Gaugino condensation in an improved heterotic M-theory

Gaugino condensation is discussed in the context of a consistent new version of low energy heterotic M-theory. The four dimensional reduction of the theory is described, based on simple boson and fermion backgrounds. This is generalised to include gaugino condenstates and various background fluxes, some with non-trivial topology. It is found that condensate and quantised flux contributions to the four-dimensional superpotential contain no corrections due to the warping of the higher dimensional metric.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, LaTe

WHERE IS THE WALRASIAN AUCTIONEER FOR AGRICULTURAL MARKETS? AN EXAMINATION OF THE MARKETING INSTITUTION

In the classical development of economic equilibrium and efficiency, transaction costs are seldom considered. This study develops a micro- market model of an agricultural market based on quality differences. The study then develops a model of market structure based on the New Theory of the Firm. Using the two models, we draw conclusions about economic potential for E-Commerce.Marketing,

TWO APPROACHES TO MEASURING THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF STARLINK CORN ON U.S. PRODUCERS

The discovery of StarLink corn in U.S. food products caused considerable disruption in the corn markets in 2000 and 2001. We estimated two models on the impact of StarLink corn over the 2000/2001 marketing year. In the first model, to segregate the U.S. corn market, identity preservation costs (IP costs) were imposed on the U.S. grain handling system to deal with both domestic and export sales of food corn and export sales of non food corn to Japan. In the second model, structural changes in corn demand were taken into account. Without taking into account Loan Deficiency Payment Program (LDP) payments, significant costs were incurred by producers as a result of StarLink. However, the effectively reduced the loss in revenue that would have been caused by StarLink, since there were periods of time immediately following the discovery of StarLink during which the market price dropped below the loan rate for corn. It was estimated that StarLink caused U.S. producers to lose between $25 and$290 million in revenue.Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

DISTORTIONARY IMPACTS OF THE 1982 AND 1986 U.S. TAX CODES ON CAPITAL INVESTMENTS: A CASE STUDY OF INVESTMENT IN ORANGE GROVES

The 1980s have been a period of dramatic change for the income tax code in the United States. Although numerous modifications were considered in policy deliberations, two key goals, the reduction of the importance of tax considerations in investment decisions and tax simplification, emerged from the discussion and guided drafting of the 1986 Tax Reform Act. This study examines the importance of tax considerations in investment decisions under the provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and its predecessor, the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982. The study then compares the tax liability under these tax codes with a nondistortionary tax scheme. Results indicate that the Tax Reform Act of 1986 reduced the distortionary effects of the tax code on capital investment decisions. However, a large portion of the reduction can be attributed to the change in the average tax rate.Agricultural Finance,

INSTITUTIONAL ECONOMICS AND THE EMERGENCE OF E-COMMERCE IN AGRIBUSINESS

The emergence of E-commerce in the 1990s heralded the arrival of the New Economy. However, the failure of numerous dotcoms since early 2001 has led to a debate regarding the future direction of E-commerce and its potential relevance for agribusiness. This study examines the economic implications of E-commerce for agribusiness within the framework of New Institutional Economics. The New Institutional Economics implies that E-commerce has the potential to reduce direct transactions costs in agricultural markets, but that it also may add additional indirect transactions costs. Depending upon the tradeoff between these costs, an institutional innovation which reduces the transactions costs may provide the impetus for an alternative marketing channel for agricultural output. Two models of institutional change are explored. The North model of changes in the rules of the game is found to be more consistent with the advent of E-commerce than the model of technological change suggested by Schumpeter.E-commerce, marketing channels, New Institutional Economics, Schumpeter, Agribusiness, Institutional and Behavioral Economics,

Lakes - Classification & Monitoring: a strategy for the classification of lakes

This is the report on Lakes – Classification and Monitoring, a strategy for the classification of lakes by the National Rivers Authority. This report describes a scheme for the assessment and monitoring of water and ecological quality in standing waters, greater than about 1ha in area, in England and Wales although it is generally relevant to Northwest Europe. Thirteen hydrological, chemical and biological variables are used to characterize the standing water body in any current sampling. Statistical testing on the chemical variables showed that at least six samples during a year would be needed to produce a representative sampling mean; but in this scheme the choice of variables minimizes logistic cost by not using boat sampling and time costs by not demanding extensive taxonomic work. Standing waters are classified in a state-changed system in which the contemporary values of the variables are compared with a reference baseline state and then placed in categories of percentage change from this baseline. The scheme is presently designed for use at about five year intervals on all lakes greater than 2ha area plus additional lakes of significant amenity or conservation interest

‘We kind of try to merge our own experience with the objectivity of the criteria’: The role of connoisseurship and tacit practice in undergraduate fine art assessment

This article explores connoisseurship in the context of fine art undergraduate assessment practice. I interviewed twelve fine art lecturers in order to explore and unpack the concept of connoisseurship in relation to subjectivity, objectivity and tacit practice. Building on the work of Bourdieu (1973, 1977, 1986) and Shay (2003, 2005), both of whom problematize the view that subjectivity and objectivity are binary opposites, my research illustrates the ways that connoisseurship is underpinned by informed professional judgements located in communities of practice. Within this particular conception of connoisseurship, the lecturers’ expertise is co-constituted in communities of assessors through participation and engagement. Standards reside in communities of practice

MLS: Airplane system modeling

Analysis, modeling, and simulations were conducted as part of a multiyear investigation of the more important airplane-system-related items of the microwave landing system (MLS). Particular emphasis was placed upon the airplane RF system, including the antenna radiation distribution, the cabling options from the antenna to the receiver, and the overall impact of the airborne system gains and losses upon the direct-path signal structure. In addition, effort was expended toward determining the impact of the MLS upon the airplane flight management system and developing the initial stages of a fast-time MLS automatic control system simulation model. Results ot these studies are presented

DEMAND FOR NUTRIENTS: THE HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTION APPROACH

The household production approach is used to characterize the household's preference toward nutrients in food consumption. Elasticities of substitution and Hicksian price elasticities are estimated, price- and expenditure-nutrient elasticities are calculated. Results show that protein is the most expensive nutrient, and that nutrients played an important role in determining households' food consumption.Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety,