THE UNITED STATES IN THE GLOBAL SOYBEAN MARKET: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

This study applies the concept of a dynamic dominant-firm oligopoly model to the international soybean market. It has been suggested that the international soybean market should be viewed as an oligopoly among exporting nations. Consistent with Gaskins (1971) dynamic dominant firm model, our results indicate that the current U.S. loan deficiency-payment prices and their predecessors created an environment in which smaller (fringe) exporters could prosper and expand. The reduction of U.S. market share is thus a logical outcome of an "optimally managed decline" a la Gaskins. The study finds U.S. market share to decline at a reducing rate and predicts U.S. market share eventually to stabilize, given the expanding international market for soybeans and products. Recognition of the structure of international soybean market has policy implications for the 2002 farm program as the classic dominant firm model suggests.Crop Production/Industries, International Relations/Trade,

Market Forces and Price Ceilings: A Classroom Experiment

The effect of price controls on competitive equilibrium is a standard topic in many undergraduate economics courses. This classroom experiment demonstrates the effect of rent control (price ceilings) on the market for apartments. As participants in the experiment, students experience the effect of a price ceiling as buyers (renters) and sellers (landlords). The classroom-posted offer market exhibits a shortage under a binding price ceiling. Further, we explore a secondary response to rent control. When given the opportunity, landlords lower the quality of the apartments by reducing maintenance expenditures under the price ceiling, thus moving the market back to equilibrium. Since many students are themselves renters, they should relate to changes in quality due to lower maintenance by landlords. This experiment will stimulate discussion on market forces and on public policy aimed at restricting prices.

Fatal Methanol Ingestion in a Child: Case Report

The records of Forensic Medicine Council of Turkey Bursa Morgue Department reveal the first case of fatal methanol ingestion in a child. Household methanol exposures are mostly due to accidental ingestion of washing fluids. A 4 year-old girl was admitted to the emergency department with her parents with gastrointestinal symptoms; nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Toxicological studies revealed 79 mg/dl blood level of methanol. We presented infant autopsy case of methanol toxicity and discussed the case from medicolegal aspect

Profit sharing, separation and training

Theory presents two broad channels through which profit sharing can increase worker training. First, it directly increases training by alleviating hold-up problems and/or by encouraging co-workers to provide training. Second, it indirectly increases training by reducing worker separation and increasing training investments' amortization period. This article provides the first attempt at separately identifying these two channels. We confirm a strong direct effect, but also identify a weaker, more tenuous indirect effect. This suggests that profit sharing's influence on training is unlikely to operate primarily through its reduction on separations while simultaneously presenting the first evidence confirming the prediction of an indirect causation

Creating and probing long-range order in atomic clouds

Ultracold atoms interacting with the optical modes of a high-Q optical ring cavity can synchronize their motion. The collective behavior makes the system interesting for quantum computing applications. This paper is devoted to the study of the collective coupling. We report on the first observation of a collective dynamics and on the realization of a laser, the gain mechanism of which is based on collective atomic recoil. We show that, if the atoms are subject to a friction force, starting from an unordered distribution they spontaneously form a moving density grating. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a 1D atomic density grating can be probed via Bragg scattering. By heterodyning the Bragg-reflected light with a reference beam, we obtain detailed information on phase shifts induced by the Bragg scattering process

Particle-particle correlations and the space-time structure of heavy ion collisions

The present status of the use of two-particle intensity interferometry as a diagnostic tool to study the space-time dynamics of intermediate energy heavy ion collisions is examined. Calculations for the two-proton and two-pion correlation functions are presented and compared to experiment. The calculations are based on the nuclear Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck transport theory.Comment: 20 pages, Preprint MSUCL-864 (to be published in Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics, Vol. 30

Gamow-Teller Strength in the Region of 100^{100}Sn

New calculations are presented for Gamow-Teller beta decay of nuclei near $^{100}$Sn. Essentially all of the $^{100}$Sn Gamow-Teller decay strength is predicted to go to a single state at an excitation energy of 1.8 MeV in $^{100}$In. The first calculations are presented for the decays of neighboring odd-even and odd-odd nuclei which show, in contrast to $^{100}$Sn, surprisingly complex and broad Gamow-Teller strength distributions. The results are compared to existing experimental data and the resulting hindrance factors are discussed.Comment: 12 pages (latex) and 2 figures available on reques

Strategic Manipulation of Pollution Permit Markets: An Experimental Approach

In this paper we employ experimantal economic methods to examine the effect of market structure on the use of marketable emmisions permits. In particular, we ask whether firms can strategically manipulate a product market using marketable emissions permits. Subjects participate in two markets, a permit market and a product market. They use permits to reduce the cost of production of the final goods that they sell in the product market. Four treatments are used to test the effects of initial permit allocation and market structure. The first two treatments explore "simple" manipulation. In this case firms are all price takers in the product market but must compete both in the permit and final product markets, thus opening the potential use of permits as a form of market predation. Results show that in a market with one dominant firm and a number of fringe firms, strategic manipulation occurs repeatedly in the laboratory as the dominant firm uses licenses in an inefficient manner in order to minimize its costs, increase its profits and exclude rivals in the product market. Further these finding indicate, that far from improving market efficiency and decreasing the cost to society of pollution control, implementation of tradable permit markets where there are firms in a position of market power may decrease efficiency.

Free-Rider Problem in Classroom Games - Impact of Gender and Intergroup Conditions

Behavioural experiments in the field of provision of public goods (including free rider problem) help to uncover the underlying processes and forces determining the nature of economy in the public sector. The objective of this paper is to determine the impact of gender and intergroup conditions on the extent of cooperation in standard linear public goods game using the voluntary contribution mechanism. Design of the teaching experiment is based on the methodology of Špalek (2011) with some modification. There were 80 undergraduate students of business participating in the classroom game, age range 20-22 years. Students were divided into three independent groups by 26 to 27 participants. Each group was playing independently, and individual strategies were recorded. We used the nonparametric tests (Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-Wallis Test) to analyse the differences between the gender and groups. Findings do not show statistically significant difference based on gender. On the other hand, the intergroup conditions determined by the social dynamics and discussion have significant influence on the distribution of goods. Results bring strong evidence on the importance of social and political factors influencing the pro-social behaviour in the society.O