A case study of the impact of public investment expenditures in Hancock County, Tennessee

In the first half of the 1960s, several pieces of legislation were enacted to provide aid to economically depressed regions. Under these acts and through existing federal agencies, a system of grants and loans was established with the goal of stimulating local economies in declining areas. This stimulation was based not only on social and political considerations but economic ones as well. It was hypothesized that increasing output in lagging regions, through decreased unemployment and more productive use of labor, would increase total national output. Although there are those who disagree with this rationale, government policy has continued under the same assumptions. As funds are far too limited to meet all needs of all areas, decision makers have evolved a system of multiple objectives whereby one project is expected to solve more than one problem. Public investment expenditure in lagging regions are often justified not only on the basis of need for public facilities but also on the positive impact such funds would have on the area\u27s economy through increased employment opportunities and interindustry trade. The success of this approach depends upon the actual expenditure of these funds in the county toward which the aid is directed. This research traced several grants and loans given to Hancock County, Tennessee, between 1975 and 1977 through the contractors and subcontractors to determine actual outlays in the county for labor and materials, It was found that a small percentage of the money stayed in the county so that expectations of significantly increased local employment and interindustry trade may have been exaggerated. It was hypothesized that a system of multiple objectives may lead to a suboptimal allocation of funds. Furthermore,an inaccurate estimation of the impact of public programs may distort the trade-offs of the individual goals, thereby aggravating the situation

Evaluation of Red Light Running Campaign

The purpose of this project was to use a public information and education campaign, along with increased enforcement, to reduce the problem of red light running (RLR) in Lexington, Kentucky. The objective of this portion of the project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. The mail and telephone surveys, taken before and after the campaign, revealed that the RLR program had been successful in improving public awareness of the problems associated with disregarding traffic signals. About 60 percent of the respondents recalled seeing or hearing ads or information dealing with red light running. Approximately one-half of the respondents who recalled RLR information indicated they had changed their driving with the most common response that they now stop for yellow lights. Compared to the before period, the number of RLR collisions decreased by 4.8 percent during the five-month campaign period while total accidents increased by 8. 9 percent. The number of RLR citations increased by 45.9 percent during the campaign period while total citations decreased by 14.9 percent. The number of cycles in which at least one vehicle crossed the stop bar after the start of the red indication decreased from 7.2 before to 4.6 percent at the end of the campaign at intersections which had the highest number of RLR collisions. The depositions of RLR citations were similar before and during the program with only about two percent dismissed or found not guilty

Perception of Risks and Usefulness of Smart Video Surveillance Systems

The number of video cameras in public places increases due to different reasons such as detecting dangers (e.g., thefts, robberies, terrorist attacks) and security breaches in crowds. The application of video surveillance systems is sometimes evaluated ambivalently; therefore, the presented study focuses on factors influencing the acceptance of a privacy-friendly, smart video surveillance system. Overall, 216 persons aged between 18 and 81 years participated in an online survey. In terms of the perceived usefulness, there are significant interactions of public spaces × gender and public spaces × time of day. In addition, the assessment of different privacy levels of a video surveillance system differ significantly in terms of perceived risk. Interestingly, men rate the risk concerning their own privacy significantly higher than women do. Participants rate the presented system as fairly useful and slightly risky for their own privacy. The findings of the presented exploratory study provide insight into how people perceive smart video surveillance. These findings have the potential to support the conditions of the use of smart video surveillance systems and to address the possibly affected individuals

Annual Survey of Virginia Law: An Overview of Automobile Liability Insurance in Virginia

Automobile liability insurance coverage is considered one of the basic necessities of modern living, following closely on the heels of shelter and food. This priority is the outgrowth of two facts of life: one, that automobile transportation is practically unavoidable and two, that automobile accidents are practically inevitable. Thus, the shadow of liability for the damage and the suffering of automobile accidents falls across most of the American population. Because the losses which may be sustained by the negligent-and the innocent alike-are so great, the need for protection has escalated to the top of modern society\u27s list of indispensable commodities. Shifting the burdens of such potential losses to prevent individuals, both innocent and negligent, from being financially destroyed, moreover, serves the public interest

Dolasetron for the prevention of postoperative vomiting in children undergoing strabismus surgery

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72128/1/j.1460-9592.2003.01076.x.pd

Automated quantification with BRASS reduces equivocal reporting of DaTSCAN (123I-FP-CIT) SPECT studies

BACKGROUND: 123I-FP-CIT (DaTSCAN) SPECT studies of the nigrostriatal pathway are a valuable tool in the diagnosis of movement disorders. However some scans are reported as equivocal with potential adverse consequences. We investigated whether the use of quantification of tracer uptake within the striatum can be used to reduce the number of equivocal reports. MATERIAL AND METHODS: BRASS software (Hermes, Sweden) was used to quantify striatal tracer uptake in DaTSCAN studies of patients referred to our institution. Scans were quantified and numerical limits were determined to distinguish between normal and abnormal scans. Scans were then re-reported both with, and without, the use of quantification. Number of equivocal reports and accuracy of reporting between the two types of reporting were compared. RESULTS: Scan reporting using quantification led to a significant reduction in the number of equivocal reports with no significant change in reporting accuracy. CONCLUSION: Automated quantification of DaTSCAN studies with BRASS and the use of numerical limits can decrease the number of equivocal reports without affecting report accuracy.

Crime and Delinquency in Nevada

Crime and justice system have received much attention from American scholars and politicians in the last than 50 years, with issues in adult criminality, delinquency, and penology emerging at the center stage of criminological inquiry. While scholarly literature now includes many studies focused on different regions and cities, there are no large-scale empirical examinations of crime and delinquency in Nevada. One exception is the Social Health of Nevada report issued in 2006 by University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Center for Democratic Culture (CDC)

Amiodarone for Atrial Fibrillation Following Cardiac Surgery: Development of Clinical Practice Guidelines at a University Hospital

Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually develops within the first 72 h following cardiac surgery, and is often self-limiting. Within 48 h of acute onset of symptoms, approximately 50% of patients spontaneously convert to normal sinus rhythm. Thus, the relative risks and benefits of therapy must be carefully considered. The etiology of AF following cardiac surgery is similar to that in non-surgical patients except that pericardial inflammation and increased adrenergic tone play an increasingly important role. Further, AF after surgery may be associated with transient risk factors that resolve as the patient moves out from surgery, and the condition is less likely to recur compared to AF arising in other circumstances. Immediate heart rate control is important in preventing ischemia, tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy, and left ventricular dilatation. At our institution, amiodarone is frequently used as a first-line drug for treating AF after cardiac surgery. Inconsistent prescribing practices, variable dosage regimens, and a lack of consensus regarding the appropriate use of amiodarone prompted the need for developing practice guidelines. Multidisciplinary collaboration between the departments of cardiac surgery, pharmacy, and anesthesiology led to the development of a protocol for postoperative AF. We review the clinical evidence from published trials and discuss our guidelines, defining amiodarone use for AF in the cardiac surgery setting. Copyright © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57910/1/20040_ftp.pd