Law, Politics and Financial Development: The Great Reversal of the U.K. Corporate Debt Market

This article examines the role of creditor protection in the development of the U.K. corporate bond market. This market grew rapidly in the late nineteenth century, but in the twentieth century it experienced a reversal, albeit with a short-lived post-1945 renaissance. Such was the extent of the reversal that the market from the 1970s onwards was smaller than it had been in 1870. We find that law does not explain the variation in the size of this market over time. Alternatively, our evidence suggests that inflation and taxation policies were major drivers of this market in the post-1945 era. Copyright © The Economic History Association 2013

Preliminary Report of the 1 field season at Gubbio.:Malone, C.A.T. and S.K.F. Stoddart,

Xerox circulation to sponsors. Cambridge University.

Review of: Tykot, R.H. and Andrews, T.K. 1992. Sardinia: a footprint in the sea: studies in Sardinian Archaeology presented to Miriam Balmuth. Sheffield Academic Press

Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 1994. 60: p. 455-6.

K-Theory of Azumaya Algebras over Schemes

Let X be a connected, noetherian scheme and A{script} be a sheaf of Azumaya algebras on X, which is a locally free O{script}-module of rank a. We show that the kernel and cokernel of K(X) ? K(A{script}) are torsion groups with exponent a for some m and any i = 0, when X is regular or X is of dimension d with an ample sheaf (in this case m = d + 1). As a consequence, K(X, Z/m) ? K(A{script}, Z/m), for any m relatively prime to a. © 2013 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.

The Role of K+ and Cl- Channels in the Regulation of Retinal Arteriolar Tone and Blood Flow

Purpose: This study tested the role of K(+)- and Cl(-)-channels in retinal arteriolar smooth muscle in the regulation of retinal blood flow.

Methods: Studies were carried out in adult Male Hooded Lister rats. Selectivity of ion channel blockers was established using electrophysiological recordings from smooth muscle in isolated arterioles under voltage clamp conditions. Leukocyte velocity and retinal arteriolar diameters were measured in anesthetised animals using leukocyte fluorography and fluorescein angiography imaging with a confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope. These values were used to estimate volumetric flow, which was compared between control conditions and following intravitreal injections of ion channel blockers, either alone or in combination with the vasoconstrictor potent Endothelin 1 (Et1).

Results: Voltage activated K(+)-current (IKv) was inhibited by correolide, large conductance (BK) Ca(2+)-activated K(+)-current (IKCa) by Penitrem A, and Ca(2+)-activated Cl(-)-current (IClCa) by disodium 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS). Intravitreal injections (10µl) of DIDS (estimated intraocular concentration 10mM) increased flow by 22%, whereas the BK-blockers Penitrem A (1µM) and iberiotoxin (4µM), and the IKv-inhibitor correolide (40µM) all decreased resting flow by approximately 10%. Et1 (104nM) reduced flow by almost 65%. This effect was completely reversed by DIDS but was unaffected by Penitrem A, iberiotoxin or correolide.

Conclusions: These results suggest that Cl(-)-channels in retinal arteriolar smooth muscle limit resting blood flow and play an obligatory role in Et1 responses. K(+)-channel activity promotes basal flow but exerts little modifying effect on the Et1 response. Cl(-)-channels may be appropriate molecular targets in retinal pathologies characterised by increased Et1 activity and reduced blood flow.

In vitro bactericidal activity of diterpenoids isolated from Aframomum melegueta K.Schum against strains of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus

Ethnopharmacological relevance: The ethnobotanical use of Aframomum melegueta in the treatment of urinary tract and soft tissue infection suggested that the plant has antimicrobial activity.

Materials and methods: To substantiate the folkloric claims, an acetone, 50:50 acetone:methanol and 2:1 chloroform:methanol extracts were tested against Escherichia coli K12; acetone extract and the fractions of acetone extracts were tested against Listeria monocytogenes. Bioassay-guided fractionation was performed on the extract using L. monocytogenes as the test organism to isolate the bioactive compounds which were then tested against all the other organisms.

Results: Four known labdane diterpenes (G3 and G5) were isolated for the first time from the rhizomes of A. melegueta and purified. These were tested against E. coli, L. monocytogenes, methicillin resistant Staphylococus aureus (MRSA) and S. aureus to determine antibacterial activity. The result showed that two compounds G3 and G5 exhibited more potent antibacterial activity compared to the current clinically used antibiotics ampicillin, gentamicin and vancomycin and can be potential antibacterial lead compounds. The structure of the labdane diterpenes were elucidated using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and Mass spectrometry. A possible mode of action of the isolated compound G3 and its potential cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells were also discussed.

Conclusion: The results confirmed the presence of antibacterial compounds in the rhizomes of A. melegueta with a favourable toxicity profile which could be further optimized as antibacterial lead compounds.

The Influence of the User in Body-Centric Antennas and Propagation at 3–6 GHz—A Rician K-Factor Approach

We investigate whether the presence of a human body in wearable communications should be considered as part of the radiating structure or as part of the local radio environment. The Rician $K$ -factor was employed as a quantitative measure of the effect of the user's body for five environments and two mounting locations. Presented empirical results indicated that the environment had a greater impact on the $K$-factor values than the position of the transmit antenna for the ultrawideband signals used, confirming that the human body should be considered primarily as part of the overall radiating system when the antenna is worn on the body. Furthermore, independent variations also existed in the $K$-factor values for the differing antenna-body mounting positions, indicating that as the position changed, then the radiating effects and the contribution from the body changed. This is significant for ensuring body-antenna systems are accurately modeled in system-level simulations.

The effects of global climate change on the cycling and processes of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the North Sea

The fate and cycling of two selected legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), PCB 153 and gamma-HCH, in the North Sea in the 21st century have been modelled with combined hydrodynamic and fate and transport ocean models
(HAMSOM and FANTOM, respectively). To investigate the impact of climate variability on POPs in the North Sea in the 21st century, future scenario model runs for three 10-year periods to the year 2100 using plausible levels of both in
situ concentrations and atmospheric, river and open boundary inputs are performed. This slice mode under a moderate scenario (A1B) is sufficient to provide a basis for further analysis. For the HAMSOM and atmospheric forcing, results of the IPCC A1B (SRES) 21st century scenario are utilized, where surface forcing is provided by the REMO downscaling of the ECHAM5 global atmospheric model, and open boundary conditions are provided by the MPIOM global ocean model.
Dry gas deposition and volatilization of gamma-HCH increase in the future relative to the present by up to 20% (in the spring and summer months for deposition and in summer for volatilization). In the water column, total mass of
gamma-HCH and PCB 153 remain fairly steady in all three runs. In sediment,
gamma-HCH increases in the future runs, relative to the present, while PCB 153 in sediment decreases exponentially in all three runs, but even faster in the future, due to the increased number of storms, increased duration of gale wind conditions and increased water and air temperatures, all of which are the result of climate change. Annual net sinks exceed sources at the ends of all periods.
Overall, the model results indicate that the climate change scenarios considered here generally have a negligible influence on the simulated fate and transport of the two POPs in the North Sea, although the increased number and magnitude of storms in the 21st century will result in POP resuspension and ensuing revolatilization events. Trends in emissions from primary and secondary sources will remain the key driver of levels of these contaminants over time.

Modelling the fate of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the North Sea system

The environmental fate of selected persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the North Sea system is modelled with a high resolution Fate and Transport Ocean Model (FANTOM) that uses hydrodynamic model output from the Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model (HAMSOM). Large amounts of POPs enter the North Sea from the surrounding highly populated, industrialised and agricultural countries. Major pathways to the North Sea are atmospheric deposition and river inputs, with additional contributions coming from bottom sediments and adjacent seas. The model domain covers the entire North Sea region, extending northward as far as the Shetland Islands, and includes adjacent basins such as the Skagerrak, Kattegat, and the westernmost part of the Baltic Sea. Model resolution (for both models) is 1.5’ latitude x 2.5’ longitude (approximately 3 km horizontal resolution) with 30 vertical levels. The POP model also has 20 sediment layers. Important model processes controlling the fate of POPs in the North Sea system are discussed. Results focus on Lindane gamma- HCH or gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane) and PCB 153.

A statistical characterization of on–body fading using the shadowed k–µ fading model

In this paper we investigate the received signal characteristics of on-body communications channels at 2.45 GHz. The hypothetical body area network configuration considered a transmitter node situated on the person’s left waist and receiving nodes positioned on the head, knee and wrist of the person’s right side. The on-body channel measurements were performed in both anechoic and reverberant environments while the person was moving. It was found that the recently proposed shadowed κ‒μ fading model provided an excellent fit to the measured data.

Quantitative Measurement of [Na+] and [K+] in Postmortem Human Brain Tissue Indicates Disturbances in Subjects with Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with significant disturbances in the homeostasis of Na+ and K+ ions as well as reduced levels of Na+/K+ ATPase in the brain. This study used ICP-MS to accurately quantify Na+ and K+ concentrations in human postmortem brain tissue. We analyzed parietal cortex (Brodmann area 7) from 28 cognitively normal age-matched controls, 15 cases of moderate AD, 30 severe AD, and 15 dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Associations were investigated between [Na+] and [K+] and a number of variables including diagnosis, age, gender, Braak tangle stage, amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque load, tau load, frontal tissue pH, and APOE genotype. Brains from patients with severe AD had significantly higher (26%; p<0.001) [Na+] (mean 65.43 ± standard error 2.91 mmol/kg) than controls, but the concentration was not significantly altered in moderate AD or DLB. [Na+] correlated positively with Braak stage (r=0.45; p<0.0001), indicating association with disease severity. [K+] in tissue was 10% lower (p<0.05) in moderate AD than controls. However, [K+] in severe AD and DLB (40.97±1.31 mmol/kg) was not significantly different from controls. There was a significant positive correlation between [K+] and Aβ plaque load (r=0.46; p=0.035), and frontal tissue pH (r=0.35; p=0.008). [Na+] was not associated with [K+] across the groups, and neither ion was associated with tau load or APOE genotype. We have demonstrated disturbances of both [Na+] and [K+] in relation to the severity of AD and markers of AD pathology, although it is possible that these relate to late-stage secondary manifestations of the disease pathology.

Characterization of optical properties of PtSi at 3.392 mu m from 300 K to 85 K and relation of morphological effects

PtSi/Si Schottky junctions, fabricated using a conventional technique of Pt deposition with a subsequent thermal anneal, are examined using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and a novel prism/gap/sample optical coupling system. With the aid of X-ray diffraction and atomic farce microscopy it is shown that a post-anneal etch in aqua regia is essential for the removal of an unreacted, rough surface layer of Pt, to leave a much smoother PtSi film. The prism/gap/sample or Otto coupling rig is mounted in a small UHV chamber and has facilities for remote variation of the gap (by virtue of a piezoactuator system) and variation of the temperature in the range of similar to 300 K - 85 K. The system is used to excite surface plasmon polaritons on the outer surface of the PtSi and thus produce sensitive optical characterisation as a function of temperature. This is performed in order to yield an understanding of the temperature dependence of phonon and interface scattering of carriers in the PtSi.

DC resistance and dielectric function at 3392 nm of YBCO films from 300 K to 80 K

The dielectric function of a YBCO film was determined at 3392nm at temperatures down to 80K. Results obtained were epsilon(i) = -24.09 - 0.0013T and epsilon(i) = 7.66 + 0.067T. The results for epsilon(i) are compared with the de resistance of the film. Intrinsic intragrain scattering, elastic and inelastic grain boundary scattering and optical interband absorption are estimated as 82%, 5%, 13% and 10% respecively at 0K.