The emergence of property rights enforcement in early trade : A behavioral model without reputational effects

Original article can be found at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/ Copyright ElsevierThe present article focuses on the conditions that allow governments to increase property rights protection because they expect enough income from such action. We develop a behavioral explanation, according to which the answer lies in the growth in the importance, size and wealth of merchant guilds in the medieval era in Western Europe as well as a somewhat surprising effect of volatile price structures. We add to prior research by showing that even uncoordinated embargo pressures among multiple guilds could get medieval rulers to offer high levels of property rights protection. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Dismantling Lamarckism: why descriptions of socio-economic evolution as Lamarckian are misleading

“The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com”. Copyright Springer.This paper addresses the widespread tendency to describe socio-economic evolution as Lamarckian. The difference between Lamarckian and Darwinian replication is clarified. It is shown that a phenotype-genotype distinction must first be established before we can identify Lamarckian transmission. To qualify as Lamarckian inheritance, acquired properties at the phenotypic level must be encoded in a genotype that is passed on to the next generation. Some possible social replicators (or genotypes) are identified, with a view to exploring possible distinctions between genotype and phenotype at the social level. It is concluded that the Lamarckian label does not readily transfer to socio-economic evolution, despite the fact that social genotypes (such as routines) may adapt within any given phenotype (such as an organisation). By contrast, no such problems exist with the description of socio-economic evolution as Darwinian.Peer reviewe

Assessment of the Effectiveness of the Greek Implementation. VRU-TOO Deliverable 14

The work of VRU-TOO is targeted specifically at the application of ATT for reducing risk and improving comfort (e.g. minimisation of delay) for Vulnerable Road Users, namely pedestrians. To achieve this, the project operates at three levels. At the European level practical pilot implementations in three countries (U.K., Portugal and Greece) are linked with behavioural studies of the micro-level interaction of pedestrians and vehicles and the development of computer simulation models. At the National level, the appropriate Highway Authorities are consulted, according to their functions, for the pilot implementations and informed of the results. Finally, at the local level, the pilot project work is fitted into specfic local (municipality) policy contexts in all three pilot project sites. The present report focuses on the Elefsina pilot application in Greece and the relevant National and Local policy contexts are the following. At the National level, the ultimate responsibility for road safety and signal installations rests with the Ministry of Environment and Public Works. The Ministry is responsible for the adoption of standards and solutions for problems and also for a large number of actual installations, since local authorities lack the size and expertise to undertake such work on their own One of the project's aims is to provide information to the Ministry as to the suitability of the methods developed for aiding pedestrian movement, ultimately leading to a specification for its wider use. The Ministry is expecting to use the final results of the present study for possible modifications of its present standards for pedestrian controlled traffic signals. At the local level (Elefsina) the municipality has, in the past, pursued environmental improvements through pedestrianisation schemes in the city centre. At the same time it has developed a special traffic management policy, to solve a particularly serious problem of through traffic. A summary of the policy is contained in Appendix A and more details in a previous deliverable (Tillis, 1992). In the particular case of Elefsina pedestrian induced delay to through vehicular traffic, may form a key element in this policy ensuring at the same time, an incentive to divert to the existing bypass and enhancing pedestrian movement. The effectiveness of pedestrian detection techniques tested in the pilot, will provide valuable information on the future implementation of the policy. Thus, the Elefsina Pilot Project operates at the same time on three levels: It provides a basis, in combination with the other two pilot project sites, for comparing the effects of pedestrian detection on pedestrian safety and comfort at a European level. It provides information to the National authorities (Ministry of Environment and Public Works) for their standards setting, scheme design and implementation tasks. It fits into a comprehensive plan at the local level for effecting environmental improvements and enhancing pedestrian amenity and comfort at the same time. In addition, an investigation into the capabilities of pedestrian detectors to function as data collection devices, was performed. The data 'quality gap' betweenvehicular and pedestrian tr&c may be closed with the utilisation of microwave pedestrian detectors, providing a more solid foundation for the planning for total person movement through networks (vehicle occupants, public transport passengers, pedestrians). This the second deliverable issued for Elefsina and comprises of the main section which contains a description of the work undertaken, the results and a number of appendices serving as background material in support of the statements in the main text

Aircraft wing trailing-edge noise

The mechanism and sound pressure level of the trailing-edge noise for two-dimensional turbulent boundary layer flow was examined. Experiment is compared with current theory. A NACA 0012 airfoil of 0.61 m chord and 0.46 m span was immersed in the laminar flow of a low turbulence open jet. A 2.54 cm width roughness strip was placed at 15 percent chord from the leading edge on both sides of the airfoil as a boundary layer trip so that two separate but statistically equivalent turbulent boundary layers were formed. Tests were performed with several trailing-edge geometries with the upstream velocity U sub infinity ranging from a value of 30.9 m/s up to 73.4 m/s. Properties of the boundary layer for the airfoil and pressure fluctuations in the vicinity of the trailing-edge were examined. A scattered pressure field due to the presence of the trailing-edge was observed and is suggested as a possible sound producing mechanism for the trailing-edge noise

Effect of matrix parameters on mesoporous matrix based quantum computation

We present a solid state implementation of quantum computation, which improves previously proposed optically driven schemes. Our proposal is based on vertical arrays of quantum dots embedded in a mesoporous material which can be fabricated with present technology. We study the feasibility of performing quantum computation with different mesoporous matrices. We analyse which matrix materials ensure that each individual stack of quantum dots can be considered isolated from the rest of the ensemble-a key requirement of our scheme. This requirement is satisfied for all matrix materials for feasible structure parameters and GaN/AlN based quantum dots. We also show that one dimensional ensembles substantially improve performances, even of CdSe/CdS based quantum dots

Post-16 Curriculum and Qualifications Reform in England and Scotland: lessons from home international comparisons

In this article we compare Curriculum 2000 and Higher Still, recent reforms of post-16 education in England and Scotland respectively. We draw on current and earlier research on the unification of academic and vocational learning in England, Scotland and other European countries in order to suggest areas for mutual learning to inform future curriculum and qualifications reform north and south of the Border. We highlight five of these - the conduct of the policy process, issues of progression, assessment, approaches to vocational education and key/core skills. In our conclusion we speculate on the possibility of either convergence or divergence of the English and Scottish upper secondary education systems as both evolve

Intelligent modelling of bioprocesses: A comparison of structured and unstructured approaches

This contribution moves in the direction of answering some general questions about the most effective and useful ways of modelling bioprocesses. We investigate the characteristics of models that are good at extrapolating. We trained 3 fully predictive models with different representational structures (diff eqns, inheritance of rates, network of reactions) on Saccharopolyspora erythraea shake flask fermentation data using genetic programming. The models were then tested on unseen data outside the range of the training data and the resulting performances compared. It was found that constrained models with mathematical forms analogous to internal mass balancing and stoichiometric were superior to flexible unconstrained models even though no A priori knowledge of this fermentation was used

A comparative study of herbage intake, ingestive behaviour and diet selection, and effects of condensed tannins upon body and wool growth in lambs grazing Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus) and annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) dominant swards

An experiment was carried out from August to early November 1994 to examine differences in diet selection, herbage intake, grazing behaviour and animal performance between weaned lambs rotationally grazing swards of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)/white clover (Trifolium repens) and Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus)/T. repens with or without Lotus corniculatus. There were four replicate groups of six lambs per treatment. The effects of condensed tannins (CT) on lamb production were assessed by twice-daily oral administration of 10g polyethylene glycol (PEG; molecular weight 4000) to half the lambs on each sward. The Lotus content of all swards was very low, and results are presented here for main sward comparisons meaned over lotus treatments. Overall mean estimates of pre-grazing herbage mass and sward surface height for the annual ryegrass and Yorkshire fog swards respectively, were 5820 v. 4360 +/- 190 kg DM/ha (P , P < 0.01) and liveweight gain (141 v. 120 +/- 4.3 g per lamb per day, P < 0.01), although differences in carcass weight (17.9 v. 18.2 +/- 0.3 kg) and FEC transformed values (9.6 v. 11.0 +/- 06 eggs/g fresh faeces) were not significant. The effects of CT on animal performance were greater in Yorkshire fog swards. CT had no significant effects on diet selection, herbage intake and grazing behaviour patterns

Effect of Photobiomodulation on Vinblastine-Poisoned Murine HERS Cells

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of near-infrared (NIR) photobiomodulation on the proliferation and glutathione levels in murine Hertwig\u27s epithelial root sheath (HERS) cells after poisoning with vinblastine. Background: Photobiomodulation has been shown to improve wound healing in a number of animal models. There have been no studies on the effect of photobiomodulation on cancer-related chemotherapy injury to the cells that initiate tooth root growth. Materials and Methods: Control groups consisted of murine HERS cells without vinblastine (VB−) and cells with vinblastine at 10, 20, and 30 ng/mL (VB10, VB20, and VB30). Experimental groups consisted of these same groups with light therapy (VB-L, VB10L, VB20L, and VB30L). The cells were exposed to vinblastine for 1 h. Photobiomodulation consisted of a 75-cm2 gallium-aluminum-arsenide light-emitting diode (LED) array at an energy density of 12.8 J/cm2, delivered with 50 mW/cm2 power over 256 s. Results: Vinblastine alone significantly decreased HERS cell proliferation and glutathione levels at all concentrations (VB10 [−55%, p \u3c 1.0 × 10−8]; VB20 [−72%, p \u3c 1.0 × 10−9]; VB30 [−80%, p \u3c 1.0 × 10−10]; and VB10 [−36%, p \u3c 0.0001]; VB20 [−49%, p \u3c 1.0 × 10−6]; VB30 [−53%, p \u3c 1.0 × 10−7] respectively). Photobiomodulation significantly increased cell proliferation at all levels of vinblastine exposure (VB10L [+50%, p \u3c 0.0001]; VB20L [+45%, p \u3c 0.05]; VB30 [+39%, p \u3c 0.05]) but not of the control (+22%, p  = 0.063). The photobiomodulation significantly increased glutathione production in all concentrations of vinblastine except 20 ng/mL (VB10L [+39%, p = 0.007]; VB20L [+19%, p = 0.087]; VB30 [+14%, p = 0.025]) and the control (+12%, p = 0.13). Conclusions: Photobiomodulation demonstrated an improvement in proliferation and glutathione levels in vinblastine-poisoned murine HERS cells