Restoring Retinal Function in a Mouse Model of Hereditary Blindness

Moore discusses a new study showing rescue of photoreceptor function using gene and drug therapies in a mouse model of Leber congenital amaurosis

'Score it upon my taille': the use (and abuse) of tallies by the medieval Exchequer

The paper traces the evolution of the tally from a receipt for cash payments into the treasury, to proof of payments made by royal officials outside of the treasury and finally to an assignment of revenue to be paid out by royal officials. Each of these processes is illustrated by examples drawn from the Exchequer records and explains their significance for royal finance and for historians working on the Exchequer records

Policing serious public disorder: the search for principles, policies and operational lessons. [In two volumes]

The paper examines the influence of central government on the police response to serious public disorder; the effectiveness or otherwise of the law and the way in which it is used by the police in their response to such disorder, and searches for sone principles which need to be followed if the police are to maintain the general support of the communities in which they are required to act. Some comparisons are made, and differences highlighted, between the police commander in his response to serious public disorder, once it has broken out, and the military commander in battle. But, guided by lessons from history, the paper principally concentrates on the environment in which the operational police commander is required to act in responding to actual or potential serious public disorder, pointing out that he is dependant for his success on firstly, an effective system of command and control; secondly, on an intelligence system which feeds relevant and accurate information on which he can make sound and informed decisions; and thirdly, the physical resources, e.g. personnel and equipment, and the approved tactics which enable him to restore public tranquility once disorder has broken out. But before he can use the physical resources effectively, he must have a sound strategy for dealing with actual or potential disorder

Research Perspectives on Social Tagging

Social tagging has emerged as one of the most popular social software tools available online. Originating from Del.icio.us, social tagging capabilities can now be found on a number of major music, news, video, and commercial websites, as well as on social network sites and enterprise systems. Although social tagging allows individuals to organize content utilizing user-generated vocabulary, the power of social tagging stems from the ability to view and share resources with other users of the system. Through the sharing of tags and resources, social tagging systems facilitate network connections and perhaps even the creation of communities. In this panel, an exciting group of young researchers will present their ongoing work on social tagging. This panel will present a variety of perspectives on social tagging ranging from qualitative ethnographic work to quantitative visualizations. Additionally, the panel will cover topics such as: the definition of a tag, the role that tags play in social network sites, as well as tags in corporate and organizational settings. The research and the varying methods presented in this panel will present viewers with an exciting array of perspectives on social tagging. Additionally, in order to further engage the audience, the panelists will also participate in a point-counterpoint discussion with the participants which will help illuminate both the advantages and disadvantages of social tagging, as well as further highlight the multiple perspectives and approaches available for continuing social tagging research

Medieval foreign exchange: a time series analysis

This chapter applies rigorous statistical analysis to existing datasets of medieval exchange rates quoted in merchants’ letters sent from Barcelona, Bruges and Venice between 1380 and 1310, which survive in the archive of Francesco di Marco Datini of Prato. First, it tests the exchange rates for stationarity. Second, it uses regression analysis to examine the seasonality of exchange rates at the three financial centres and compares them against contemporary descriptions by the merchant Giovanni di Antonio da Uzzano. Third, it tests for structural breaks in the exchange rate series