Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Choosing Schools: Consumer Choice and the Quality of American Schools

List of Figures vii List of Tables ix Acknowlegments xiii Introduction School Choice, Parent Incentives, and the Use of Information 3 PART ONE Chapter 1 Reinventing the Governance Structure of Education: School Choice as Educational Reform 21 Chapter 2 Parent Behavior and the Demand Side of School Choice 39 Chapter 3 Studying Choice: The Research Design 59 PART TWO Chapter 4 The Distribution of Preferences: What Do Parents Want from Schools? 87 Chapter 5 How Do Parents Search for Information? 108 Chapter 6 Building Social Networks to Search for Information about Schools 126 PART THREE Chapter 7 The Distribution of Knowledge: How Much Do Parents Know about the Schools? 149 Chapter 8 Allocational Efficiency: You Can't Always Get What You Want -- But Some Do 164 Chapter 9 Productive Efficiency: Does School Choice Affect Academic Performance? 185 Chapter 10 Does Choice Increase Segregation and Stratification? 204 Chapter 11 Choosing Together Is Better than Bowling Alone: School Choice and the Creation of Social Capital 223 Chapter 12 Opting Out of Public Schools: Can Choice Affect the Relationship between Private and Public Schools? 238 CONCLUSION Chapter 13 Myths and Markets: Choice Is No Panacea, But It Does Work 261 Notes 275 References 285 Index 307
Drop-and-drag: easier drag & drop on large touchscreen displays

Large displays have been found to offer a number of benefits over average-sized desktop displays: They increase productivity in office settings, improve performance on spatial tasks and offer increased user satisfaction in several contexts. However, their physical dimensions can complicate drag & drop interactions for users, especially when touch or pen input is used. Existing approaches (e.g. push-and-pop) have addressed this problem for simple drag&drop operations, but fall short when it comes to more complex ones (e.g. dropping a target onto a currently hidden node of a file tree or a specific location on a digital map). To address this issue, we propose drop-and-drag, an interaction technique which introduces fully interactive proxy targets and which allows the interruption and resumption of drag & drop operations. The results of a controlled experiment show that drop-and-drag is significantly faster than traditional drag & drop for sufficiently distant targets. Additionally, the results report improved user satisfaction when drop-and-drag is used, especially for complex drop targets.
Right on Target: Exploring the Factors Leading to Inflation Targeting Adoption

type="main" xml:lang="en"> This paper examines which economic, fiscal, external, financial, and institutional characteristics of countries affect the likelihood that they adopt inflation targeting (IT) as their monetary policy strategy. We estimate a panel binary response model for 60 countries and two subsamples consisting of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD countries over the period 1985–2008. The findings suggest that past macroeconomic performance of a country, its fiscal discipline, exchange rate arrangements, as well as the structure and development of its financial system have a significant impact on the likelihood to adopt IT. However, the factors leading to IT adoption differ significantly between OECD and non-OECD countries. (JEL E42, E52)
Social justice and environmental policy

Are the distributional effects of environmental measures just? Answers this question, to do which we normally use the segregation argument: poor people live in highly polluted areas, therefore environmental measures which reduce the pollution must be socially just. Argues that the environment is neither a public good nor a local public good, as is often assumed. The crucial point for distribution analysis is the reaction of the markets and by no means the geographical segregation of income classes. Environmental prices skim off the benefit of environmental measures and can lead to an unjust redistribution.
Preliminary results of automated removal of degenerative joint disease in bone scan lesion segmentation

Whole-body bone scintigraphy (or bone scan) is a highly sensitive method for visualizing bone metastases and is the accepted standard imaging modality for detection of metastases and assessment of treatment outcomes. The development of a quantitative biomarker using computer-aided detection on bone scans for treatment response assessment may have a significant impact on the evaluation of novel oncologic drugs directed at bone metastases. One of the challenges to lesion segmentation on bone scans is the non-specificity of the radiotracer, manifesting as high activity related to non-malignant processes like degenerative joint disease, sinuses, kidneys, thyroid and bladder. In this paper, we developed an automated bone scan lesion segmentation method that implements intensity normalization, a two-threshold model, and automated detection and removal of areas consistent with non-malignant processes from the segmentation. The two-threshold model serves to account for outlier bone scans with elevated and diffuse intensity distributions. Parameters to remove degenerative joint disease were trained using a multi-start Nelder-Mead simplex optimization scheme. The segmentation reference standard was constructed manually by a panel of physicians. We compared the performance of the proposed method against a previously published method. The results of a two-fold cross validation show that the overlap ratio improved in 67.0% of scans, with an average improvement of 5.1% points.
Chapter 2 Achievements and Challenges in Computational Protein Design

Computational protein design (CPD), a yet evolving field, includes computer-aided engineering for partial or full de novo designs of proteins of interest. Designs are defined by a requested structure, function, or working environment. This chapter describes the birth andmaturation of the field by presenting 101 CPD examples in a chronological order emphasizing achievements and pending challenges. Integrating these aspects presents the plethora of CPD approaches with the hope of providing a “CPD 101”. These reflect on the broader structural bioinformatics and computational biophysics field and include: (1) integration of knowledge-based and energy-based methods, (2) hierarchical designated approach towards local, regional, and global motifs and the integration of highand low-resolution design schemes that fit each such region, (3) systematic differential approaches towards different protein regions, (4) identification of key hot-spot residues and the relative effect of remote regions, (5) assessment of shape-complementarity, electrostatics and solvation effects, (6) integration of thermal plasticity and functional dynamics, (7) negative design, (8) systematic integration of experimental approaches, (9) objective cross-assessment of methods, and (10) successful ranking of potential designs. Future challenges also include dissemination of CPD software to the general use of life-sciences researchers and the emphasis of success within an in vivo milieu. CPD increases our understanding of protein structure and function and the relationships between the two along with the application of such know-how for the benefit of mankind. Applied aspects range from biological drugs, via healthier and tastier food products to nanotechnology and environmentally friendly enzymes replacing toxic chemicals utilized in the industry.
Neurochemical correlates of behavioral sensitization following repeated apomorphine treatment: Assessment of the role of D1 dopamine receptor stimulation

Previous research has revealed a role of repeated D1 dopamine receptor stimulation in the development of behavioral sensitization to the D1/D2 agonist apomorphine. The present experiments assessed the role of repeated D1 receptor stimulation in neurochemical changes accompanying locomotor sensitization to apomorphine. To assess direct effects of D1 stimulation on dopamine synthesis, rats were injected with the D1 agonist SKF 38393 (8 mg/kg), followed by an injection with the 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) decarboxylase inhibitor, NSD‐1015. DOPA accumulation, assessed in striatal, nucleus accumbens‐olfactory tubercle (NAOT), and ventral mesencephalon (VM) tissue samples, was not affected by acute SKF 38393. In the second experiment, rats were treated with 10 daily injections of vehicle, apomorphine (5 mg/kg) or the D1 agonist SKF 38393 (8 or 16 mg/kg). Daily measures of locomotor activity demonstrated a progressive increase in the apomorphine‐treated rats, but not the SKF 38393‐treated rats, across the 10 days. On day 11, all rats were injected with NSD‐1015 for measurement of DOPA accumulation. Dopamine synthesis was enhanced in the striatum after repeated apomorphine treatment. In contrast, repeated SKF 38393 treatment resulted in either a small decrease or no change in DOPA accumulation in the different brain regions (striatum, NAOT, VM). In the third experiment, tissue levels of dopamine, 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and [3H]SCH 23390 binding to D1 receptors were measured in rats treated with 10 daily injections of vehicle, apomorphine (5 mg/kg), or SKF 38393 (16 mg/kg). In the striatum and NAOT, none of the repeated drug treatments had an effect on DOPAC or dopamine levels. In the VM, DOPAC levels were enhanced following repeated apomorphine, but not repeated SKF 38393, whereas dopamine levels were not affected by either drug treatment. D1 binding was not altered by the repeated drug treatments. Since repeated D1 stimulation by SKF 38393 did not produce the same alterations in dopamine synthesis and DOPAC levels as repeated apomorphine, the neurochemical effects accompanying locomotor sensitization to apomorphine probably are not mediated by D1 receptors. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Joint Channel Selection and Routing Protocol for Cognitive Radio Network

In cognitive radio network, the activities of primary users will cause great influence on the stability of multiple hops routes between cognitive users. In this regard, a joint channel selection and routing protocol, termed as CSRP, is proposed to ensure route stability and reduce route latency between cognitive users. The channel availability based on historical information and the channel switching delay are used as the channel selection criteria to choose the end-to-end shortest route which possesses high data delivery probabilities and low delays. Besides, simulation results show that the proposed protocol has a better performance in terms of packet transmission delay and data delivery rate compared with the routing protocols based on delay (TDRP) and based on joint routing and channel allocation (PUB-JRCA).
Citizens as sensors: web 2.0 and the volunteering of geographic information

Over the past few years profound changes have occurred that are likely in time to dramatically alter the production and dissemination of geographic information. In the past, the production of geographic information in developed countries was principally the responsibility of the national mapping agency, which was variously under civilian or military control. The agency conducted the necessary surveys, interviewed citizens to determine the names normally given to places, and compiled and disseminated the results as printed maps and more recently as digital data sets. But with time, governments became less and less willing to pay the ever-increasing bills for such services, just as demand for them was expanding. A variety of solutions emerged, known in many countries as spatial data infrastructure, and involving partnerships between different levels of government, and increasingly the private sector. These processes have been described by Masser (1998, 2007), Burrough and Masser (1998), Onsrud (2007), and Goodchild, Fu, and Rich (2007).
Portal and peripheral blood ammonia concentrations in germ-free and conventional guinea pigs.

Portal and peripheral blood ammonia concentrations were measured in germ-free and conventional guinea pigs maintained on autoclaved stock diet containing approximately 20% protein, and in animals maintained on protein-free or high (40%) protein diets a few days before study. While there was considerable variation, the portal blood ammonia concentrations of germ-free animals averaged about one-fourth those of the conventional animals. In the latter, portal ammonia concentrations increased markedly with increases in dietary protein. Smaller, but significant, increases also occurred in the germ-free animals on diets with increased protein content. In the conventional animals the peripheral blood ammonia levels increased, with increases in the portal levels. The net effect was a relatively constant peripheral/portal ammonia level ratio of about 0.1, regardless of diet. In the germ-free animals, the peripheral levels remained rather constant, with the result that this ratio decreased from approximately 0.7 in .
EVALUATING SUBSIDIES FOR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE: A PUBLIC-SECTOR PRIMER

The character of subsidies for the construction of professional sports stadiums is changing in Europe and the United States. The incidence of these subsidies and the manner in which they are changing offers insight into an evolving relationship between the public and private sectors in building sports facilities. The changing financial imperatives this paper identifies and analyses suggest that the myopic concerns of cities coupled with powerful financial incentives for leagues and teams to build stadiums account for the spate of facilities constructed in the USA since Joe Robbie stadium in 1987. Growing public scepticism and resistance to stadium construction has been responsible for the private sector bearing a larger portion of the stadium construction costs, but teams have been more than compensated with increasingly generous leases. Cities have placated the public through the imposition of taxes that are either too small per capita to justify strong resistance or through deflecting the tax burden stadiums impose to non-residents. Since cities taken together are adopting the same strategies, the reality is that stadiums collectively are being paid for by local taxpayers. The public will continue to pay for stadiums until cities recognize their shared interests and take a collective stand against the professional sports monopolies. As long as the leagues continue to maintain an excess team for franchises, cities will continue to comply with team and league financial demands while searching for ways to placate an increasingly sceptical taxpaying public. Copyright 2003, Oxford University Press.
Distributed Social Dilemma With Competitive Meta‐players

In our research, we propose the solution to the ‘Distributed Social Dilemma’ as an extended social dilemma model. In this model, in order to prevent the players from becoming freeloaders, we introduce competitive meta-players. Our purpose is to evaluate, through agent-based simulation, how the meta-players effect to increase cooperation amongst players in a distributed social dilemma. In order to examine our proposed solution, we introduce the preference of the players to cooperate as the measure of the effect of the meta-players. On the basis of the result of the simulations, we show the degree of the effect of the competitive meta-players on the distribution social dilemma.
Personality and Suicidal Behavior in Old Age: A Systematic Literature Review

Background Suicide rates generally peak in the second half of life and are particularly high in older men; however, little is known about the contribution of dispositional factors to late-life suicide. Maladaptive personality traits have been strongly implicated in suicide among younger adults, but the extent to which they continue to play a role in late-life suicidal behavior is unclear. We also do not know whether specific personality profiles interact with the stressors of aging to cause suicidal behavior. Methods We sought to synthesize the data on personality pathology in late-life suicidal ideation and behavior via a systematic review using the PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycInfo, Scopus, Ovid, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane search engines. The included key words related to three descriptors: “personality,” “suicide,” and “elderly. ” Included articles evaluated personality based on the Five-Factor Model (FFM) or ICD/DSM diagnostic criteria in older samples with minimum age cutoffs of 50 years or older. Our original search identified 1,183 articles, of which 31 were retained. Results Included studies were heterogeneous in their design and personality measurements. Studies of categorical personality disorders were particularly scarce and suggested a stronger association with late-life suicidal ideation than with death by suicide. Only obsessive–compulsive and avoidant personality traits were associated with death by suicide in old age, but only in studies that did not control for depression. All personality constructs were positively linked to suicidal ideation, except for histrionic personality, which emerged as a negative predictor. Studies employing the FFM also indicated that older adults who died by suicide were less likely to display a maladaptive personality profile than elderly suicide attempters and younger suicide victims, having both lower levels of neuroticism and higher levels of conscientiousness than these comparison groups. Nevertheless, older suicide victims displayed lower levels of openness to experience than younger victims in two samples. Conclusion Maladaptive personality manifests in milder, subthreshold, and more heterogeneous forms in late-life vs. early-life suicide. An inability to adapt to the changes occurring in late life may help explain the association between suicide in old age and higher conscientiousness as well as obsessive–compulsive and avoidant personality disorders.
Community service satisfaction and stages of community development: An examination of evidence from impacted communities

Abstract The study attempts to establish how the levels and dimensions of community service satisfaction differ with stages of economic development and community population characteristics. This study examines levels of service satisfaction for 1400 respondents in nine western communities, by developmental types through descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and factor analytic techniques. The analysis indicates that both new and longtime residents in currently developing communities are more dissatisfied with community services than residents in either pre‐ or post‐development communities, that differences in levels of satisfaction are not the result of differences in the characteristics of residents, but are significantly related to the stage of community development, and that the dimensions of service satisfaction also vary with the stage of development. Further analyses of the effects of stages of development on service satisfaction are suggested.
Outcome of non-transplant surgical strategy for end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy in young children.

BACKGROUND The shortage of heart transplantation donors is a problem, but partial left ventriculectomy (PLV) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) are feasible at the optimal timing, even in young children. METHODS AND RESULTS From May 1998 to May 2008, 11 children under the age of 3 years were diagnosed with severe dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Indications and outcomes of non-transplant surgical strategies were evaluated and 8 procedures were performed in 6 children: 5 PLV and 3 MVR. Two of them underwent MVR after PLV because of deterioration of mitral regurgitation (MR). Age at surgery ranged from 8 months to 2 years 11 months. Four are alive, of whom 1 eventually underwent a heart transplant overseas. Two children died during the study period: 1 who underwent only MVR died of intracranial bleeding during thrombolytic therapy for a thrombus stack valve and the other child died of congestive heart failure because of progressive MR 2 months after PLV. Follow-up after PLV ranged from 2 months to 8 years, and after MVR ranged from 1 month to 4 years. CONCLUSIONS PLV and MVR are feasible and effective and should be considered when heart failure resists conventional therapy.
The use of accounting information for the valuation of dual-class shares listed on China's stock markets

Abstract This study examines whether accounting data are useful in helping explain the market value of listed firms in China. In particular, we focus our investigation on companies that have issued dual-class shares sold to domestic investors (A-shares) and foreigners (B-shares). Domestic accounting standards (DAS) are used for the financial statements of A-shares while international accounting standards (IAS) are used for B-shares. Our results show that IAS earnings information is incorporated in the prices and returns of B-shares. In contrast, A-share investors appear to place most weight on DAS earnings and only recently has there been an association with IAS information. Book values are value relevant for B-share prices but not for A-share prices. Sensitivity tests show that accounting information is more likely to be impounded in share prices and returns for firms with high individual (i.e. non-government) share ownership. Based on our results, we argue that China's move towards the adoption of IAS will be useful for A-share investors, especially in light of the country's recent accession to the WTO and the consequent opening-up of the economy.
Overview on 3D models searching and indexing

The number of 3D models available on the web is growing exponentially, given the enormous digitized objects with 3D scanners and synthetic objects produced by modeling software. Traditional text-based search techniques are not always effective for 3D data and aren't very helpful to users. 3D models indexing and searching is a process of coding and describing the shape of 3D models. It aims to facilitate the query on large 3D object databases. To accomplish this task, two approaches can be discussed: the 3D/3D approach that acts directly on the shape of the 3D model, and the 2D/3D one that is based on the projection of the 3D object onto a given plane. In this work, we discuss for each approach the available the main characteristics.
Low-density lipoprotein-associated variables and the severity of coronary artery disease: an untreated Chinese cohort study

Abstract Background and aims: Elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is causal risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) and LDL-associated variables including LDL-C, apolipoprotein B (apoB), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), lipoprotein a [Lp(a)], small dense LDL (sd-LDL), and oxidized LDL (ox-LDL) have been widely used for predicting the risk of CAD. This study was aimed to compare the values of six LDL-related variables for predicting the severity of CAD using untreated patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG). Methods: A group of 1977 individuals were consecutively enrolled and divided into CAD (n = 1151) and non-CAD groups (n = 826) according to the results of CAG. LDL-C, apoB, non-HDL-C, Lp(a), sd-LDL and ox-LDL were measured, respectively. The numbers of stenotic arteries and Gensini Scores (GS) were used to calculate the severity of CAD and the associations of six variables with the severity of CAD and predicting value of these parameters were simultaneously examined. Results: CAD patients had significantly higher concentrations of LDL-related variables than non-CAD ones (all p < 0.05). Importantly, all variables rose with the increase in the severity of CAD. The predicting value of CAD manifested as sd-LDL > ox-LDL > apoB > non-HDL-C > LDL-C > Lp(a) [area under curve (AUC): sd-LDL 0.641; ox-LDL 0.640; apoB 0.611; non-HDL-C 0.587; LDL-C 0.583; Lp(a) 0.554; respectively]. In multivariate logistic analysis, all variables showed as independent risk factors for the severity of CAD [odds ratio (OR): ox-LDL > sd-LDL > apoB > non-HDL-C > LDL-C > Lp(a)]. Conclusions: All of LDL-related variables could be useful marker for predicting the severity of CAD but sd-LDL and ox-LDL appeared to litter better. Further study may be needed to validate our results.