EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF COORDINATION AT AGGREGATE VERSUS INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

We argue that the ability to coordinate under strategic complementarity is substantially affected by mutual interactive development at the individual and aggregate level. Optimal strategy which is followed by each player does not only depend upon strategy of the other player but also on conditions prevailed at the aggregate level. Results of our laboratory experiment suggest that certain type of player might be or might be not awarded depending on type of the economy, which has important implications at the aggregate level with respect to the speed of the convergence

EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF COORDINATION AT AGGREGATE VERSUS INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

We argue that the ability to coordinate under strategic complementarity is substantially affected by mutual interactive development at the individual and aggregate level. Optimal strategy which is followed by each player does not only depend upon strategy of the other player but also on conditions prevailed at the aggregate level. Results of our laboratory experiment suggest that certain type of player might be or might be not awarded depending on type of the economy, which has important implications at the aggregate level with respect to the speed of the convergence

Fisher Equation and Modigliani-Cohn Hypothesis in the Financial Markets

Fisher equation in its conventional form suggests that nominal interest rate is the sum of real interest rate and expected inflation and, as such, it has been utilized as a standard component in economic literature to predict the behavior of nominal and real interest rates or to analyze investment returns. Nevertheless, Fisher equation has its flaws well documented in the empirical literature. This paper focuses on enriching contemporary theoretical underpinnings by paying attention to Fisher´s illusory nature of nominal interest rate, revisiting original roots of Fisher equation, and contrasting them with modern conventional form of Fisher equation. Consequently, implications will be derived for the relevance of a particular form of Fisher equation. Another important contribution is the connection of Fisher’s equation with money illusion through Modigliani-Cohn hypothesis (1979). This phenomenon might be responsible for an imperfect adjustment of the interest rate to expected inflation, thereby leading to substantial implications in financial markets

Effects of Poverty On Impatience

We study two psychological channels how poverty may increase impatient behavior -- an effect on time preference and reduced attention. We measured discount rates among Ugandan farmers who made decisions about when to enjoy entertainment instead of working. We find that experimentally induced thoughts about poverty-related problems increase the preference to consume entertainment early and delay work. The effect is equivalent to a 27 p.p. increase in the intertemporal rate of substitution. Using monitoring tools similar to eye tracking, a novel feature for this subject pool, we show this effect is not due to a lower ability to sustain attention

The Development of eServices in an Enlarged EU: A Synthesis Report on eLearning

In 2005, IPTS launched a project which aimed to assess the developments in eGoverment, eHealth and eLearning in the 10 New Member States at national, and at cross-country level. At that time, the 10 New Member States were Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia. A report for each country was produced, describing its educational system and the role played by eLearning within both the formal education system and other aspects of lifelong learning. Each report then analyzed, on the basis of desk research and expert interviews, the major achievements, shortcomings, drivers and barriers in the development of eLearning in one of the countries in question. This synthesis report developed in the final phases of the project offers an integrated view of the developments of eLearning in the New Member States. Furthermore, the project has prepared a prospective report looking across and beyond the development of the eGoverment, eHealth and eLearning areas to summarize policy challenges and options for the development of eServices and the Information Society towards the goals of Lisbon and i2010.JRC.J.4-Information Societ

Advancing uracil-excision based cloning towards an ideal technique for cloning PCR fragments

The largely unused uracil-excision molecular cloning technique has excellent features in most aspects compared to other modern cloning techniques. Its application has, however, been hampered by incompatibility with proof-reading DNA polymerases. We have advanced the technique by identifying PfuCx as a compatible proof-reading DNA polymerase and by developing an improved vector design strategy. The original features of the technique, namely simplicity, speed, high efficiency and low cost are thus combined with high fidelity as well as a transparent, simple and flexible vector design. A comprehensive set of vectors has been constructed covering a wide range of different applications and their functionality has been confirmed

The F-actin cytoskeleton in syncytia from non-clonal progenitor cells

The actin cytoskeleton of plant syncytia (a multinucleate cell arising through fusion) is poorly known: to date, there have only been reports about F-actin organization in plant syncytia induced by parasitic nematodes. To broaden knowledge regarding this issue, we analyzed F-actin organization in special heterokaryotic Utricularia syncytia, which arise from maternal sporophytic tissues and endosperm haustoria. In contrast to plant syncytia induced by parasitic nematodes, the syncytia of Utricularia have an extensive F-actin network. Abundant F-actin cytoskeleton occurs both in the region where cell walls are digested and the protoplast of nutritive tissue cells fuse with the syncytium and also near a giant amoeboid in the shape nuclei in the central part of the syncytium. An explanation for the presence of an extensive F-actin network and especially F-actin bundles in the syncytia is probably that it is involved in the movement of nuclei and other organelles and also the transport of nutrients in these physiological activity organs which are necessary for the development of embryos in these unique carnivorous plants. We observed that in Utricularia nutritive tissue cells, actin forms a randomly arranged network of F-actin, and later in syncytium, two patterns of F-actin were observed, one characteristic for nutritive cells and second—actin bundles—characteristic for haustoria and suspensors, thus syncytia inherit their F-actin patterns from their progenitors