Governance and regulation of urban bus transportation: Using partial privatization to achieve the better of two worlds

Mixed delivery of public services is gaining increasing attention as a way for public managers to avoid deciding between a purely public and purely private delivery system. The unusual coexistence of public and private operators in the urban bus market in Barcelona provides an interesting context in which to analyze the challenges and opportunities posed by this system. Competition for concessions among private operators and the regulation of concessionaires generate incentives to improve efficiency and quality. Furthermore, partial privatization increases the efficiency and feasibility of public operators. In fact, competitive bidding is effective in disciplining private operators and increasing the regulators' bargaining power over both public and private firms. The reform implemented in Barcelona offers an interesting insight into all metropolitan areas that are in a position to create a number of separate concessions large enough to benefit from economies of density.     

论比例原则在国际海洋划界中的功能与缺陷——基于国际司法裁决的考量

根据国际司法裁决,比例原则在海洋划界中的功能可以归纳为两个层面:一是构成调整临时海洋边界线的"相关情况";二是作为海洋划界结果公平性检验的标准。中国有着较长的海岸线,因此在按照公平原则处理与周边邻国的海洋划界纠纷时,比例原则将发挥重要作用。但是,国际司法裁决并没有阐明需要调整临时海洋边界线的"海岸线长度差异"的判断标准,以及成比例检验出现"重大比例失衡"的检验标准,国际司法机构在此方面拥有很大的自由裁量权。因此,为克服比例原则适用时的主观性问题,未来的国际司法裁决不妨适当引入量化标准,以确保海洋划界结果的公平性和可预测性。     

论公共交通中转所的堵截勤务

堵截是公安机关在犯罪嫌疑人和犯人逃跑方向的前方进行设卡或设伏拦堵的一项警察勤务,其作用是缉拿在逃的犯罪嫌疑人和逃犯、协助查破案件。在公共交通中转场所实施堵截勤务包括车站、码头、机场设卡堵截勤务、嫌疑车辆的堵截勤务等。     

海上救助公约的重大发展及其影响

传统的无效果无报酬原则已被各国普遍采用并成为国际海上救助法的基本原则。而1989年国际救助公约确立的无效果无报酬例外原则却引起了海运界和贸易界的极大关注,并对许多国家的海商法产生影响。本文试图就海上救助公约的重大发展、海上救助公约对中英海上救助法、共同海损制度等的重要影响分别予以分析论述,以便我们充分理解和正确适用国际救助公约和我国海上救助法。     

物流快递行业运作及发展要素探析

我国加入世贸以来,现代物流配送、国际快递等成为外商拓宽在华投资领域的手段和新的投资热点。如何应对国外物流快递公司的冲击,挖掘行业盈利点,成为中国物流快递业共同关注的话题。将优势资源集中在服务和管理上,细分各产品的边际利润,有取舍地实现产品多元化经营,是中国物流快递行业成功的关键要素。     

海上人身伤亡案件的法律适用

海上人身伤亡案件受害人有权选择请求加害方承担违约或侵权责任。违约或侵权行为是否构成应根据民法通则、海商法、合同法、劳动法等法律法规确定。违约责任以严格责任为一般原则,海商法规定承运人对旅客承担过错责任不合理。一般侵权行为归责原则为过错责任,而特殊侵权行为为无过错责任。现行的关于海上人身伤亡赔偿的法律、行政规章和司法解释对赔偿范围、损失计算、责任限制的规定标准不一,相互不协调,应予修正。     

记名提单的原则与实践

在阐明记名提单的概念以及与海运单相比较的基础上,对于《海牙-维斯比规则》是否适用记名提单的问题进行了论述,同时分析了主要航运国家针对记名提单下货物交付的不同态度,并向实务界提出建议。     

航空保价运输的性质与适用

航空保价运输既可以适用于货物运输又可以适用于行李运输。航空保价运输的前提在于法律规定了限额赔偿制度,其性质仍然是一种责任限制制度。现行的航空规章已就航空保价运输的适用、承运人的责任、赔偿金额等做了原则规定,但是,关于最高声明价值、赔偿限额等的规定明显滞后,急需修订。     

公路客运企业安全保障运作模式研究

本文介绍了公路客运安全的国内外研究现状,分析了公路客运企业安全保障运作的一般流程,通过建立公路客运安全监控平台,提出了客运企业安全监控模式,以及所需的技术支持,从人、车、管理方面具体分析了客运企业的安全管理模式,最后提出了客运企业安全保障的发展方向。     

Mitochondrial DNA Profiling of Illegal Tortoiseshell Products Derived from Hawksbill Sea Turtles

The hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) is a highly endangered species, commonly poached for its ornate shell. “Tortoiseshell” products made from the shell are widely, although illegally, available in many countries. Hawksbills have a circumglobal distribution; thus, determining their origin is difficult, although genetic differences exist geographically. In the research presented, a procedure was developed to extract and amplify mitochondrial DNA from tortoiseshell items, in an effort to better understand where the species is being poached. Confiscated tortoiseshell items were obtained from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and DNA from 56 of them was analyzed. Multiple mitochondrial haplotypes were identified, including five not previously reported. Only one tortoiseshell item proved to be of Atlantic origin, while all others corresponded to genetic stocks in the Indo‐Pacific region. The developed methodology allows for unique, and previously unattainable, genetic information on the illegal poaching of sea turtles for the decorative tortoiseshell trade.