Mixed oligopoly in education

This paper studies oligopolistic competition in education markets when schools can be private and public and when the quality of education depends on ìpeer groupî e§ects. In the Örst stage of our game schools set their quality and in the second stage they Öx their tuition fees. We examine how the (subgame perfect Nash) equilibrium allocation (qualities, tuition fees and welfare) is a§ected by the presence of public schools and by their relative position in the quality range. When there are no peer group e§ects, e¢ ciency is achieved when (at least) all but one school are public. In particular in the two school case, the impact of a public school is spectacular as we go from a setting of extreme di§erentiation to an e¢ cient allocation. However, in the three school case, a single public school will lower welfare compared to the private equilibrium. We then introduce a peer group e§ect which, for any given school is determined by its student with the highest ability. These PGE do have a signiÖcant impact on the results. The mixed equilibrium is now never e¢ cient. However, welfare continues to be improved if all but one school are public. Overall, the presence of PGE reduces the e§ectiveness of public schools as regulatory tool in an otherwise private education sector.

Mutation Update of the CLCN5 Gene Responsible for Dent Disease 1

Dent disease is a rare X-linked tubulopathy characterized by low molecular weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis and/or nephrolithiasis, progressive renal failure, and variable manifestations of other proximal tubule dysfunctions. It often progresses over a few decades to chronic renal insufficiency, and therefore molecular characterization is important to allow appropriate genetic counseling. Two genetic subtypes have been described to date: Dent disease 1 is caused by mutations of the CLCN5 gene, coding for the chloride/proton exchanger ClC-5; and Dent disease 2 by mutations of the OCRL gene, coding for the inositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase OCRL-1. Herein, we review previously reported mutations (n = 192) and their associated phenotype in 377 male patients with Dent disease 1 and describe phenotype and novel (n = 42) and recurrent mutations (n = 24) in a large cohort of 117 Dent disease 1 patients belonging to 90 families. The novel missense and in-frame mutations described were mapped onto a three-dimensional homology model of the ClC-5 protein. This analysis suggests that these mutations affect the dimerization process, helix stability, or transport. The phenotype of our cohort patients supports and extends the phenotype that has been reported in smaller studies.

Des hallucinations ou histoire raisonnée des apparitions, des visions, des songes, de l'extase, du magnétisme et du somnambulisme

par A. Brierre de Boismont

Lettres sur les révolutions du globe

par Alexandre Bertrand ; rev., corr. et considérablement augm. enrichies de nouvelles notes par Arago [u.a.]

Does technological progress magnify regional disparities?

We study how technological progress in manufacturing and transportation to-gether with migration costs interact to shape the space-economy. Rising labor productivity in the manufacturing sector fosters the agglomeration of activities, whereas falling transport costs associated with technological and organizational in-novations fosters their dispersion. Since these two forces have been at work for a long time, the final outcome must depend on how drops in the costs of producing and trading goods interact with the various costs borne by migrants. Finally, when labor is heterogeneous, the most efficient workers of the less productive region are the first to move to the more productive region.

Griscelli e le sue memorie.

At head of t.-p.: Adriano Colocci.

Fables /

Mode of access: Internet.