Comparing U.S. and European Views of University Involvement in Economic Development

University researchers are now considered by many as key actors in the building of knowledge economies in their regions, as universities are assumed to be important engines of regional economic well-being. Yet within the academy not all faculty are accepting of these roles for their institutions, for a variety of reasons. We measure faculty attitudes towards their universities being involved in (a) assisting regional economic development and (b) the commercialization of knowledge more generally using web-based surveys. Then using secondary data from a variety of sources, we attempt to explain the variation in attitudes among faculty in terms of: (i) individual attributes and professional experiences, (ii) scholarly disciplinary of the faculty member, (iii) institutional characteristics of their respective university, and (iv) regional economic conditions. Using ordered logit models, we test to see if faculty view a distinction in appropriateness of universities assisting economic development versus appropriateness of the commercialization of knowledge, whether there are differences between U.S. and EU faculty in their attitudes towards each type of activity, and whether faculty in regions undergoing industrial restructuring or in economic distress have more favorable attitudes towards each activity. Results to-date indicate that faculty have more favorable attitudes towards their universities assisting regional economic development compared to commercialization of knowledge, that universities individual and disciplinary variables are more important than institutional and regional economic variables, and that there are strong similarities in attitudes between U.S. and EU faculty attitudes, but with a few interesting exceptions.

Suramin inhibits the early effects of PLA(2) neurotoxins at mouse neuromuscular junctions: a twitch tension study

Several phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) neurotoxins from snake venoms can affect acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. In isolated nerve-muscle preparations three distinct phases have been described for this phenomenon: An initial transient decrease in twitch tension; a second facilitatory phase during which twitch height is greater than control twitch height; and the last phase which causes a reduction in twitch height that finally results in paralysis. Suramin has been reported to inhibit the toxic effects of β-bungarotoxin and another PLA(2) neurotoxin, crotoxin in vitro and in vivo. We have further examined the effects of suramin on the three phases of the effects of the presynaptic PLA(2) neurotoxins β-bungarotoxin, taipoxin and ammodytoxin on mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparations. When preparations were pre-treated with suramin (0.3mM), the early biphasic effects (depression followed by facilitation) were abolished, and the time taken for final blockade induced by β-bungarotoxin, taipoxin and ammodytoxin A was significantly prolonged. In contrast, suramin did not significantly affect the facilitation induced by the potassium channel blocking toxin dendrotoxin I when applied under the same conditions. In addition, application of 0.3mM suramin did not prevent the facilitatory actions of 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP) and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA). Overall, the mechanism whereby suramin reduces the effects of PLA(2) neurotoxins remains elusive. Since suramin reduces both enzyme-dependent and enzyme-independent effects of the toxins, suramin is not acting as a simple enzyme inhibitor. Furthermore, the observation that suramin does not affect actions of standard K(+) channel blockers suggests that suramin does not stabilise nerve terminals

The Water Development-Growth Relationship: Case Studies

7 pages

Policy and Populism: Explaining Support for the Radical Left in Contemporary Western Democracies

Defined by stridently redistributionist economic policies that challenge mainstream economic norms in many Western democracies, radically left-wing political actors have risen to prominence in many such countries. Despite their newfound prominence, the radical left remains understudied relative to their radical right counterparts. In my voter-level analysis, I test two common explanations of radical left support. First, the ‘policy-proximity’ account, which suggests radical left support is the result of proximity between voters and these actors on policy dimensions. I examine this with three plausibly relevant policy dimensions: economics, cultural policy, and migration policy. Second, the ‘populism-based’ account, which suggests the radical left draws support from populist voters attracted by their challenge to established political parties. I test both these accounts in three case studies: Germany, the US, and the UK. I draw upon survey data which includes voters’ support for the radical left, their policy preferences on the policy dimensions, and their populist attitudes. Additionally, I use research designs which enable me to more confidently rule out ‘persuasion effects’ arising from pre-existing electoral support of voters. Furthermore, simultaneous examination of both the policy-proximity and populism-based accounts controls for possible confounding between them. I find little evidence supporting the populism-based account in all three case studies. Policy-proximity results are more nuanced. German case findings generally conform with the policy-proximity account; however, I am least able to deal with persuasion effects here. I deal with persuasion effects more in the US case; however, US case findings commonly challenge the policy-proximity account. Finally, in the UK case I use panel data to rigorously deal with persuasion effects when examining changes in Labour Party support as this party shifts to the radical left under Jeremy Corbyn. I find that policy-proximity explains relative magnitude of shifts in Labour support but cannot explain pronounced positive shifts in this support across ideological groups. Overall, across the three cases, I find some support for the policy-proximity account; however, there are aspects of radical left support which policy-proximity does not explain. Consequently, future research is needed to continue to investigate support for these political actors

'Explaining the differing government responses to self-determination demands in Spain and the UK'

Non peer reviewe

Deep sea photography

Interest of the senior author in deep sea photography stems from a desire to obtain photographs of deep sea luminous fish-not by their own light, but in their natural environment, using artificial illumination. The abundance of deep sea forms observed by Beebe (1934) from his bathysphere suggests that success might be achieved, especiaJly if a lure could be found that would attract deep sea fish to the front of the camera

The utilization of yucca, sotol, and beargrass by the aborigines in the American Southwest

Bibliography: p. 66-74https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/unm_bulletin/1032/thumbnail.jp