Naughty or nice? Punishment and the interaction of formal and informal incentives in long-term contractual relationships

The paper develops a model of repeated interaction between a buyer and a seller, which is then tested via laboratory experiments. The model allows for both formal and informal incentives in the contractual relationship between the parties. Formal incentives are explicit, performance-conditioned obligations enforced by third parties, such as a binding bonus paid for meeting an objectively measurable criterion. Informal incentives are non-binding promises to reward good performance. Although they are not enforced by external institutions, parties engaged in long-term interactions have incentives to “keep their words” about these promises and such payments can provide motivation for desirable performance. The current literature posits that these two types of incentives can function either as complements, so that joint use leads to better outcomes than either alone, or as substitutes, so that the availability of formal incentives may actually undermine the effectiveness of informal incentives. This study uses laboratory experiments to provide a rigorous test of hypotheses about the interaction of these incentives. The observed results suggest that the complementarity effect occurs in certain situations, but that the substitution effect does not occur as predicted, possibly because people do not punish transgressions in the manner that the theoretical model assumes.Relational contracts, experimental economics

Virtual collaboration: A Phenomenological Study of Remote Online Adjuncts Virtual Collaboration Lived Experiences

Online education is rapidly growing in higher education. To stay competitive, many colleges and universities have begun to offer online classes. Some institutions even offer complete degree programs online. This has left colleges needing to hire more part-time remote adjuncts to fill the fluctuating number of available courses. Because remote online adjuncts are susceptible to isolation, the need has arisen to study the benefits and barriers of virtual collaboration. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to examine the virtual collaboration lived experiences of remote online adjuncts. The study helped unveil the motives and lived experiences of virtual collaboration among online adjuncts. The current research is sparse when narrowed down to the population of remote online adjuncts. Because remote online adjuncts are a specific population of professors, the barriers and benefits to virtual collaboration may be different from faculty who work full-time in a brick and mortar building. Because virtual collaboration among remote online adjuncts is not pervasive in the current literature, the phenomenological approach allowed the searching of patterns across participants. The central question asked: What effective virtual collaboration lived experiences are remote online adjuncts using to influence their teaching strategies to develop as professionals? The interview replies from 10 remote online adjuncts created the significant statements about virtual collaboration. The composite description revealed nine themes about how participants experience virtual collaboration. The study suggests that higher education leaders would be well served to focus their efforts on leadership that will promote virtual collaboration practices. It is advisable that higher education leaders look for ways to provide leadership to connect collaborators, create opportunities for collaboration, and define clear roles for virtual collaboration. Remote online adjuncts may find camaraderie, social connections, an opportunity to participate in scholarship, a chance for self-reflection, and develop a sense of pride through virtual collaboration. Barriers that must be overcome for virtual collaboration included trust, a lack of time, and a feeling of pressure to participate

Studies on diversity and coexistence in an experimental microbial community

Biodiversity and the coexistence of species have puzzled and fascinated biologists since decades and is a hotspot in todays’ natural sciences. Preserving this biodiversity is a great challenge as habitats and environments underlying tremendous changes like climate change and the loss of natural habitats, which are mainly due to anthropogenic influences. The coexistence of numerous species even in homogeneous environments is a stunning feature of natural communities and has been summarized under the term ‘paradox of plankton’. Up to now, there are several mechanisms discussed, which may contribute to local and global diversity of organisms. Several interspecific trade offs have been identified maintaining the coexistence of species like their abilities regarding competition and predator avoidance, their capability to disperse in space and time, and their ability to exploit variable resources. Further, micro-evolutionary dynamics supporting the coexistence of species have been added to our knowledge, and deriving from theoretical deterministic models, non-linear dynamics which describe the temporal fluctuation of abundances of organisms. Whereas competition and predation seem to be clue structural elements within interacting organisms, the intrinsic dynamic behavior – by means of temporal changes in abundance - plays an important role regarding coexistence within a community. The present work sheds light on different factors affecting the coexistence of species using experimental microbial model systems consisting of a bacterivorous ciliate as the predator and two bacteria strains as prey organism. Additionally, another experimental setup consisting of two up to five bacteria species competing for one limiting resource was investigated. Highly controllable chemostat systems were established to exclude extrinsic disturbances. According to theoretical analyses I was able to show - experimentally and theoretically - that phenotypic plasticity of one species within a microbial one-predator-two-prey food web enlarges the range of possible coexistence of all species under different dynamic conditions, compared to a food web without phenotypic plasticity. This was accompanied by non-linear (chaotic) population dynamics within all experimental systems showing phenotypic plasticity. The experiments on the interplay of competition, predation and invasion showed that all aspects have an influence on species coexistence. Under undisturbed controlled conditions all aspects were analyzed in detail and in combination. Populations showed oscillations which were shown by quasi-chaotic attractors in phase space diagrams. Competition experiments with two up to five bacteria species competing for one limiting resource showed that all organisms were able to coexist which was mediated by species oscillations entering a regime of chaos. Besides that fact it was found, that the productivity (biomass) as well as the total cell numbers – under the same nutrition supply – increased by an increasing number of species in the experimental systems. Up to now, the occurrence of non-linear dynamics in well controlled experimental studies has been recognized several times and this phenomenon seemed to be more common in natural systems than generally assumed

Nonpoint Source Abatement Costs in the Kentucky River Watershed

A growing share of water pollution in the U.S. can be attributed to nonpoint sources (USEPA 2002). Some of this trend can be attributed to declining point source (PS) emissions as a result of regulation under the Clean Water Act (CWA). However, fertilizer-intensive practices used to improve agricultural productivity over recent decades have also increased nitrate loads and resulted in water quality impairments. Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution from agricultural practices is generally exempt from federal regulation. However, some voluntary programs allow point sources subject to the CWA’s effluent limitations to meet their standards by purchasing offset credits reflecting reductions in NPS discharges to the same waters (USEPA 2004). Such water quality trading (WQT) programs have been implemented in a number of states to reduce pollution abatement costs (Breetz et al 2004). In this setting, NPS supply pollution abatement when they implement best management practices (BMP) that reduce nutrient loads, and the cost of BMPs form a supply curve for credits. WQT programs are supported by the EPA as an important means for efficiently pursuing water quality goals (USEPA 2003a). Among the BMPs available for water quality management, riparian buffer strips have proven effective in mitigating the movement of nutrients and other pollutants into surface waters (Qiu et al 2006). Estimates of riparian buffer costs would be valuable for developing policy related to WQT and other conservation programs. This paper estimates the annual costs of buffer strips in six counties in the Lower Kentucky River Basin, as part of a project evaluating the feasibility of WQT programs in that area.Environmental Economics and Policy,

Extending the frontiers of mass spectrometric instrumentation and methods

Ion mobility coupled to mass spectrometry is fast becoming a common tool to analyze biological systems. A novel ion trap — ion mobility — mass spectrometer was characterized primarily using ubiquitin, cytochrome c, and YbhB proteins. The time resolved protein ion heating between the ion trap and drift tube is described. Besides the novel instrument, mass spectrometric methods were developed for the rapid analysis of coal using direct analysis in real time

Idiopathic Gastroparesis: Lifestyle Modifications Versus Pharmacotherapy

Idiopathic gastroparesis is a chronic symptomatic motility disorder of the stomach of unknown cause characterized by delayed gastric emptying in the absence of mechanical obstruction, with the majority of gastroparesis cases being classified as idiopathic. Idiopathic gastroparesis continues to be a challenging diagnosis to manage and difficulty remains in treating associated symptoms that result in decreased quality of life. Current non-invasive recommendations for the treatment of idiopathic gastroparesis are lifestyle modifications, including dietary adjustments to follow a gastroparesis diet, and pharmacotherapy prescribed for symptomatic relief. Metoclopramide is currently the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States specifically for the indication of treating gastroparesis. Other medications are prescribed off-label for the indication of idiopathic gastroparesis or are prescribed to target specific symptoms. Response to treatment is both individualized and unpredictabe, ad edicai ide-effects may necessitate discontinuance. In the treatment of adults with idiopathic gastroparesis, it has been concluded that lifestylemodifications, pharmacotherapy, or both may improve, eliminate or fail to improve the symptoms of nausea, vomiting, early satiety, and poor appetite. Ultimately, risks and benefits of each option need to be discussed and shared decision-making needs to occur to establish a treatment regimen and management plan for patients with idiopathic gastroparesis

Efficient Compensation for Regulatory Takings and Oregon's Measure 37

Replaced with revised version of paper 08/03/07.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

The secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA: a missing link between inflammation, activated renin-angiotensin system, and atherogenesis?

Inflammation, lipid peroxidation and chronic activation of the rennin – angiotensin system (RAS) are hallmarks of the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have suggested the involvement of the pro-inflammatory secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-IIA in atherogenesis. This enzyme is produced by different cell types through stimulation by pro-inflammatory cytokines. It is detectable in the intima and in media smooth muscle cells, not only in atherosclerotic lesions but also in the very early stages of atherogenesis. sPLA2-IIA can hydrolyse the phospholipid monolayers of low density lipoproteins (LDL). Such modified LDL show increased affinity to proteoglycans. The modified particles have a greater tendency to aggregate and an enhanced ability to insert cholesterol into cells. This modification may promote macrophage LDL uptake leading to the formation of foam cells. Furthermore, sPLA2-IIA is not only a mediator for localized inflammation but may be also used as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndromes. An interaction between activated RAS and phospholipases has been indicated by observations showing that inhibitors of sPLA2 decrease angiotensin (Ang) II-induced macrophage lipid peroxidation. Meanwhile, various interactions between Ang II and oxLDL have been demonstrated suggesting a central role of sPLA2-IIA in these processes and offering a possible target for treatment. The role of sPLA2-IIA in the perpetuation of atherosclerosis appears to be the missing link between inflammation, activated RAS and lipidperoxidation