In this study we explore in detail the causes of corruption in China using two different sets of data at the regional level (provinces and cities). We observe that regions with more anti-corruption efforts, histories of British rule, higher openness, more access to media and relatively higher wages of government employees are markedly less corrupt; while social heterogeneity, regulation, abunda...

Pre-industrial Europe saw a relatively rapid evolution of systems of government. Feudalism gave way to medieval constitutional government and this gave way in turn either to the imperial state or to associational government. This rapid evolution was driven by two interrelated processes—one of economic growth and development, the other of struggle and conflict among governments. Our purpose here...

Fifty-four ultracompact (UC) H ii regions in the GLIMPSE survey region (jbj < 1 and 30 < l < 70 ) were observed in H2CO and H110 using the 305 m Arecibo telescope. By analyzing H2CO absorption against the UC H ii region continuum emission, we resolve the distance ambiguity toward 44 sources. This determination is critical to measure global physical properties of UCH ii regions (e.g., luminosity...

The gene loci vdh, vanA, and vanB, which are involved in the bioconversion of vanillin to protocatechuate by Pseudomonas sp. strain HR199 (DSM 7063), were identified as the structural genes of a novel vanillin dehydrogenase (vdh) and the two subunits of a vanillate demethylase (vanA and vanB), respectively. These genes were localized on an EcoRI fragment (E230), which was cloned from a Pseudomo...

Photo 1: Lingcod, Ophiodon elongatus, among strawberry anemones, Corynactis californica, at Santa Rosa Island, South Point State Marine Reserve, Barbara County, California, USA. Image collected by the ROV Beagle, and operated Applied Research Exploration (MARE). credit: Dirk Rosen. 2: Yelloweye rockfish, Sebastes ruberrimus, Portuguese Ledge Monterey California. 3: wolf eel, Anarrhichthys ocell...

Analysis of monthly coastal upwelling intensities revealed two seasonal and biologically relevant upwelling ‘modes’ in the California Current Ecosystem (CCE). The first mode reflected upwelling during the summer months and was characterized by low-frequency (multidecadal) processes, including significant (Po0.01) linear trends at some latitudes. In contrast, the second mode reflected wintertime...

Federal action addressing climate change is likely to emerge either through new legislation or via the U.S. EPA’s authority under the Clean Air Act. The prospect of federal action raises important questions regarding the interconnections between federal efforts and state-level climate policy developments. In the presence of federal policies, to what extent will state efforts be costeffective? H...