The Railroad’s Impact on Land Values in the Upper Great Plains at the Closing of the Frontier

We show that the impact of transportation improvements on land values is complex with a direct, positive relationship on the price of land and also a positive relationship with the ratio of improved acres to total acres, another important influence on the per acre price of land. We construct a two step estimation that removes the impact of transportation outlets on the ratio of improved to total acres before including the transportation variables and the adjusted ratio variable as independent variables in a regression on price per acre. This estimation gives us the expected positive impact of railroads on land price. We also use Box-Cox regressions to show the semi-log form, a common model specification, may be inappropriate for our data and possibly then for other land price research.Box-Cox, Railroads, Great Plains

Traditional Irish Music: A Path to New Music

Prior to commencing the research for this dissertation I had composed a number of concert works which were largely inspired by traditional Irish music. The most significant of these include String Quartet No. 2 – The Cranning (2004-2005) and Music for the Departed (2006) for fiddle, violin and guitar. The main goal of my research for this dissertation was to enable me to continue to refine my approach of creating original compositions that are inspired by aspects of traditional Irish music, contemporary classical music and other styles. It is important to emphasise the fact that my engagement with traditional music is a natural one derived from my role as a performer of traditional music. I use elements from traditional music purely because I have a great love of traditional music. It would be very dishonest of me to exclude this influence from my concert works. So I have chosen to embrace it as fully as possible by deeply immersing myself in the study of traditional music. The research period for this dissertation has been the most intensive in this regard

Assembly

The primary motive for this body of work was to begin an ongoing study and development of traditional craftsmanship in the realm of furniture design. While the resulting body of work is not necessarily about craft, it is certainly a conversation of understanding craft and traditional techniques. I do not consider myself a master of my own craft, though I do believe that a high level of respect should be given to tradition. In other words, before one can undergo the development of a personal perspective regarding design, I believe it is imperative to take the time to build the proper skills and knowledge. Whatever the craft might be. Within this was dialogue of furniture, I also engaged myself in the development of a personal aesthetic direction. The presence of influence was heavily considered and recognized, and as a result, the body of work gives a nod to other furniture designers. I also took cues from past design movements including the Art Deco and the Memphis Design group. As color played a large role in each piece, I was also strongly inspired by the works of past and contemporary painters including Josef Albers, and Ellsworth Kelly. As mentioned in the proposal, the idea of gathering and sharing was also at the center of my research. It came down to understanding how these objects would exist in a living space. This concept served to help me choose which archetypes of furniture pieces to investigate. A dining table supports shared meals, a bar cart promotes shared drinks, armchairs paired with a side table encourages shared conversation and perhaps a shared drink

The manufacture and characterisation of microscale magnetic components.

Abstract unavailable please refer to PD

Star tracker operation in a high density proton field

Algorithms that reject transient signals due to proton effects on charge coupled device (CCD) sensors have been implemented in the HDOS ASTRA-l Star Trackers to be flown on the TOPEX mission scheduled for launch in July 1992. A unique technique for simulating a proton-rich environment to test trackers is described, as well as the test results obtained. Solar flares or an orbit that passes through the South Atlantic Anomaly can subject the vehicle to very high proton flux levels. There are three ways in which spurious proton generated signals can impact tracker performance: the many false signals can prevent or extend the time to acquire a star; a proton-generated signal can compromise the accuracy of the star's reported magnitude and position; and the tracked star can be lost, requiring reacquisition. Tests simulating a proton-rich environment were performed on two ASTRA-1 Star Trackers utilizing these new algorithms. There were no false acquisitions, no lost stars, and a significant reduction in reported position errors due to these improvements

Teaching Bank Runs Through Films

The author advocates the use of films to supplement textbook treatments of bank runs and panics in money and banking or general banking classes.  Modern students, particularly those in developed countries, tend to be unfamiliar with potential fragilities of financial systems such as a lack of deposit insurance or other safety net mechanisms.  Films provide a dramatic example of the panic and uncertainty experienced by depositors and banks during bank runs.  Students learn the value of deposit insurance and the types of informational asymmetries safety net mechanisms overcome.  The author provides examples of assignments given in the past and possible extensions.

Leg Strength, Leg Power, and Sprinting Speed as Affected by a Select Weight Training Program

In athletic activities, strength, speed, and power are important factors that determine how effective and efficiently an individual will perform. Present day coaches realize that in order to have championship athletes and teams, the individual athlete must have muscular strength, speed, and power sufficient to meet the challenges of prolonged strenuous practice and competition. Other things being equal, the faster and stronger man will be more effective in athletics than the slower, weaker man. Kirkley indicates that the use of weights for improving one\u27s ability in various sports and games is now largely accepted by the world\u27s leading coaches. The myth that weightlifting will hamper speed has been argued, but today many coaches and sport scientists feel that an increase in strength through the use of weights will also increase the speed of muscular contractions. Strenuous sports make heavy physical demands on participants. Sheer strength, speed, power, and quickness in addition to skill are essential for an individual to be an adequate competitor. Leg strength explosive power, and sprinting speed are valuable assets to all athletes, and coaches are constantly searching for new methods of improving these qualities in their players. Carnes stated that an increase \u27in an athlete\u27s leg power may also help him increase his speed. Roy has contended that leg strength is the most important element in explosive power. In light of the evidence that over-all strength, power and speed may be increased by a select weight training program, the investigator felt that a study on the effects of weight training on only the legs would be feasible. Questions asked are: does exercising one leg at a time produce greater strength improvement than exercising both legs at the same time? Does a weight training program specifically designed for strengthening only the legs develop power and increase sprinting speed? Is the time required to exercise one leg at a time administratively feasible? Hopefully such a study will provide objective and practical knowledge about off-season training programs and their relation to leg strength, leg power, and sprinting speed. The purpose of this investigation was to determine what effects a select weight training program consisting of exercises for each leg individually would have on leg strength as compared to the same program exercising both legs simultaneously

Children of female sex workers and injection drug users: a review of vulnerability, resilience, and family-centered models of care in low and middle-income countries

This item is archived in the repository for materials published for the USAID supported Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research Project (OVC-CARE) at the Boston University Center for Global Health and Development.Background: Injection drug users and female sex workers are often categorized as two of the populations most at risk for becoming infected with HIV in countries with concentrated epidemics. Many of the adults who fall into these categories in low and middle income contexts are also parents, but little is known about the vulnerabilities faced by their children, their sources of resilience, or programs providing services to these often fragile families. Methods: We reviewed the peer-reviewed and gray literature to synthesize current knowledge on the situation of these children and families, and interventions currently in place in low and middle income countries. Organizational websites and references of all relevant sources were manually searched, and key informants from service organizations were contacted by phone and email. Results: A large amount of literature assessing the vulnerability and resilience of children of drug users and alcoholics in developed countries was found. Their children can face unique risks, stigma, and discrimination, but child vulnerability and resilience are associated in the substance abuse literature with the physical and mental health of parents and family context. Research on the situation of the children of sex workers is extremely limited. Interventions have been implemented in low and middle-income contexts but they tend to be small, piecemeal, struggling to meet demand; and undocumented, and most have not been evaluated. We present preliminary descriptive data from an organization working with pregnant and new mothers who are drug users in Ukraine and an organization providing services to sex workers and their families in Zambia. Discussion: Because parents’ drug use, sex work, or same sex relationships are often illegal and hidden, identifying their children can be difficult and may increase their vulnerability and marginalization. Therefore, researchers and service providers must proceed with caution when attempting to reach this population. Promising components of family-centered care include: strengthening family caring capacity through home visitation and peer support, providing early childhood development programs and crèches or drop-in centers for children; economic strengthening and job skills training for parents. Integration of legal assistance with health and other social services is also gaining increased international attention.The USAID | Project SEARCH, Orphans and Vulnerable Children Comprehensive Action Research (OVC-CARE) Task Order, is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development under Contract No. GHH-I-00-07-00023-00, beginning August 1, 2008. OVC-CARE Task Order is implemented by Boston University. The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agency