Theories of Technological Progress and the British Textile Industry from Kay to Cartwright

Editada en la Fundación Empresa PúblicaLa industria textil británica continúa en el centro del debate sobre la revolución industrial. Las innovaciones técnicas en el período produjeron una aceleración extraordinaria del crecimiento del output y una considerable reducción de los precios de los tejidos. En este trabajo presentamos un estudio de la comunidad de los inventores responsables de la transformación tecnológica, lo que nos permite alcanzar una serie de conclusiones nuevas sobre el ritmo y dirección de la actividad innovadora durante la revolución industrialThe cotton textile industry remains central to all accounts of the first industrial revolution. Innovations in this period precipitated an extraordinary acceleration in the growth of output and a steep decline in the cost of producing all varieties of cloth. In this paper we outline an explanation through an analysis of the community of inventors responsible for the technological transformation, which enables us to offer some generalizations of the pace and pattern of the inventive activity in this period.Publicad

From The Med to The World

Seagoing Ships and Seamanship in the Bronze Age Levant, by Shelley Wachsmann; Homeric Seafaring, by Samuel Mark; Byzantine Warship vs Arab Warship, 7th–11th Centuries, by Angus Konsta

The Relationship Between Cadets who prefer Gangsta or Hip Hop Attire and Their Academic Performance

The following goals were used to direct this research: 1. Determine level of importance of academic excellence within this population; 2. Determine the importance of peer influence with regard to academic success within this population; 3. Determine post secondary school aspirations of members of this population; 4. Determine academic success of members of this populatio

The influence of locally applied platelet-derived growth factor-BB on free tendon graft remodeling after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Titelblatt, Inhaltsverzeichnis, Anhänge, Danksagungen, Lebenslauf, Eigenständigkeitserklärung Einleitung und Zielstellung Literaturteil Material und Methoden Ergebnisse Diskussion Zusammenfassung Summary LiteraturBeim Menschen ist die Verletzung des vorderen Kreuzbandes (VKB) das häufigste Trauma des Kniegelenkes. Sie wird mangels Spontanheilung zunehmend durch eine Rekonstruktion mit Hilfe autologer Sehnentransplantate versorgt. Entgegen dem bekannten positiven Einfluss von platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) bei der Wundheilung, wurde dies bei der Heilung eines freien Sehnentransplantates bisher nicht nachgewiesen. Ziel der Arbeit war es, elektronenmikroskopisch den Einfluss von PDGF-BB auf die strukturelle Transformation und Wiederherstellung eines freien Sehnentransplantates nach einer Rekonstruktion des VKB in vivo zu untersuchen. Dazu wurde bei 48 ausgewachsenen Schafen das VKB durch ein Transplantat aus der Endsehne des M. flexor digitalis superficialis ersetzt. Die Tiere wurden in acht Gruppen eingeteilt, von denen vier als Kontrollgruppen und vier als Versuchsgruppen dienten, in deren Transplantate lokal 60 µg PDGF-BB appliziert wurde. Je zwei Gruppen wurden 3, 6, 12 und 24 Wochen post op. eingeschläfert. Anschliessend wurden transmissionselektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen von Transplantatquerschnitten vorgenommen. Nach standardisierter Materialaufarbeitung wurden von jeder Probe sechs Fotografien angefertigt, die digital auf 80.000 vergrössert und danach ebenfalls digital ausgewertet wurden. Als Messparameter dienten die Anzahl kollagener Fibrillen/µm2, der Fibrillendurchmesser, die Fibrillenfläche/µm2 und die Verteilung der verschiedenen Fibrillendurchmesser. Bänder und Sehnen unterscheiden sich strukturell und mechanisch voneinander. Ultrastrukturell unterschieden sich die beiden Gewebe signifikant nur in der Fibrillenfläche bei ansonsten ähnlichen Messparametern. Deshalb wird die Flexorsehne auch aus transmissionselektronen-mikroskopischer Sicht als geeignetes VKB-Ersatzgewebe erachtet. Die in der Studie als VKB-Ersatz eingesetzte Flexorsehne zeigte biomechanisch eine deutlich höhere Versagenskraft als das native VKB. Ultrastrukturell erfolgte die Transformation der Flexorsehne nach ihrer Transplantation in VKB-Position überwiegend in den ersten 12 Wochen post op. Innerhalb der ersten sechs Wochen post op. war sie durch einen weitgehenden Strukturverlust des Transplantates, Verringerung der Fibrillenanzahl, Zunahme des Fibrillendurchmessers und der Fibrillenfläche gekennzeichnet. Die Verteilung der Fibrillendurchmesser hatte sich in Richtung der Fibrillen mit einem Durchmesser > 140 nm verschoben. Anschliessend folgte eine Restrukturierungsphase, die sich durch eine signifikante Steigerung der Fibrillenanzahl, Verringerung des Fibrillendurchmessers und der Fibrillenfläche bei absoluter Dominanz der dünnen Fibrillen mit einem Durchmesser von 20-60 nm auszeichnete. Was die Wirkung des applizierten PDGF angeht, so waren die strukturellen Veränderungen bei den Kontroll- und Versuchsgruppen grundsätzlich ähnlich, wobei die Transplantate 24 Wochen post op. die morphologischen Eigenschaften des intakten VKB noch nicht erlangt hatten. Der wesentliche Unterschied lag in der um drei Wochen früheren Restrukturierung und einer nach 12 Wochen signifikant höheren Fibrillenanzahl der Transplantate aus den PDGF-behandelten Versuchsgruppen. Die Unterschiede zwischen den PDGF-behandelten und den Kontrolltransplantaten, lassen auf eine förderliche Wirkung von PDGF schliessen. Flankierende Untersuchungen der Arbeitsgruppe hinsichtlich biomechanischem Verhalten und histologischen Veränderungen des Transplantates im Zeitverlauf bestätigten die eigenen ultrastrukturellen Beobachtungen in den Grundaussagen. Um die Wirksamkeit von PDGF, seine Konzentration und Kinetik sowie die Wirkung von PDGF alleine oder in Kombination mit anderen Wachstumsfaktoren bei der Transplantatheilung in vivo noch genauer zu verfolgen, müssen noch weitere Studien durchgeführt werden. Insgesamt zeigte sich jedoch, dass die lokale Applikation von PDGF sich positiv, wenn auch nicht stark ausgeprägt auf die Transplantatheilung auswirkte und der Einsatz dieses Wachstumsfaktors Möglichkeiten eröffnet, speziell in der frühen postoperativen Phase, die strukturellen und mechanischen Eigenschaften eines Kreuzbandersatzes zu verbessern.Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most frequent trauma of the knee joint in humans. Due to its inability to heal spontaneously, surgical treatment of ACL injuries is constantly increasing. Although the positive influence of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on wound healing has been proved, up to date there is no data of its influence on the healing of a free tendon graft. The objective of the study was to electron microscopically evaluate the effect of PDGF-BB on the structural transformation and recovery of a free tendon graft after ACL reconstruction in vivo. In 48 sheep with skeletally mature hindlegs, the ACL was reconstructed using the superficial digital flexor tendon. The animals were divided into eight groups four of which served as control groups and four served as study groups. The grafts of the study groups received a local dose of 60 µg of PDGF-BB. Two groups each were sacrificed 3, 6, 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively. Subsequently, electron microscopical evaluation of cross sections of midsubstance graft tissue samples was performed. Following standardized sample processing, six photomicrographs of randomly selected areas were taken and digitally analyzed at a magnification of 80,000. The following parameters were determined: total number of collagen fibrils/µm2, fibril diameter, fibril area/µm2 and distribution of the different fibril diameters within the graft. Ligaments and grafts are structurally and mechanically different. With regard to ultrastructure, only the fibril area/µm2 of the two tissues was significantly different, whereas all other parameters were similar. The flexor tendon used in this study presented a significantly higher failure load compared to the intact ACL. Based on these findings, also from an electron microscopical point of view, the digital flexor tendon is considered to be a suitable graft for ACL reconstruction. Ultrastructurally, after reconstruction of the ACL, transformation of the flexor tendon graft took place primarily in the first 12 weeks postoperatively. Within the first six weeks, it was characterized by a large structural loss, decrease in number of fibrils, increase in fibril diameter and fibril area. Distribution of the different fibril diameters had shifted towards fibrils > 140 nm. This phase of degeneration was followed by a phase of regeneration, characterized by a significant increase in numbers of collagen fibrils, decrease in fibril diameter and fibril area, and absolute dominance of thin fibrils with a diameter of 20-60 nm. In terms of PDGF application, the structural alterations of the graft after ACL reconstruction was similar in both groups, however, the graft had not reached the morphological features of a the native ACL. The most striking difference between the control and study groups was the fact that the latter one underwent reconstruction three weeks earlier and presented a significantly higher number of collagen fibrils 12 weeks post surgically compared to the control groups. The differences between the study and control groups suggested a positive, albeit not very pronounced influence of PDGF on graft healing. Accompanying evaluations of the research group in terms of biomechanical and histological changes of the graft post surgically, confirmed the fundamental assertions of the own ultrastructural results. In order to more accurately assess the potency of PDGF, its concentration and kinetics as well as its effectiveness alone or in combination with other growth factors on graft healing in vivo, further studies will have to be done. In conclusion it can be stated, however, that the local application of PDGF had a positive influence on graft healing and especially in the early postoperative healing phase, this growth factor provides opportunities, to enhance the structural and mechanical characteristics of a reconstructed ACL

Tortious Tweets: A Practical Guide to Applying Traditional Defamation Law to Twibel Claims

The article discusses certain actions and defenses related to Twitter, an online social networking service, and its features which can help in defamation analysis. It explores the ways in which Twitter can be used and discusses measures to resolve claims related to Twibel, a concept which has been introduced to fight people who abuse the power of Twitter. It reflects on the revision of current defamation framework and discusses application of traditional considerations to Twibel claims

Taxes and Ability to Pay in Municipal Bankruptcy

Scholars and commentators have argued that municipalities can and should use bankruptcy to shed unwanted liabilities, particularly employee healthcare and pension commitments. Courts increasingly have agreed: Detroit’s approved bankruptcy plan cut pensions, and the bankruptcy court overseeing the bankruptcy of Stockton, California brought down barriers to pension-cutting. Both courts found their way around state provisions arguably protecting municipal pensions. Now that pension-cutting in bankruptcy has momentum, we can expect to hear arguments for using bankruptcy not just in cases like Detroit and Stockton where the municipality cannot meet all its obligations, but also in cases where residents or politicians come to regret municipal promises to workers. This Article presents the most sustained, straightforward, and comprehensive argument to date that existing law requires bankruptcy courts to provide relief only when municipalities are reasonably unable to meet their obligations. The legislative history of the municipal bankruptcy statutes consistently sounds this theme, and judicial precedents are in agreement. Congress did not provide a clear standard for courts to apply when looking at tax levels in municipal bankruptcy. Although the legislative history and case law provide some support for the proposition that municipalities should be required to tax at the level that maximizes revenue, the Article suggests a more moderate criterion: absent a compelling explanation, courts could require that a municipality tax at the top of its peer group as a condition of bankruptcy eligibility and plan confirmation

Constitutionalized Consent: Preemption of State Tax Limits in Municipal Bankruptcy

Many states impose absolute limits on municipal taxes, such as a one percent maximum property tax. States also commonly require electoral approval of municipal taxes. California\u27s Proposition 13 is the best-known example of such state-imposed requirements. Such restrictions reduce municipal flexibility in dealing with financial distress and may contribute to municipal financial distress

Credit Ratings in Insurance Regulation: The Missing Piece of Financial Reform

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 directed federal financial regulators to remove credit ratings from their rules, but had nothing to say about the use of credit ratings by state insurance regulators. This omission is significant because insurers own nearly twice as many foreign, corporate, and municipal bonds as banks do. During the 2000s, state insurance regulators came to rely increasingly on rating agencies rather than the regulators’ in-house valuation office to assess the credit risks of these holdings. After the perceived widespread failure of ratings in the crisis, the insurance regulators did undertake a review of their use of ratings in regulation. This review, which has been going on for over two years, does not seem to be on a path to eliminate the use of credit ratings in insurance regulation. The one decisive action regulators have taken in this area, ceasing reliance on credit ratings on mortgage-backed securities in favor of a standard more favorable to the industry, seems to be an example of what I call a rule bailout —an ad hoc regulatory rule change to benefit a struggling industry during a crisis. The increasing dependence on outsourced credit ratings under industry pressure during a boom, rule bailout during a crisis, and subsequent reconsideration of the use of credit ratings suggests a political cycle of financial regulation, in which significant reform is feasible only in the aftermath of crisis. This cycle complicates several leading technical proposals for improving capital regulation and may limit what we can expect from the project of financial regulation generally

Interview with Patrick Hunt by Mike Hastings

Biographical NotePatrick E. Hunt was born on August 19, 1946, in Bangor, Maine, and grew up in Island Falls with his parents, Theodore E. Hunt and Margaret I. Doherty, and his three sisters. Theodore attended Husson College, and operated a restaurant in Island Falls until the 1960s, when he became the village postmaster; Margaret was from Boston, a graduate of Charlestown High School, and of Irish descent from Clonmany County, Donegal. Patrick attended Ricker College, entered the Army in 1968, and served in Korea; he completed his degree in economics at Ricker in 1971. Subsequently, he joined the Drug Enforcement Administration of the United States Department of Justice in Massachusetts, attending evening law school courses, before returning to Island Falls in 1983 to start his own law practice. He was still practicing there at the time of this interview. SummaryInterview includes discussion of: family and educational background; Island Falls, Maine, community; Ed Muskie’s ideas for economic improvements; Drug Enforcement Administration; George Mitchell as U.S. attorney; politic aspects of U.S. Attorney’s Office; family background and Joe Doherty’s Northern Ireland story; George Mitchell’s work in Northern Ireland; thoughts on George Mitchell as president; and politics and economics in Aroostook County

Taxes and Ability to Pay in Municipal Bankruptcy

Scholars and commentators have argued that municipalities can and should use bankruptcy to shed unwanted liabilities, particularly employee healthcare and pension commitments. Courts increasingly have agreed: Detroit’s approved bankruptcy plan cut pensions, and the bankruptcy court overseeing the bankruptcy of Stockton, California brought down barriers to pension-cutting. Both courts found their way around state provisions arguably protecting municipal pensions. Now that pension-cutting in bankruptcy has momentum, we can expect to hear arguments for using bankruptcy not just in cases like Detroit and Stockton where the municipality cannot meet all its obligations, but also in cases where residents or politicians come to regret municipal promises to workers. This Article presents the most sustained, straightforward, and comprehensive argument to date that existing law requires bankruptcy courts to provide relief only when municipalities are reasonably unable to meet their obligations. The legislative history of the municipal bankruptcy statutes consistently sounds this theme, and judicial precedents are in agreement. Congress did not provide a clear standard for courts to apply when looking at tax levels in municipal bankruptcy. Although the legislative history and case law provide some support for the proposition that municipalities should be required to tax at the level that maximizes revenue, the Article suggests a more moderate criterion: absent a compelling explanation, courts could require that a municipality tax at the top of its peer group as a condition of bankruptcy eligibility and plan confirmation