Assessments of group influence,subjective political competence,and interest group membership

This research examines the relationship between citizens' assessments of how much influence the group they identify with is able to exercise in American politics and their subjective political competence and political participation. Appraisals of group influence have a powerful effect on subjective political competence, fulfilling theoretical expectations outlined by Leon Festinger many years ago. Moreover, assessments of group influence affect individuals' decision concerning membership in an interest group that promotes the interest of one's reference group. The work reported here is an improvement over past efforts in that it explicitly defines and assesses the causal importance of a concept that has been featured in prior research.     

Technological Strengths in Mature Sectors--An Impediment or an Asset for Regional Economic Restructuring? The Case of Multimedia and Biotechnology in Baden-Wurttemberg

Baden-Württemberg's innovation system, which is characterised by a high degree of institutionalisation as well as a predominance of incremental innovations and medium technology finds itself in a profound process of transition. The paper discusses whether Baden-Württemberg's strength as an industrial district dominated by mature industries is an impediment or rather an asset with regard to developing new promising technological sectors in the region. The paper focuses on two newly emerging sectors: multimedia and biotechnology. Because of the strong orientation of actors in Baden-Württemberg to established companies in the core industries and the dominance of established organizational networks there is a lack of stimuli for developing new industries. Thus, institutional innovation and new networks are required to speed up the growth of the new industries. Baden-Württemberg can be expected to cope with the transition to the extent that it builds a close connection between its existing sectoral strengths and the new growth industries.     

Umwelt in schlechter Verfassung?

Im Koalitionsvertrag der gro?en Koalition ist eine F?deralismusreform bis in die Details der geplanten Verfassungs?nderung hinein vereinbart und – wie gewünscht – mit wenigen ?nderungen durch Bundestag und Bundesrat verabschiedet worden. Die wissenschaftliche Kritik, die Kritik aus den Wirtschafts- und den Umweltverb?nden sowie aus Berufsverb?nden insbesondere an der Reform der Verteilung der Gesetzgebungskompetenzen für den Umweltschutz hatte gegen die politischen Absprachen zwischen gro?er Koalition und den Bundesl?ndern keine Chance. Nachfolgend wird die Neuordnung der Gesetzgebungskompetenzen für den Umweltschutz analysiert, wobei die Verfasser insgesamt zu einer skeptischen Einsch?tzung gelangen.     

Research with human embryo stem cells. Foundations and judicial limits]

Research with human embryos, and particularly, the use for scientific purposes of human embryonic stem cells has given raise to different sort of problems at the international level. One of the most strict regulation in this field, is this lecture Professors Albin Eser and Hans-Georg Koch analyse the german legal framework in relation with the use of embryos and human embryonic stem cells for scientific purposes.     

Canada opens the door to enforcing foreign non-monetary orders

The Supreme Court of Canada has overturned the common law rulethat prevented the enforcement of foreign judgments other thanjudgment debts and held that, in certain circumstances, Canadiancourts should give effect to non-monetary orders from foreigncourts.     

In Defense of Kant’s League of States

This article presents a defense of Kant’s idea of a league of states. Kant’s proposal that rightful or just international relations can be achieved within the framework of such a league is often criticized for being at odds with his overall theory. In view of the analogy he draws between an interpersonal and an international state of nature, it is often argued that he should have opted for the idea of a state of states. Agreeing with this standard criticism that a league of states cannot establish the institutional framework for international justice, others also suggest an alternative stage model interpretation. According to this interpretation, Kant’s true ideal is in fact a state of states, whereas the league is merely introduced as a temporary and second best solution. In contrast to both the standard criticism and the stage model interpretation, I argue that fundamental normative concerns count in favour of a league rather than a state of states. I also argue that Kant’s defense of such a league is consistent with his position on the institutional preconditions for just interaction in the domestic case because of crucial relevant differences between the state of nature among individuals and the external relations between states.     

PGTandMe: social networking-based genetic testing and the evolving research model

The opportunity to use extensive genetic data, personal information, and family medical history for research purposes may be naturally appealing to the personal genetic testing (PGT) industry, which is already coupling direct-to-consumer (DTC) products with social networking technologies, as well as to potential industry or institutional partners. This article evaluates the transformation in research that the hybrid of PGT and social networking will bring about, and--highlighting the challenges associated with a new paradigm of "patient-driven" genomic research--focuses on the consequences of shifting the structure, locus, timing, and scope of research through genetic crowd-sourcing. This article also explores potential ethical, legal, and regulatory issues that arise from the hybrid between personal genomic research and online social networking, particularly regarding informed consent, institutional review board (IRB) oversight, and ownership/intellectual property (IP) considerations.     

A methodology for near-optimal computational superimposition of two-dimensional digital facial photographs and three-dimensional cranial surface meshes

The authors present a methodology for human identification based on digital superimposition techniques. This methodology computes a fast, near optimal fit between a three-dimensional skull surface mesh and a two-dimensional digitized facial photograph. Since this is done digitally, (1) the photograph can be enhanced to reduce or eliminate motion blur, overexposure or underexposure, and out-of-focus distortions; (2) previous problems with skull/photograph scaling and alignment are minimized or eliminated; and (3) the photograph and skull can be numerically correlated. Two of several test cases produced from an implementation of this methodology are also presented.