominating the relative-price effect. Thus, an increase in a state\u27s per-unit excise tax is found to cause a decline in average product quality in the state. Chapter 5 examines the potential for crowd-out in state highway financing. The results indicate that states respond to federal grants and state earmarked revenues similarly and that these sources of revenue do not cause crowding-out. Finally, Chapter 6 summarizes the major findings of the previous chapters and discusses areas of future research

A Comparison of Clustered and Isolated Casino Performance in Missouri

This paper utilizes data on Missouri’s casino industry to examine how clustered casinos, such as those in Kansas City and St. Louis, perform compared to dispersed or isolated casinos, such as those in Boonville, Caruthersville, La Grange, and St. Joseph. Missouri limits the number of casino licenses allowed; however, it does not explicitly mandate casino locations. Missouri provides a unique natural experiment for comparing location model performance. Although there is no published research on which type of casino location model is more effective for generating industry revenues and associated taxes, state legislatures have nevertheless been following an isolated casino location model. But it is not at all obvious that this strategy leads to higher aggregate revenues. Using 2011 data on Missouri’s casino industry, we find that casino performance may not depend on whether it is isolated or in a cluster. This result suggests that the casino market is relatively efficient, given the regulations it faces. However, there may still be significant costs from restricting casino locations. We speculate that politicians are likely to use the isolated model as a mechanism to maximize voter support for casino legalization

Sensing iron availability via the fragile [4Fe-4S] cluster of the bacterial transcriptional repressor RirA

Rhizobial iron regulator A (RirA) is a global regulator of iron homeostasis in many nitrogen-fixing Rhizobia and related species of α-proteobacteria. It belongs to the widespread Rrf2 super-family of transcriptional regulators and features three conserved Cys residues that characterise the binding of an iron–sulfur cluster in other Rrf2 family regulators. Here we report biophysical studies demonstrating that RirA contains a [4Fe–4S] cluster, and that this form of the protein binds RirA-regulated DNA, consistent with its function as a repressor of expression of many genes involved in iron uptake. Under low iron conditions, [4Fe–4S] RirA undergoes a cluster conversion reaction resulting in a [2Fe–2S] form, which exhibits much lower affinity for DNA. Under prolonged low iron conditions, the [2Fe–2S] cluster degrades to apo-RirA, which does not bind DNA and can no longer function as a repressor of the cell's iron-uptake machinery. [4Fe–4S] RirA was also found to be sensitive to O2, suggesting that both iron and O2 are important signals for iron metabolism. Consistent with this, in vivo data showed that expression of RirA-regulated genes is also affected by O2. These data lead us to propose a novel regulatory model for iron homeostasis, in which RirA senses iron via the incorporation of a fragile iron–sulfur cluster that is sensitive to iron and O2 concentrations

Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE’s sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach

Prospects for Beyond the Standard Model Physics Searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach

Prospects for Beyond the Standard Model Physics Searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE's sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach.Comment: 55 pages, 40 figures, paper based on the DUNE Technical Design Report (arXiv:2002.03005

Design, construction and operation of the ProtoDUNE-SP Liquid Argon TPC

The ProtoDUNE-SP detector is a single-phase liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) that was constructed and operated in the CERN North Area at the end of the H4 beamline. This detector is a prototype for the first far detector module of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which will be constructed at the Sandford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. The ProtoDUNE-SP detector incorporates full-size components as designed for DUNE and has an active volume of $7\times 6\times 7.2$~m$^3$. The H4 beam delivers incident particles with well-measured momenta and high-purity particle identification. ProtoDUNE-SP's successful operation between 2018 and 2020 demonstrates the effectiveness of the single-phase far detector design. This paper describes the design, construction, assembly and operation of the detector components

Prospects for beyond the Standard Model physics searches at the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment

Funder: MSMT, Czech RepublicFunder: NRF, South KoreaFunder: Canadian Network for Research and Innovation in Machining Technology, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002790Funder: Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711Funder: SERI, SwitzerlandFunder: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001807Funder: U.S. Department of Energy; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000015Funder: CERN; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100012470Funder: Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004410Funder: The Royal Society, United KingdomFunder: Canada Foundation for Innovation; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000196Funder: U.S. NSFFunder: FCT, PortugalFunder: CEA, FranceFunder: CNRS/IN2P3, FranceFunder: European Regional Development Fund; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100008530Funder: Science and Technology Facilities Council; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000271Funder: H2020-EU, European UnionFunder: IPP, CanadaFunder: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Funder: Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004586Funder: CAM, SpainFunder: MSCA, European UnionFunder: Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004007Funder: Fundacção de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100005285Funder: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004837Funder: Fundacion “La Caixa” SpainAbstract: The Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) will be a powerful tool for a variety of physics topics. The high-intensity proton beams provide a large neutrino flux, sampled by a near detector system consisting of a combination of capable precision detectors, and by the massive far detector system located deep underground. This configuration sets up DUNE as a machine for discovery, as it enables opportunities not only to perform precision neutrino measurements that may uncover deviations from the present three-flavor mixing paradigm, but also to discover new particles and unveil new interactions and symmetries beyond those predicted in the Standard Model (SM). Of the many potential beyond the Standard Model (BSM) topics DUNE will probe, this paper presents a selection of studies quantifying DUNE’s sensitivities to sterile neutrino mixing, heavy neutral leptons, non-standard interactions, CPT symmetry violation, Lorentz invariance violation, neutrino trident production, dark matter from both beam induced and cosmogenic sources, baryon number violation, and other new physics topics that complement those at high-energy colliders and significantly extend the present reach

Design, construction and operation of the ProtoDUNE-SP Liquid Argon TPC

The ProtoDUNE-SP detector is a single-phase liquid argon time projection chamber (LArTPC) that was constructed and operated in the CERN North Area at the end of the H4 beamline. This detector is a prototype for the first far detector module of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which will be constructed at the Sandford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, U.S.A. The ProtoDUNE-SP detector incorporates full-size components as designed for DUNE and has an active volume of 7 × 6 × 7.2 m3. The H4 beam delivers incident particles with well-measured momenta and high-purity particle identification. ProtoDUNE-SP's successful operation between 2018 and 2020 demonstrates the effectiveness of the single-phase far detector design. This paper describes the design, construction, assembly and operation of the detector components