Assessing the Economic Gains from Telecom Competition

This paper develops and simulates a dynamic model of strategic telecom competition. The goal is to understand how regulatory policy, particularly relative to lease charges for local network elements, affects telecom competition, investment, retail prices, and consumer welfare. The model assumes two products, local voice service and data (broadband), and three types of players the regional Bell operating companies, referred to as incumbent local exchange carriers (ILECs), cable companies (Cables), and competitive local exchange carriers (CLECs). The game begins with a) ILECs established in each county with respect to the provision of local voice and data services and b) Cables established in roughly half of the counties with respect to the provision of data.There are one-time fixed costs of entering a county, product- and period-specific costs of operating in a county, and marginal costs of supplying each product. Economies of scope reduce the fixed entry and operating costs of supplying both products in a given county at a given point in time. Finally, in supplying telecom services in a given county, CLECs may enter by leasing ILEC infrastructure at specified access rates. The requirement that ILECs allow CLECs to lease their local network facilities was established in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 as part of a quid pro quo that promised ILECs entry into the long distance market. But the ILECs continue to contest the quid. The ILECs support their position by suggesting that leased access reduces telecom investment and output and raises telecom prices. Our model considers the entire range of options available to each of the players, but it reaches the opposite conclusion. Indeed, we find thatif UNE-P rates were set at the Supreme Court-approved total element long-run incremental cost (TELRIC) levels, telecom investment and employment outlays would increase by over one fifth in counties containing the majority of the U.S. population and by over 30 percent in counties containing almost a third of the population. The present value of telecom outlays over the next 5 and 20 years would rise by $71 billion and$155 billion, respectively. On average, the switch from actual to TELRIC UNE rates would lower local phone rates across the country's 3108 counties by $57 per year, generating annual total savings to consumers of$15 billion. Almost two fifths of the population would experience reductions in local phone rates of 20 percent or more. Over one fifth would experience rate reductions of 30 percent or more. These findings of price reductions are based on a fairly conservative parameterization of our model with respect to the specification of true ILEC and CLEC incremental long-run production costs.

Taxonomic significance of palynomorphological characteristics of selected Centranthus (Caprifoliaceae) species

Pollen morphology of herbarium specimens of four Centranthus species (C. ruber, C. longiflorus, C. kellereri and C. calcitrapae) was studied using LM and SEM. The research aim was to provide data on their pollen characteristics and to evaluate the taxonomic value of these data for species-specific identification. Pollen grains are tricolpate, suboblate to prolate (P/E = 0.81–1.42); medium- or large-sized (P = 49.21–90.44 µm; E = 43.89–93.10 µm). Colpi are long or medium-length, wide at equator, tapered to acute or obtuse ends. Exine sculpture is echinate-microechinate-nanoechinate; echini (1.00–1.39 µm high) and microechini (0.55–0.98 µm) are conical, with straight or convex sides and acute apices, nanoechini are 0.22–0.46 µm high. Most important characters of taxa diagnostic at species level for the taxonomy are: size of pollen and colpi, exine structure, size of echini and microechini, and pattern of tectum in areas between echini. Pollen grains of C. calcitrapae and C. macrosiphon (sect. Calcitrapa) are generally smaller in size than grains of C. ruber, C. longiflorus and C. kellereri (sect. Centranthus). Pollen of C. kellereri was analysed for the first time in the current study

A CLINICAL CASE OF PULMONARY NOCARDIOSIS IN AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENT

Nocardia microorganisms are saprophytes, either non-pathogenic or pathogenic, causing nocardiosis. The clinically significant disease  occurs in immunocompromised people, most often as pneumonia with cough, dyspnea, and fever. Antibiotic therapy, which is longer in time, is necessary. The main treatment is with sulfonamides, but the sensitivity of these bacteria varies. Therefore, the antibiotic susceptibility of the respective strain is important to apply combined therapy if needed. The risk of death without treatment is high, especially if the infection disseminates and the brain is involved. Antibacterial prophylaxis is therefore recommended in patients at high risk of nocardiosis. Our clinical case concerns an immunocompromised patient with isolated Nocardia from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)

Год Болгарии в России: новости из Санкт-Петербургского университета

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Estimation of relatedness among non-pedigreed Yakutian cryo-bank bulls using molecular data : implications for conservation and breed management

v2010okAbstrac

А.Липовска. Русско-болгарская лексикография: традиции и тенденции развития

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Cytokines in Inflamed Mucosa of IBD Patients

Cells of the innate and the adaptive immune system have been identified as the key players in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis, and the cytokines are central components of the inflammatory pathways that take place in the gut mucosa during the active and chronic phases of IBD. The effector cell response is largely determined by the type of cytokines that predominate in the intestinal mucosa. Here we describe the main cytokine players in intestinal inflammation during IBD—related to innate immune responses (tumor necrosis factor α—TNFα), TNF-like cytokine 1A, IL-8), and related to adaptive immune responses—Th1 (IL-1β, IL-18, IFNγ, IL-12), Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-11, IL-33), Th17 (IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IL-25, IL-27), cytokines required for Th17 development (IL-6, TGFβ, IL-23), anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and Tregs along with IL-2. Recently described innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) could also be potential sources of IFN-γ, TNF, IL-5, IL-13, IL-17, and IL-22. The effects of cytokines in the gut are described in conjunction with the clinical implication and available biologic therapy. The data in the literature and our own results make us believe that in order to achieve immune homeostasis in the gut, pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses that define the mucosal cell immunophenotype should achieve balance

Whole-Genome Sequencing of Three Native Cattle Breeds Originating From the Northernmost Cattle Farming Regions

article 728201

Evaluating an Interspecific Helianthus annuus × Helianthus nuttallii Line for Use in Sunflower Breeding Program

Interspecific cross was made between the common sunflower inbred line HA89 and an accession of wild Helianthus nuttallii (2n=2x=34) resistant to the most harmful disease complex and tolerant to drought and high temperature. The recombinant inbred line was a BC1F15 progeny. The most remarkable feature observed was the vigorous plant habit that manifests itself in measurable morphological characters such as increment plant height, stem diameter and diameter of the head. The line was non-branched (monocephalic) without anthocyanin pigmentation and possessed good agronomic characteristics. Along with the morphological and reproductive traits, some biochemical characteristics related to antioxidant activity were associated to wide hybridization. The overall characteristics of HA-Hnutt line make it a useful plant material for research on interspecific hybridization in Helianthus genus

Estimation of breed contributions to present and future genetic diversity of 44 North Eurasian cattle breeds using core set diversity measures

v2006o