Might a Securities Transactions Tax Mitigate Excess Volatility?: Some Evidence From the Literature

International financial markets are said to be excessively volatile due to destabilizing speculation and excessive market volume. Transactions taxes might help. From studying the literature we conclude that there must be an optimal market liquidity, which minimizes excess volatility. There are two effects when imposing a transactions tax. Both reduce excess volatility in highly speculative markets when tax rates are small. The total tax effect then is unambiguous. However, in illiquid markets the tax might raise volatility.International Financial Markets, Securities Transactions Tax, Excess Volatility

Freshman 15 Facebook Message

Message on weight gain in college designed for Facebook.https://thekeep.eiu.edu/healthst_undergrad_campaign_social/1004/thumbnail.jp

Reforming political party organization in the XXIst century. On the Transformative Effect of Network Parties on Modern Representative Democracy

This thesis contributes to a better understanding of current political parties, critically engaging with their merits through the lens of the Network Society. It draws on five case studies in order to flesh out the nuances of the network party type. I review the genealogy of party types, advancing the existing literature on a broad range of party types, from the mass party to the catch-all party, as well as filling in the gaps related to network party type. Firstly, I argue that the crucial novelties brought on by network parties are explicit in the following characteristics: A vision of expert-citizen democracy and "strong" participation, a desideratum of openness and transparency, an alignment to "disintermediation" and the revision of the concept of representation, and an organizational vision of permeable intra-party democracy. Drawing on the five case studies, I then identify sub-types of network parties: the procedural, the plebiscitary and the municipalist.Esta tesis contribuye comprender mejor los partidos políticos actuales y analiza críticamente sus méritos a través de la óptica de la network society. Se basa en cinco estudios de caso para establecer y definir los matices de cada tipo de network party. Asimismo, revisa la genealogía de los tipos de partidos y avanza en la literatura existente sobre una amplia gama de tipos de partidos, desde los mass parties hasta los catch-all parties, y se completan algunas lagunas relacionadas con los tipos de network parties. En primer lugar, se sostiene que las novedades cruciales que aportan los network parties se hacen explícitas en las siguientes características: una visión de la democracia experto-ciudadano y de la participación "fuerte", un desiderátum de apertura y transparencia, una alineación con la "desintermediación" y la revisión del concepto de representación y una visión organizativa de la democracia intrapartidaria permeable. A partir de los cinco estudios de caso, se identifican, a continuación, varios subtipos de network parties: los procedimentales, los plebiscitarios y los municipalistas.Aquesta tesi contribueix a comprendre més bé els partits polítics actuals i analitza críticament els seus mèrits a través de l'òptica de la network society. Es basa en cinc estudis de cas per establir i definir els matisos de cada tipus de network party. Així mateix, revisa la genealogia dels tipus de partits i avança en la literatura existent sobre una àmplia gamma de tipus de partits, des dels mass-parties fins als catch-all parties, i es completen les mancances relacionades amb els tipus de network parties. En primer lloc, se sosté que les novetats crucials que aporten els network parties es fan explícites en les característiques següents: una visió de la democràcia expert-ciutadà i de la participació "forta", un desideràtum d'obertura i transparència, una alineació amb la "desintermediació" i la revisió del concepte de representació i una visió organitzativa de la democràcia intrapartidària permeable. A partir dels cinc estudis de cas, s'identifiquen, a continuació, diferents subtipus de network parties: els procedimentals, els plebiscitaris i els municipalistes.Societat de la informació i el coneixemen

Starting a Conversation or Sending a Message: The Uses & Abuses of State Anti-BDS Speech

This note explores the language used by state actors through legislation and executive orders responding to the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. While the constitutionality of such laws has been questioned, Haberer argues the debate should focus on state speakers’ social and civic duty to welcome conversation rather than to send a specific message against the BDS movement. Haberer suggests that state speech can be improved in this area by avoiding problematic tactics such as “conversation stoppers” and aggressive, militarized language

Effect of hydrogen adsorption on the quasiparticle spectra of graphene

We use the non-interacting tight-binding model to study the effect of isolated hydrogen adsorbates on the quasiparticle spectra of single-layer graphene. Using the Green's function approach, we obtain analytic expressions for the local density of states and the spectral function of hydrogen-doped graphene, which are also numerically evaluated and plotted. Our results are relevant for the interpretation of scanning tunneling microscopy and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy data of functionalized graphene.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, minor corrections to tex

Portfolio Choice and Transactions Taxes

In a simple portfolio choice model of two assets a foreign exchange transactions tax is implemented. We show that the graph in the mu-sigma- range is still a parabola and delineate its characteristics for altering tax rates. We presumed a risk avers investor seeking to minimize investment risks by international diversification of two uncorrelated assets. The main finding is that setting up a portfolio under the new tax condition leads to a higher transaction volume on international fi- nancial markets. In contrast, the transactions tax has got a stabilizing character when adjusting the portfolio to increased foreign investment risks.International Financial Markets, Portfolio Choice, Risk Diversification, Tobin Tax, Transactions Tax

Intracompartmental and Intercompartmental Transcriptional Networks Coordinate the Expression of Genes for Organellar Functions

Genes for mitochondrial and chloroplast proteins are distributed between the nuclear and organellar genomes. Organelle biogenesis and metabolism, therefore, require appropriate coordination of gene expression in the different compartments to ensure efficient synthesis of essential multiprotein complexes of mixed genetic origin. Whereas organelle-to-nucleus signaling influences nuclear gene expression at the transcriptional level, organellar gene expression (OGE) is thought to be primarily regulated posttranscriptionally. Here, we show that intracompartmental and intercompartmental transcriptional networks coordinate the expression of genes for organellar functions. Nearly 1,300 ATH1 microarray-based transcriptional profiles of nuclear and organellar genes for mitochondrial and chloroplast proteins in the model plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) were analyzed. The activity of genes involved in organellar energy production (OEP) or OGE in each of the organelles and in the nucleus is highly coordinated. Intracompartmental networks that link the OEP and OGE gene sets serve to synchronize the expression of nucleus- and organelle-encoded proteins. At a higher regulatory level, coexpression of organellar and nuclear OEP/OGE genes typically modulates chloroplast functions but affects mitochondria only when chloroplast functions are perturbed. Under conditions that induce energy shortage, the intercompartmental coregulation of photosynthesis genes can even override intracompartmental networks. We conclude that dynamic intracompartmental and intercompartmental transcriptional networks for OEP and OGE genes adjust the activity of organelles in response to the cellular energy state and environmental stresses, and we identify candidate cis-elements involved in the transcriptional coregulation of nuclear genes. Regarding the transcriptional regulation of chloroplast genes, novel tentative target genes of σ factors are identified

Oxidative Stress Resistance: A Robust Correlated Response to Selection in Extended Longevity Lines of \u3ci\u3eDrosophila melanogaster\u3c/i\u3e?

Stress resistance is associated with longevity in Drosophila melanogaster and other model organisms used for genetic research. The present study tests for oxidative stress resistance in one set of lines selected for late-life reproduction and extended longevity. Both females and males from the selected lines were appreciably more resistant to oxidative stress than were flies from the control lines. A relative increase in oxidative stress resistance is a correlated response to selection in this laboratory selection experiment. Increased oxidative stress resistance appears to be a relatively robust correlated response to laboratory selection for late-life reproduction and extended longevity

¿Qué es la tecnopolítica? Esquema conceptual para entender la política en la era digital

En aquest article volem reconsiderar el terme tecnopolítica i veure què significa en la política democràtica dels nostres temps. Comencem indagant l’ús inicial del terme i com aquest s’ha anat transformant per mitjà de les diverses i contradictòries adaptacions de les TIC (tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació) en els òrgans de govern, les organitzacions civils i els moviments populars. En la literatura acadèmica es poden apreciar dues corrents principals. D’una banda, hi ha els estudis sobre la política millorada gràcies a internet (coneguda com a “administració electrònica”) i la Política 2.0, les quals fan referència a la facilitació de pràctiques existents, com la votació electrònica, les campanyes i les peticions per internet. I, d’altra banda, la segona corrent de la perspectiva de la influència d’internet se sustenta en la idea que les TIC són essencials per a l’organització d’una política transformadora i controvertida, la participació ciutadana i els processos deliberatius. Els estudis han utilitzat sovint, amb una o altra etiqueta, idees de la tecnopolítica en termes indefinits o imprecisos per descriure la influència de les tecnologies digitals en el seu àmbit d’investigació. Després de dur a terme una feina crítica de revisió i classificació dels conceptes principals emprats en la literatura per descriure actuacions polítiques basades en les TIC, interpretem un model conceptual de tecnopolítica orientat a dos desenvolupaments contrarotatoris: centralització versus descentralització. És un esquema format per les cinc dimensions context, escala i direcció, propòsit, sincronització i actors. Aclarirem aquests desenvolupaments i estructurarem els modes formals i informals de les pràctiques polítiques. N’explicarem les dimensions fent servir exemples reals per il·lustrar les característiques úniques de cada camp d’acció tecnopolítica i la dinàmica de poders que hi influeixen.In this article we seek to revisit what the term ‘technopolitical’ means for democratic politics in our age. We begin by tracing how the term was used and then transformed through various and conflicting adaptations of ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) in governmental and civil organizations and grassroots movements. Two main streams can be distinguished in academic literature: studies about internet-enhanced politics (labelled as e- government) and politics 2.0 that imply the facilitation of existing practices such as e-voting, e-campaigning and e-petitioning. The second stream of the internet-enabled perspective builds on the idea that ICTs are essential for the organization of transformative, contentious politics, citizen participation and deliberative processes. Under a range of labels, studies have often used ideas of the technopolitical in an undefined or underspecified manner for describing the influence of digital technologies on their scope of investigation. After critically reviewing and categorizing the main concepts used in the literature to describe ICT-based political performances, we construct a conceptual model of technopolitics oriented at two contra-rotating developments: Centralization vs. Decentralization. Within a schema consisting of the five dimensions of context, scale and direction, purpose, synchronization and actors we will clarify these developments and structure informal and formal ways of political practices.  We explain the dimensions using real-world examples to illustrate the unique characteristics of each technopolitical action field and the power dynamics that influence them.                   En este artículo queremos reconsiderar el término "tecnopolítica" y ver qué significa en la política democrática de nuestros tiempos. Comenzamos indagando en el uso inicial del término y cómo se ha ido transformando mediante las distintas y contradictorias adaptaciones de las TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) en los órganos de gobierno, las organizaciones civiles y los movimientos populares. En la literatura académica se pueden apreciar dos corrientes principales. Por un lado, están los estudios sobre la política mejorada gracias a Internet (conocida como "e-gobierno") y la Política 2.0, que apuntan a la facilitación de prácticas existentes como la votación electrónica y las campañas y peticiones en Internet. Y, por otro lado, la segunda corriente de la perspectiva de la influencia de Internet se sustenta en la idea de que las TIC son esenciales para la organización de una política transformadora y contenciosa, la participación ciudadana y los procesos deliberativos. Los estudios han usado a menudo, con una u otra etiqueta, ideas de la tecnopolítica en términos indefinidos o imprecisos para describir la influencia de las tecnologías digitales en su ámbito de investigación. Tras una labor crítica de revisión y clasificación de los principales conceptos empleados en la literatura para describir actuaciones políticas basadas en las TIC, interpretamos un modelo conceptual de tecnopolítica orientado a dos desarrollos contrarrotatorios: Centralización vs. descentralización. En un esquema formado por las cinco dimensiones contexto, escala y dirección, propósito, sincronización y actores, aclararemos estos desarrollos y estructuraremos los modos formales e informales de las prácticas políticas.  Explicamos las dimensiones utilizando ejemplos reales para ilustrar las características únicas de cada campo de acción tecnopolítica y la dinámica de poderes que influyen en ellos