Strengthening the accountability of independent regulatory agencies: From performance back to democracy

The autonomy of independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) raises concerns about how to keep them accountable. Remarkably, the process of Europeanisation has led to the emergence of a multilevel regulatory system linking IRAs to national and supranational actors but, on the other side, this process has influenced the capacity to make IRAs accountable. The literature about the accountability deficit of IRAs has tried to address this question, but the interplay between delegation, \u2018multi-levelisation\u2019 and accountability has not been thoroughly investigated yet. Notably, theoretical analysis of IRAs\u2019 accountability in multilevel regulatory environments is still scarce. This article is aimed at contributing to the debate by pointing out that any theoretical discussion about the accountability of IRAs should be framed in normative terms and, precisely, should reconsider a crucial dimension neglected so far, that is, the goals accountability is expected to achieve. The article, in fact, argues that in multilevel regulatory environments the impact of devices adopted to improve the accountability of IRAs is generally weakened by the presence of a \u2018neutral\u2019 idea of accountability, which dilutes its power. The only way to strengthen the effect of accountability is to bring politics and democratic values back into the regulatory process

Standard Model and Gravity from Spinors

We propose to unify the Gravity and Standard Model gauge groups by using algebraic spinors of the standard four-dimensional Clifford algebra, in left-right symmetric fashion. This generates exactly a Standard Model family of fermions, and a Pati-Salam unification group emerges, at the Planck scale, where (chiral) self-dual gravity decouples. As a remnant of the unification, isospin-triplets spin-two particles may naturally appear at the weak scale, providing a striking signal at the LHC.Comment: 7 pages, added clarification

Defining and assessing the transformational nature of smart city governance: Insights from four European cases

Smart cities are a new approach to urban development based on the extensive use of information and communication technologies and on the promotion of environmental sustainability, economic development and innovation. The article is aimed at discussing whether the adoption of a smart city approach entails the transformation of existing institutional structures and administrative practices. To this end, four cases of European smart cities are analysed: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Turin and Vienna. The article describes their models of governance, investigates the level of transformation that occurred in their governmental structures, outlines the main drawbacks and identifies possible connections with the emergent paradigm of the New Public Governance

Fermion Masses at intermediate Tan(beta): Unification of Yukawa Determinants

In the context of the Grand Unified MSSM, we investigate the fermion mass matrices at GUT scale. We note that from the experimental mass pattern the determinants of the Yukawa matrices at this scale can be unified with good precision. Taking the unification o determinants as an hypothesis, it gives two model independent predictions that in the MSSM turns out to determine an appropriate value for the product m_d m_s and tan(beta)~7-10 in the favored range. We then review a predictive model of SU(3) flavour in the context of supersymmetric SO(10) that nicely implements this mechanism, while explaining all fermion masses and mixings at 1 sigma level, including neutrino data.Comment: to Appear in the proceedings of "QUARKS-2006

Three dimensional large N monopole gas

We study the large N limit in the presence of magnetic monopoles in the Yang-Mills/Higgs model in three dimensions. The physics in the limit depends strongly on the distribution of eigenvalues of the Higgs field in the vacuum, and we propose a particular, nondegenerate configuration. It minimizes the free energy at the moment of symmetry breaking. Given this, the magnetic monopoles show a wide hierarchy of masses, and some are vanishing as 1/N. The dilute gas picture, then, provides an interesting structure in the large N limit.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figures, changes in style, organization and small errors correcte

Co-production for innovation: the urban living lab experience

Urban Living Labs (ULLs) are public spaces where local authorities engage citizens to develop innovative urban services. Their strength and popularity stem from a methodology based on open innovation, experimentation, and citizen engagement. Although the ULL methodology is supposed to largely adopt a co-production approach, connections between the two have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The paper seeks to fill this gap by examining through a qualitative analysis three experiences of ULLs made in Amsterdam, Boston and Turin. Specifically, the paper aims to assess whether ULLs can be really conceptualised as a form of co-production and, if so, which elements characterised them as innovative in comparison to \u2018mainstreaming\u2019 co-production; Then it analyses benefits and drawbacks related to their implementation

PEMBUATAN FOTOKATALIS KOMPOSIT ZNO/?-FE2O3 DENGAN METODE IMPREGNASI-SONIKASI DAN UJI AKTIVITAS FOTOKATALITIKNYA PADA DEGRADASI ZAT WARNA INDIGO CARMINE

Pembuatan fotokatalis komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 dengan metode impregnasi-sonikasi dan uji aktivitas fotokatalitiknya pada degradasi zat warna indigo carmine (IC) telah berhasil dilakukan. Hematit (?-Fe2O3) yang digunakan berasal dari pasir besi pantai Syiah Kuala, Deah Raya, Banda Aceh yang disintesis melalui metode kopresipitasi. Komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 dipreparasi dengan perbandingan mol ZnO dan ?-Fe2O3 1:5, 1:1 dan 5:1. Hematit dan komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 dikarakterisasi menggunakan X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) untuk mengetahui fasa kristal dan Scanning Electron Miscroscopy-Energi Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX) untuk mengetahui morfologi komposit dan komposisi kimia. Berdasarkan hasil analisis XRD, oksida besi yang diperoleh memiliki fasa hematit (?-Fe2O3) dan ukuran kristal komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 (1:5) lebih besar dari ukuran kristal hematit.Komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 pada perbandingan 1:5 memiliki aktivitas fotokataitik yang paling tinggi dibandingkan dengan komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3(1:1) dan ZnO/?-Fe2O3 (5:1). Kondisi reaksi yang memberikan % degradasi tertinggi (91,33%) diperoleh pada kondisi pH awal larutan zat warna yaitu1, massa fotokatalis komposit 300 mg serta konsentrasi zat warna 15 ppm dengan waktu radiasi dengan sinar UV selama 120 menit. Fotokatalis komposit ZnO/?-Fe2O3 (1:5) menunjukkan aktivitas yang sedikit lebih tinggi ketika menggunakan sinar matahari dibandingkan menggunakan sinar UV dengan persen degradasi zat warna indigo carmine 93,45%.Kata kunci : Fotokatalis, hematit, indigo carmine, komposit, ZnO

Graviweak Unification

The coupling of chiral fermions to gravity makes use only of the selfdual SU(2) subalgebra of the (complexified) SO(3,1) algebra. It is possible to identify the antiselfdual subalgebra with the SU(2)_L isospin group that appears in the Standard Model, or with its right-handed counterpart SU(2)_R that appears in some extensions. Based on this observation, we describe a form of unification of the gravitational and weak interactions. We also discuss models with fermions of both chiralities, the inclusion strong interactions, and the way in which these unified models of gravitational and gauge interactions avoid conflict with the Coleman-Mandula theorem.Comment: 18 pages, typos corrected and improved wordin

ANALISIS KEPEMPIMPINAN PATTIMURA DALAM PERLAWANAN TERHADAP BELANDA DI MALUKU

Penulisan dalam artikel ini menganalisis bagaimana bentuk perlawanan rakyat malaku dalam menghadapi para penjajah belanda. Perlawanan tersebut dipimpin oleh Pattimura yang berani. Dengan tujuan utama yakni menganalisis bagaiamana karakter dari pemimpin rakyat maluku yaitu Pattimura dalam penelitian ini penulis berharap pembaca mengambil sisi baik dari pattimura. Metode yang digunakan adalah pendekatan studi pustaka dimana penulis dalam pembuatan artikel ini mengumpulkan data dari berbagai buku dan jurnal. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa, kembalinya belanda pada 25 Maret 1817, mengakibatkan monopoli, ekstirpasi, kerja rodi, pajak yang berat, dan aksi sewenang-wenang terhadap rakyat. Tekanan dan penindas Belanda membawa perlawanan kepada rakyat, yaitu deklarasi Deklarasi Haria dan Keberatan Hatawano. Untuk mempercepat berakhirnya perang, belanda melakukan siasat politik adu domba. Pada tanggal 11 November 1817 pattimura serta teman seperjuangannya ditangkap serta disergap. Kemudian dijatuhi hukuman mati serta dieksekusi di tiang gantungan. Kapitan Pattimura telah menyelesaikan pengabdiannya. Antusiasmenya memancar setiap tahun. Mendorong para kapitan muda untuk berdiri dan melanjutkan perjuangan membebaskan rakyat dari penjajahan