Bargaining over Beauty: The Economics of Contracts in Renaissance Art Markets

We study contracting practices in the market for paintings in Renaissance Italy. Building on insights from the economic analysis of contracts and qualitative analysis of primary sources, we first show that transaction costs threatened the relationship between buyer—the patron—and seller—the painter. We empirically investigate the channels through which transaction costs influenced contracting practices using a novel data set measuring the content and structure of 90 commission documents from the later 13th to the early 16th century. We find strong evidence that patrons used formal contracts to mitigate painters’ opportunism but little evidence that artists’ age-related reputation for honest dealing had a systematic effect on contracting practices

A Multivariate Assessment of Variation Within and Among Ladino White Clover Ecotypes

Some 285 Ladino white clover genotypes selected from four ecotypes were multiplied clonally and evaluated in a replicated pot experiment over one year. Multivariate patterns of variation were depicted by principal component analysis performed on the correlation matrix of five morphophysiological traits, namely petiole length, central leaflet size, head production, number of florets per head and stolon density. Selection was based on high broad sense heritability values of all of these traits. The level of intra-population variation was so high relative to inter-population variation that almost all plant types possibe could be found within each ecotype, although at a variable frequency. Genetic distances between populations, computed as unsquared Euclidean distances between mean values of the ecotypes in the space of the significant PC axes, were consistent (r = 0.87, P \u3c 0.03) with those issued from a previous evaluation in dense, sown plots. The implications of the present findings on collection, preservation and selection activities is discussed

Mythopoiesis And Collective Imagination In Videogames

As videogames become more and more popular, their ability to generate and communicate mythologies (mythopoiesis) appears clearer. Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, and Halo are just a few of the specific transmedial storyworlds created through (relatively few) years of reiteration. At the same time, recent examples of massively diffused products also picture remediations of heritage, folk tales, architecture, and other cultural elements, reaching users of any background. Franchises like Assassin’s Creed, God of War, or Final Fantasy take large inspiration from various cultural heritages. By doing so, video-ludic remediations add to previously shared imaginary some peculiar interactive (ergodic) features: since video games have specific features that imply interaction by (and with) the user, the remediated cultural elements acquire properties that were not present in any previous representation. The interest of this study is to enlighten how it is possible for blockbuster videogames to build over previous archetypes and imaginaries, creating common knowledge about certain cultural objects, myths, and figures, among players on a global scale. The main focus of this research will be Japanese cultural heritage representation in recent popular videogames such as Nioh, Ghost of Tsushima, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In a comparative analysis of these products, the study will try to underline the common elements of blockbuster remediations, while exploring the emerging interactive (ergodic) features that the mentioned videogames add to previously shared imaginary of portrayed cultural elements. Any emerging evidence will then serve to build a tentative framework or method to remediate and represent any given cultural element in future videogame projects that aim to properly communicate heritage on a large scale such as the global digital game market

Selecting Lucerne (Medicago Sativa Complex) for Traits Conferring Adaptation to Grazing

A germplasm collection of the Medicago sativa complex was evaluated to select genotypes possessing traits possibly conferring adaptation to grazing. Deep-crowned plants, either creeping-rooted or rhizomatous, were found with different frequencies, in all “taxonomic” groups examined. Although belonging to subsp. sativa, “mielga” wild populations from Spain were closer to subsp. falcata for morpho-physiological traits. Deep-crowned plants could be categorised into four top-growth models, to which corresponded a fairly distinct underground morphology: three were rhizomatous and one creeping-rooted. Cultivars selected for creeping-rootedness did not outyield rhizomatous populations of subsp. x varia which, in turn, had better spreading ability. In a subsequent evaluation, clones from selected rhizomatous genotypes had higher yield and better spreading ability than those from selected creeping genotypes. Under the given conditions, expression of creeping-rootedness was always erratic. The results point to the opportunity to pay greater attention to rhizomatous types in breeding grazing-tolerant cultivars

Senior Recital:Cassandra E. Stevens, Flute Patricia Foltz, Piano

Kemp Recital Hall Sunday Afternoon April 6, 1997 1:00 p.m

Supraseasonal drought in an Alpine river: Effects on benthic primary production and diatom community

Over the last decades, the ongoing global climate change, combined with consequent increasing water demand for human needs, is causing recurrent droughts in previously perennial streams. These phenomena have been dramatically increasing their extent, with significant repercussions on the entire food web. Consequences of water scarcity are particularly remarkable in mountain streams, where the frequency of droughts is increasing at a rate that does not allow species to adapt. In the present research, we monitored benthic diatom communities within an intermittent Alpine river (Pellice River; North-Western Italy) during the three key phases of its hydrological cycle: i) stable flow ii) lentification iii) rewetting of the riverbed after a supraseasonal drought lasting five months. We tested the response of diatom communities in terms of compositional, structural and functional metrics (primary production, species composition, ecological guilds, life forms and eco-morphological groups) hypothesising both taxonomic and functional changes during the different steps of this hydrological cycle. Significant changes in benthic chlorophyll a occurred in the three hydrological phases. In particular, the relative proportion of the chlorophyll a of the three main autotrophic groups inhabiting the periphyton (namely diatoms, cyanobacteria and green algae) resulted as a reliable metric for the evaluation of the hydrological disturbance. Diatom chlorophyll a significantly decreased during both lentification and drought. The three phases were significantly characterized by different species and functional groups. During the stable flow the low profile (i.e., species of short stature, adapted to high current velocities and low nutrients concentrations) was the most representative guild and Achnanthidium pyrenaicum was the most abundant species; this phase was also characterized by the presence of stalked taxa. We observed a significant decrease of high profile species (i.e., species of tall stature, adapted to high nutrients concentrations and low current velocities) during the lentification phase, which was characterized by taxa belonging to the genera Navicula, Nitzschia and Ulnaria. During the rewetting, small and medium sized high profile diatoms as well as motile ones (i.e., fast moving species) characterized the assemblages. Our results showed that the complete recovery of diatom communities took at least 70 days after water return. The rapid and widespread extension of droughts in the Alpine area will have severe consequences on the river biota, also favouring the spread of invasive taxa. For this reason, outlining patterns of diatom response to droughts and detecting reliable metrics for the evaluation of this specific impact is very urgent and important

Environmental enrichment extends photoreceptor survival and visual function in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa

Slow, progressive rod degeneration followed by cone death leading to blindness is the pathological signature of all forms of human retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Therapeutic schemes based on intraocular delivery of neuroprotective agents prolong the lifetime of photoreceptors and have reached the stage of clinical trial. The success of these approaches depends upon optimization of chronic supply and appropriate combination of factors. Environmental enrichment (EE), a novel neuroprotective strategy based on enhanced motor, sensory and social stimulation, has already been shown to exert beneficial effects in animal models of various disorders of the CNS, including Alzheimer and Huntington disease. Here we report the results of prolonged exposure of rd10 mice, a mutant strain undergoing progressive photoreceptor degeneration mimicking human RP, to such an enriched environment from birth. By means of microscopy of retinal tissue, electrophysiological recordings, visual behaviour assessment and molecular analysis, we show that EE considerably preserves retinal morphology and physiology as well as visual perception over time in rd10 mutant mice. We find that protective effects of EE are accompanied by increased expression of retinal mRNAs for CNTF and mTOR, both factors known as instrumental to photoreceptor survival. Compared to other rescue approaches used in similar animal models, EE is highly effective, minimally invasive and results into a long-lasting retinal protection. These results open novel perspectives of research pointing to environmental strategies as useful tools to extend photoreceptor survival