Agenda Control in the Bundestag, 1980-2002

We find strong evidence of monopoly legislative agenda control by government parties in the Bundestag. First, the government parties have near-zero roll rates, while the opposition parties are often rolled over half the time. Second, only opposition parties’ (and not government parties’) roll rates increase with the distances of each party from the floor median. Third, almost all policy moves are towards the government coalition (the only exceptions occur during periods of divided government). Fourth, roll rates for government parties sky- rocket when they fall into the opposition and roll rates for opposition parties plummet when they enter government, while policy movements go from being nearly 100 per cent rightward when there is a rightist government to 100 per cent leftward under a leftist government

Multi-context Use of Language: Toward Effective Thinking and Planning for Curriculum

The flexible, multi-contextual use of language is essential to integrated learning and thinking. Likewise, learning and thinking in an integrated way is essential to multi-dimensional teaching. This study examines the ways pre-service secondary teachers define their subjects. Students enrolled in a secondary reading methods course were asked to provide multiple definitions for a predetermined list of critical vocabulary terms common to multiple disciplines. We used these definitions to measure participants’ level of sophistication with regard to the multi-context use of language. Participants’ responses illuminated implications for curriculum development in secondary schools including the need for models for pre- and in-service teachers of authentic integrated curriculum

The application of ultrasound during brain surgery

The use of intraoperative, real-time ultrasound imaging during intracranial neurosurgical procedures is described. This technique has proven to be extremely useful for localization of a wide variety of deep and superficial brain lesions, and for needle biopsy or aspiration of selected lesions. The precise localization provided by ultrasonic imaging shortens the time of surgery and increases the safety for the patient . Every type of primary and metastatic tumor of the brain has imaged well, and low-grade gliomas are often better defined with ultrasound than by computed tomographic scanning. Abscesses can be imaged and aspirated, and hematomas are easily imaged. A variety of vascular lesions including aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations can be localized and characterized. Structural abnormalities such as hydrocephalus and Arnold-Chiari malformation can be well delineated . L'emploi de l'échographie temps réel au cours des interventions neurochirurgicales cérébrales est décrit. Cet examen s'est montré extrêmement utile pour localiser un large éventail de lésions cérébrales superficielles ou profondes ainsi que pur pratiquer une biopsie aspiration de lésions spécifiques. La localisation précise des lésions grâce à l'image échographique diminue la durée de l'intervention et augmente la sécurité de l'acte opératoire. Toutes les lésions tumorales primitives ou métastatiques du cerveau sont bien mises en évidence; le glioma à son début est mieux détecté par l'échographie que par la tomodensitométrie. Les abcès se manifestent par des images particulières et peuvent être évacués par aspiration; les hématomes se traduisent également par des images bien définies. De nombreuses lésions vasculaires: anévrysmes et malformations artério-veineuses peuvent être décelées et localisées. Des anomalies structurales comme L'hydrocéphalie et la malformation d'Arnold-Chiari peuvent être délimitées. Se describe el uso intraoperatorio de ultrasonido de tiempo real en el curso de procedimientos neuroquirúrgicos intracraneanos. Esta técnica ha probado ser extremadamente útil para la localización de una amplia variedad de lesiones cerebrales profundas y superficiales y para la biopsia o aspiración con aguja de lesiones seleccionadas. La precisión en la localización que provee la ultrasonografía acorta el tiempo operatorio e incrementa la seguridad del paciente.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41278/1/268_2005_Article_BF01655829.pd

The use of ultrasound during spinal cord surgery

Intraoperative spinal ultrasonography is now considered an indispensable tool in many operations on the spine and spinal cord. Using ultrasonography, surgeons can now easily find and evaluate lesions within the spinal cord, dural sac, and along the ventral margin of the vertebral column during operations. Syrinxes, intra- and extramedullary tumors, hematomas, bone fragments, bullet fragements, cysts, and discs can be easily located and treated under ultrasonic guidance. In this article, we described the techniques used in peforming this procedure, normal anatomy, and images of various types of pathologic lesions . L'échographie opératoire rachidienne constitue une exploration indispensable au cours de nombreuses opérations effectuées sur le rachis et la moëlle. En employant l'échographie les chirurgiens peuvent facilement évaluer les lésions de la moëlle, du sac dural, de la partie antérieure de la colonne vertébrale au cours des interventions. Les fistules, les tumeurs extra et intra-médullaires, les hématomes, les fragments osseux, les fragments de projectile, les kystes, les disques peuvent être facilement découverts et traités sous la contrôle de l'échographie. Dans cet article sont décrites les techniques employées, l'anatomie normale et les images des diverses lésions. La ultrasonografía intraoperatoria espinal se considera hoy como un instrumento indispensable en numerosas operaciones sobre la columna vertebral y la medula espinal. Con el uso de ultrasonografía los cirujanos pueden fácilmente, en el curso de una operación, ubicar y evaluar lesiones dentro de la medula espinal y la dura y sobre el aspecto ventral de la columna vertebral. Siringos (fístulas), tumores intra- y extramedulares, hematomas, fragmentos óseos, fragmentos de bala, quistes, y discos pueden ser fácilmente localizados y tratados bajo guía de ultrasonido. En este artículo se describen las técnicas utilizadas en la realización del procedimiento, la anatomía normal, y las imágenes de diversos tipos de lesiones patológicas.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41279/1/268_2005_Article_BF01655830.pd

NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resource High Resolution Meteorology Data For Sustainable Building Design

A primary objective of NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resource (POWER) project is to adapt and infuse NASA's solar and meteorological data into the energy, agricultural, and architectural industries. Improvements are continuously incorporated when higher resolution and longer-term data inputs become available. Climatological data previously provided via POWER web applications were three-hourly and 1x1 degree latitude/longitude. The NASA Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data set provides higher resolution data products (hourly and 1/2x1/2 degree) covering the entire globe. Currently POWER solar and meteorological data are available for more than 30 years on hourly (meteorological only), daily, monthly and annual time scales. These data may be useful to several renewable energy sectors: solar and wind power generation, agricultural crop modeling, and sustainable buildings. A recent focus has been working with ASHRAE to assess complementing weather station data with MERRA data. ASHRAE building design parameters being investigated include heating/cooling degree days and climate zones

Gene expression analyses in maize inbreds and hybrids with varying levels of heterosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Heterosis is the superior performance of F₁hybrid progeny relative to the parental phenotypes. Maize exhibits heterosis for a wide range of traits, however the magnitude of heterosis is highly variable depending on the choice of parents and the trait(s) measured. We have used expression profiling to determine whether the level, or types, of non-additive gene expression vary in maize hybrids with different levels of genetic diversity or heterosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We observed that the distributions of better parent heterosis among a series of 25 maize hybrids generally do not exhibit significant correlations between different traits. Expression profiling analyses for six of these hybrids, chosen to represent diversity in genotypes and heterosis responses, revealed a correlation between genetic diversity and transcriptional variation. The majority of differentially expressed genes in each of the six different hybrids exhibited additive expression patterns, and ~25% exhibited statistically significant non-additive expression profiles. Among the non-additive profiles, ~80% exhibited hybrid expression levels between the parental levels, ~20% exhibited hybrid expression levels at the parental levels and ~1% exhibited hybrid levels outside the parental range.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have found that maize inbred genetic diversity is correlated with transcriptional variation. However, sampling of seedling tissues indicated that the frequencies of additive and non-additive expression patterns are very similar across a range of hybrid lines. These findings suggest that heterosis is probably not a consequence of higher levels of additive or non-additive expression, but may be related to transcriptional variation between parents. The lack of correlation between better parent heterosis levels for different traits suggests that transcriptional diversity at specific sets of genes may influence heterosis for different traits.</p

Reports to the President, 1871 - 1916

For more information about this item, visit https://archivesspace.mit.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/30888

A Global Perspective: NASA's Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) Project

The Prediction of the Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) Project, initiated under the NASA Science Mission Directorate Applied Science Energy Management Program, synthesizes and analyzes data on a global scale that are invaluable to the renewable energy industries, especially to the solar and wind energy sectors. The POWER project derives its data primarily from NASA's World Climate Research Programme (WCRP)/Global Energy and Water cycle Experiment (GEWEX) Surface Radiation Budget (SRB) project (Version 2.9) and the Global Modeling and Assimilation Office (GMAO) Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) assimilation model (Version 4). The latest development of the NASA POWER Project and its plans for the future are presented in this paper

The impact of the abuse-deterrent reformulation of extended-release T OxyContin on prescription pain reliever misuse and heroin initiation

The introduction of abuse-deterrent OxyContin in 2010 was intended to reduce its misuse by making it more tamper resistant. However, some studies have suggested that this reformulation might have had unintended consequences, such as increases in heroin-related deaths. We used the 2005–2014 cross-sectional U.S. National Survey on Drug Use and Health to explore the impact of this reformulation on intermediate outcomes that precede heroin-related deaths for individuals with a history of OxyContin misuse. Our study sample consisted of adults who misused any prescription pain reliever prior to the reformulation of OxyContin (n = 81,400). Those who misused OxyContin prior to the reformulation were considered the exposed group and those who misused other prescription pain relievers prior to the reformulation were considered the unexposed group. We employed multivariate logistic regression under a difference-in-differences framework to examine the effect of the re- formulation on five dichotomous outcomes: prescription pain reliever misuse; prescription pain reliever use disorder; heroin use; heroin use disorder; and heroin initiation. We found a net reduction in the odds of pre- scription pain reliever misuse (OR:0.791, p \u3c 0.001) and heroin initiation (OR:0.422, p = 0.011) after the reformulation for the exposed group relative to the unexposed group. We found no statistically significant effects of the reformulation on prescription pain reliever use disorder (OR: 0.934, p = 0.524), heroin use (OR: 1.014p = 0.941), and heroin use disorder (OR: 1.063, p = 0.804). Thus, the reformulation of OxyContin appears to have reduced prescription pain reliever misuse without contributing to relatively greater new heroin use among those who misused OxyContin prior to the reformulation