1,611 research outputs found
Strengthening the accountability of independent regulatory agencies: From performance back to democracy
The autonomy of independent regulatory agencies (IRAs) raises concerns about how to keep them accountable. Remarkably, the process of Europeanisation has led to the emergence of a multilevel regulatory system linking IRAs to national and supranational actors but, on the other side, this process has influenced the capacity to make IRAs accountable. The literature about the accountability deficit of IRAs has tried to address this question, but the interplay between delegation, \u2018multi-levelisation\u2019 and accountability has not been thoroughly investigated yet. Notably, theoretical analysis of IRAs\u2019 accountability in multilevel regulatory environments is still scarce. This article is aimed at contributing to the debate by pointing out that any theoretical discussion about the accountability of IRAs should be framed in normative terms and, precisely, should reconsider a crucial dimension neglected so far, that is, the goals accountability is expected to achieve. The article, in fact, argues that in multilevel regulatory environments the impact of devices adopted to improve the accountability of IRAs is generally weakened by the presence of a \u2018neutral\u2019 idea of accountability, which dilutes its power. The only way to strengthen the effect of accountability is to bring politics and democratic values back into the regulatory process
Fermion Masses at intermediate Tan(beta): Unification of Yukawa Determinants
In the context of the Grand Unified MSSM, we investigate the fermion mass
matrices at GUT scale. We note that from the experimental mass pattern the
determinants of the Yukawa matrices at this scale can be unified with good
precision. Taking the unification o determinants as an hypothesis, it gives two
model independent predictions that in the MSSM turns out to determine an
appropriate value for the product m_d m_s and tan(beta)~7-10 in the favored
range. We then review a predictive model of SU(3) flavour in the context of
supersymmetric SO(10) that nicely implements this mechanism, while explaining
all fermion masses and mixings at 1 sigma level, including neutrino data.Comment: to Appear in the proceedings of "QUARKS-2006
Standard Model and Gravity from Spinors
We propose to unify the Gravity and Standard Model gauge groups by using
algebraic spinors of the standard four-dimensional Clifford algebra, in
left-right symmetric fashion. This generates exactly a Standard Model family of
fermions, and a Pati-Salam unification group emerges, at the Planck scale,
where (chiral) self-dual gravity decouples. As a remnant of the unification,
isospin-triplets spin-two particles may naturally appear at the weak scale,
providing a striking signal at the LHC.Comment: 7 pages, added clarification
Defining and assessing the transformational nature of smart city governance: Insights from four European cases
Smart cities are a new approach to urban development based on the extensive use of information and communication technologies and on the promotion of environmental sustainability, economic development and innovation. The article is aimed at discussing whether the adoption of a smart city approach entails the transformation of existing institutional structures and administrative practices. To this end, four cases of European smart cities are analysed: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Turin and Vienna. The article describes their models of governance, investigates the level of transformation that occurred in their governmental structures, outlines the main drawbacks and identifies possible connections with the emergent paradigm of the New Public Governance
Three dimensional large N monopole gas
We study the large N limit in the presence of magnetic monopoles in the
Yang-Mills/Higgs model in three dimensions. The physics in the limit depends
strongly on the distribution of eigenvalues of the Higgs field in the vacuum,
and we propose a particular, nondegenerate configuration. It minimizes the free
energy at the moment of symmetry breaking. Given this, the magnetic monopoles
show a wide hierarchy of masses, and some are vanishing as 1/N. The dilute gas
picture, then, provides an interesting structure in the large N limit.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figures, changes in style, organization and small errors
correcte
Co-production for innovation: the urban living lab experience
Urban Living Labs (ULLs) are public spaces where local authorities engage citizens to develop innovative urban services. Their strength and popularity stem from a methodology based on open innovation, experimentation, and citizen engagement. Although the ULL methodology is supposed to largely adopt a co-production approach, connections between the two have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The paper seeks to fill this gap by examining through a qualitative analysis three experiences of ULLs made in Amsterdam, Boston and Turin. Specifically, the paper aims to assess whether ULLs can be really conceptualised as a form of co-production and, if so, which elements characterised them as innovative in comparison to \u2018mainstreaming\u2019 co-production; Then it analyses benefits and drawbacks related to their implementation
Graviweak Unification
The coupling of chiral fermions to gravity makes use only of the selfdual
SU(2) subalgebra of the (complexified) SO(3,1) algebra. It is possible to
identify the antiselfdual subalgebra with the SU(2)_L isospin group that
appears in the Standard Model, or with its right-handed counterpart SU(2)_R
that appears in some extensions. Based on this observation, we describe a form
of unification of the gravitational and weak interactions. We also discuss
models with fermions of both chiralities, the inclusion strong interactions,
and the way in which these unified models of gravitational and gauge
interactions avoid conflict with the Coleman-Mandula theorem.Comment: 18 pages, typos corrected and improved wordin
Temperature Overloads in Power Grids Under Uncertainty: a Large Deviations Approach
The advent of renewable energy has huge implications for the design and
control of power grids. Due to increasing supply-side uncertainty, traditional
reliability constraints such as strict bounds on current, voltage and
temperature in a transmission line have to be replaced by computationally
demanding chance constraints. In this paper we use large deviations techniques
to study the probability of current and temperature overloads in power grids
with stochastic power injections, and develop corresponding safe capacity
regions. In particular, we characterize the set of admissible power injections
such that the probability of overloading of any line over a given time interval
stays below a fixed target. We show how enforcing (stochastic) constraints on
temperature, rather than on current, results in a less conservative approach
and can thus lead to capacity gains.Comment: 12 pages (10 pages + 2 pages appendix), 2 figures. Revised version
with extended numerical sectio
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