Governance in a low-trust environment: The difficulties of fiscal adjustment in Hungary

The favourable assessments of international organisations regarding the character of democracy in the Central European countries seem to suggest that, in spite of early fears, democracy can be established even in a low-trust environment. Through analysing the difficulties of fiscal adjustments in Hungary this article examines how lack of trust affects the quality of these democracies in terms of effective governance. Hungary used to be a front-runner in the transition process but given its ballooning budget deficit, it is now considered a laggard in terms of meeting the requirements for introducing the euro. This article claims that while strong continuities from the socialist period gave the country a head start at the beginning of the transition process, the same continuities have slowed down development more recently because of their effects on the general level of trust. The prevalence of distrust both towards and within the elite provides a fertile environment for economic populism and under such circumstances fiscal adjustment becomes more difficult. The main conclusion is that while the low level of trust did not prove decisive in terms of establishing the institutions of democracy, the existence of trust is critical for effective governance.     

Isolation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from saliva and forensic science samples containing saliva.

Saliva and saliva-stained materials were examined as potential sources of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for DNA analysis and identity testing. In this paper, the authors demonstrate that DNA was isolated and DNA banding patterns suitable for DNA typing were obtained from fresh saliva and various saliva-stained materials, such as envelopes, buccal swabs, gags, and cigarettes. Furthermore, DNA and DNA banding patterns were obtained from actual forensic evidentiary samples containing mixed saliva/semen stains. The DNA banding patterns obtained from saliva or saliva-stained material were indistinguishable from the patterns obtained from blood or hair from the same individual. Intact DNA was readily isolated and DNA banding patterns were obtained from saliva stored at -20 degrees C and dried saliva stains stored under varying conditions. We conclude that saliva and saliva-stained material can be good sources of DNA for analysis and for DNA typing in certain forensic settings.     

Human genotyposcopy: the identification of the species, sex and individual by DNA genetic imprints in a case connected with a murder attempt]

Blood stains on a knife were identified by DNA genotyposcopy. The statistical validation method has confirmed that the blood stains on material evidence belonged to the victim, the probability of random coincidence being less than 10(-11). The efficacy of using hypervariable locus-specific DNA probes and the possibility of detecting DNA impressions in blood stains stored for more than 3 months have been demonstrated.     

Pricing in the nuclear power industry: Public or private interest?

This paper tests empirically the Ramsey version of the public-interest theory of regulation by examining the pricing practices in the nuclear power industry, using a 1985 cross-sectional sample of 40 electric utilities. Other researchers have avoided this segment of the industry because of difficulties with nuclear fuel data, or perceived differences in the underlying production function. We show that regulators respond to political influences according to the Stigler-Peltzman version of regulation and that Ramsey pricing cannot be validated, at least for the nuclear segment of the electric power industry.