Disequilibrium Phenomenon Research Articles

Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Coupling Relationship of High-Speed Railway and Economic Networks in Metropolitan Areas of China

The planning of urban transportation infrastructure and land-related policies has a significant impact on the living conditions of urban residents and socio-economic development, particularly in emerging economies. As urbanization continues to advance, Metropolitan Areas (MAs) have become crucial for achieving industrial coordination, functional complementarity between cities, and integrated regional development. Applying Social Network Analysis (SNA), the gravity model, and Quadratic Assignment Procedure (QAP) analysis, this study investigated the spatial-temporal distribution patterns of High-Speed Railway (HSR) networks and economic networks in MAs in China and the dynamic coupling relationship between these two networks. The findings revealed that, although core cities in the Yangtze River Delta MA in China exert varying degrees of radiation and driving effects on the economic development of surrounding cities, the overall development remains immature with a noticeable disequilibrium phenomenon. The coupling relationship between the HSR networks and the economic networks also differs significantly among different MAs. It is expected that the findings and suggestions of this study will contribute to the improvement of urban planning and governance and facilitate coordinated development between urban transportation infrastructure and the economy in emerging economies.

Disequilibrium Rheology and Crystallization Kinetics of Basalts and Implications for the Phlegrean Volcanic District

Large volcanic eruptions are frequently triggered by the intrusion of hot primitive magma into a more evolved magma-chamber or -mush zone. During intrusion into the cooler mush zone, the basaltic magma undergoes crystallization, which in turn releases heat and volatiles to the mush. This should cause a drop in bulk mush-viscosity, potentially leading to its mobilization and even eruption. The non-linear changes in the transport properties of both magmas during this interaction modulate how the magmas accommodate deformation during both interaction and ascent. As such, this interaction represents a complex disequilibrium phenomenon, during which the material properties guiding the processes (dominantly viscosity) are in constant evolution. Such a scenario highlights the importance of non-isothermal sub-liquidus processes for the understanding of natural magmatic and volcanic systems and underlines the need for a rheological database to inform on, and to model, this interaction process. Here we present new experimental data on the disequilibrium rheology of the least evolved end-member known to be involved in magma mixing and eruption triggering as well as lava flow processes in the Phlegrean volcanic district (PVD). We measure the melt´s subliquidus rheological evolution as a function of oxygen fugacity and cooling rate and map systematic shifts in its rheological “cut off temperature; Tcutoff” (i.e. the point where flow ceases). The data show that 1) the rheological evolution and solidification behavior both depend on the imposed cooling-rate, 2) decreasing oxygen fugacity decreases the temperature at which the crystallization onset occurs and modifies the kinetics of melt crystallization and 3) the crystallization kinetics produced under dynamic cooling are significantly different than those observed at or near equilibrium conditions. Based on the experimental data we derive empirical relationships between the environmental parameters and Tcutoff. These empirical descriptions of solidification and flow may be employed in numerical models aiming to model lava flow emplacement or to reconstruct the thermomechanical interaction between basalts and magma mush systems. We further use the experimental data in concert with models of particle suspension rheology to derive the disequilibrium crystallization kinetics of the melt and its transition from crystallization to glass formation.

Friedrich A. Lutz’ Epistemological and Methodological Messages During the German-Language Business Cycle Debate

Friedrich A. Lutz’ 1932 habilitation thesis is considered the last highlight in a German-language business cycle debate that took place during the interwar period. This debate, initiated by Adolf Löwe, concentrated on the necessary conditions in defining a dynamic theory that should explain the business cycle understood as a dynamic disequilibrium phenomenon in a deductive way. This article contributes to Lutz scholarship by focusing on Lutz’ criticism of Clément Juglar’s “unconditional” observations. This constituted the basis for the problematic concept of wave-like fluctuation subsequently adopted by the Historical School and Joseph Schumpeter. I establish a relationship between Lutz’ criticism and his statement that this perspective does not find support in economic history. Lutz asserted that each crisis represents a unique historical phenomenon caused by specific factors whose impact on the economy depends on its institutional framework. From this, I derive an epistemological claim, namely that the equilibrium tendencies within the market order should be the subject of inquiry, and a methodological call, namely the development of models showing hypothetically what factors can disturb these tendencies. The paper contextualizes Lutz’ criticism and messages into the formation of the Freiburg School’s research program.

A system-based analysis of the genetic determinism of udder conformation and health phenotypes across three French dairy cattle breeds.

Using GWAS to identify candidate genes associated with cattle morphology traits at a functional level is challenging. The main difficulty of identifying candidate genes and gene interactions associated with such complex traits is the long-range linkage disequilibrium (LD) phenomenon reported widely in dairy cattle. Systems biology approaches, such as combining the Association Weight Matrix (AWM) with a Partial Correlation in an Information Theory (PCIT) algorithm, can assist in overcoming this LD. Used in a multi-breed and multi-phenotype context, the AWM-PCIT could aid in identifying udder traits candidate genes and gene networks with regulatory and functional significance. This study aims to use the AWM-PCIT algorithm as a post-GWAS analysis tool with the goal of identifying candidate genes underlying udder morphology. We used data from 78,440 dairy cows from three breeds and with own phenotypes for five udder morphology traits, five production traits, somatic cell score and clinical mastitis. Cows were genotyped with medium (50k) or low-density (7 to 10k) chips and imputed to 50k. We performed a within breed and trait GWAS. The GWAS showed 9,830 significant SNP across the genome (p < 0.05). Five thousand and ten SNP did not map a gene, and 4,820 SNP were within 10-kb of a gene. After accounting for 1SNP:1gene, 3,651 SNP were within 10-kb of a gene (set1), and 2,673 significant SNP were further than 10-kb of a gene (set2). The two SNP sets formed 6,324 SNP matrix, which was fitted in an AWM-PCIT considering udder depth/ development as the key trait resulting in 1,013 genes associated with udder morphology, mastitis and production phenotypes. The AWM-PCIT detected ten potential candidate genes for udder related traits: ESR1, FGF2, FGFR2, GLI2, IQGAP3, PGR, PRLR, RREB1, BTRC, and TGFBR2.

Patinkin as a reader of Keynes’ General Theory: Are wage cuts a good remedy to unemployment?

This paper analyses Patinkin's appraisal of Keynes’ concept of involuntary unemployment while focusing on his reading of the General Theory Chapter 19. On several critical issues, Patinkin departs from Keynes’ original matters of concerns. He leans against an individual criterion for unemployment and implicitly endorses Wicksell's understanding of voluntary unemployment as chosen leisure. His appraisal of involuntary unemployment as a disequilibrium phenomenon ultimately relies on nominal rigidities and assumes the existence of a competitive adjustment process. On all these three critical points, Patinkin departs from Keynes but also initiates the contemporary New Keynesian programme that went even further from Keynes.

Unemployment: Walras’s voluntary and Keynes’s involuntary

This paper shows that Keynes’s involuntary unemployment derives from Walras’s voluntary unemployment by means of changing the characteristic of the aggregate supply curve (function) of labour. On the one hand, when the original aggregate supply function is a strong-ly increasing function, as in Walras’s approach, there might only be voluntary unemployment, and its magnitude is the difference between the available quantity of labour and the equilibrium point. On the other hand, if the supply curve of labour is a weakly increasing one, which means that the supply function may have a horizontal segment, then there might be involuntary unemployment if the equilibrium point is located be-tween boundary points of the horizontal segment, and the magnitude of involun-tary unemployment is the difference between the right boundary point of the hori-zontal segment and an equilibrium point. According to Walras’s approach, “forced unemployment” might also might be considered, which is the result of the intervention of external forces (government, monopoly, trade unions, and so on) into the market, and is therefore a disequilibrium phenomenon.

The Role of Initial Credit Distribution Scheme in Managing Network Mobility and Maximizing Reserve Capacity: Considering Traveler’s Cognitive Illusion

The role of initial credit distribution scheme (ICDS) in managing network mobility has long been overlooked in previous studies of tradable credit scheme (TCS), which may make their results disputable in the reality, as the travelers possessing leftover credits can get some subsidy from the credit market and offset part of travel cost. In this paper, the disequilibrium phenomenon of previous user equilibrium (UE) solution is shown when traveler’s cognitive illusion (CI) is considered. Then, a new UE condition with TCS is defined with the ICDS and CI explicitly considered. To comprehensively reveal the impacts of ICDS on UE solution, four different types of ICDS are introduced and analyzed in a unified variational inequality (VI) modeling framework. The uniqueness of the UE link flow and market equilibrium (ME) credit price is also investigated. Furthermore, the mathematical program with equilibrium constraint (MPEC) for the optimal ICDS design problem is established, with the optimization objective being maximizing network reserve capacity. A modified relaxation algorithm is adopted to solve the MPEC. The numerical example shows that a properly designed ICDS can not only improve the network reserve capacity, but also decrease the travel cost of all the travelers in the network simultaneously.

From General Equilibrium to Schumpeter

A simple model of cost innovation in a monetary economy is presented that illustrates the essentially dynamic model of Schumpeter involving breaking the circular flow of capital is logically consistent with the General Equilibrium (GE) model of an exchange and production economy. The GE model as presented by Arrow, Debreu and McKenzie is a non-process model; and the original theory deals with the non-constructive proofs of existence of competitive equilibria (CEs). To associate this theory with GE it is necessary to recast the basic model as a process model. The GE model is enlarged and specified as a playable game by adding rules to describe the mechanisms that carry process.Although we believe that GE was a great intellectual achievement, it strangled dynamics and the type of low dimensional equilibrium dynamics of the rational expectations school is profoundly misleading. It turns out that, by remodeling GE as a process model even with only one or two strategic moves, Pandora׳s Box of mechanisms appears and the functions of markets, money and default conditions all emerge as logical necessities.It is shown that the opportunity for process innovation can be described minimally and formally modeled by considering the availability of a new process as a function of a controlled stochastic variable where success depends on chance modified by the level of investment. The Schumpeterian concept of “breaking the circular flow of capital” appears naturally as a disequilibrium phenomenon where the extra resources are captured by a strategic disequilibrating allocation of money.

The kaleidic world of entrepreneurs

Purpose – Austrian economics figures centrally in organizational entrepreneurship research. However, researchers have focussed almost entirely on the Austrian school's “gales of creative destruction” and “entrepreneurial discovery” metaphors, which are rooted in equilibrium assumptions and thus downplay the more subjective and dynamic aspects of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to question such assumptions, proposing instead a “kaleidic” metaphor drawn from the radical subjectivist strand of Austrian economics. The paper develops, grounds, and enriches the theoretical concepts this metaphor embodies in order to advance the general understanding of entrepreneurship as a radically subjective, disequilibrium phenomenon, as well as the specific knowledge of entrepreneurs’ career and venture experiences. In doing so, the paper highlights creative imagination as a wellspring of entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a case study design to inductively develop the theoretical concepts embodied in the kaleidic metaphor and deductively ground them in the accounts 12 entrepreneurs provided about their career and venture experiences. The paper employs symbolist methods to develop thicker descriptions, generate alternative understandings, and facilitate richer interpretations. Moreover, the paper adopts a reflexive approach in considering the study's implications. Findings – The results suggest the kaleidic metaphor comprises five overarching ideas that resonate, often very strongly, with entrepreneurs. Originality/value – The study is the first to theoretically develop and empirically ground the ideas the kaleidic metaphor embodies. The paper contributes to a growing body of conceptual work and joins a handful of empirical studies by organizational entrepreneurship scholars using the radical Austrian perspective.

The persistence of unemployment at the local area level: evidence from the US and the UK

In the 1990s and 2000s, unemployment was seen, both by academic labour market economists and policymakers, as a short-run disequilibrium phenomenon. Policy was aimed at increasing the ‘flexibility’ of the labour market, at removing obstacles to the workings of the market, which would ostensibly restore equilibrium in the labour market. In this article, I examine the correlations over time of relative unemployment rates at the detailed disaggregated level of both US counties and UK local authority areas, using the 1990–2010 period. The United States and to some extent the United Kingdom are held up as examples of the more ‘flexible’ labour markets to which other countries should aspire. But even over a period of 20 years, there is strong persistence in relative unemployment rates at local area levels in both countries, and especially the United Kingdom. This result extends to counties and local authority areas within individual states and regions. Local areas with high (low) unemployment in 1990 are likely to have high (low) unemployment in 2010.

Liver Iron Concentration Estimates by R2* Are More Robust Than by Ferriscan During Rapid Changes in Iron Burden

Abstract 5296 Introduction:MRI assessment of LIC concentration is increasing utilized as the primary outcome variable of clinical trials for iron chelation. The MRI parameters R2 and R2* can both be used for this purpose but have slightly different sensitivities to the scale and distribution of tissue iron deposits. As a result, these techniques may provide significantly disparate results in any given patient and may diverge following abrupt changes in chelation therapy. It is not practical, nor ethical, to use liver biopsy to validate R2 and R2* LIC measures on a short time scale. Thus, we used calculations of chelator molar efficiency to determine whether predicted changes in LIC were consistent with the known iron balance assessed by transfusional burden and drug consumption. Methods:The Phase II trial of FBS701, a novel oral iron chelator, measured LIC by both R2 and R2* at screening, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks of therapy; nine thalassemia centers participated in 7 countries. 51 individuals completed 24 weeks of treatment. Liver R2 was collected and analyzed using a FDA-approved protocol and a commercial vendor (Ferriscan Resonance Health, Australia). Liver R2* was measured using gradient echo sequences with minimum echo times ranging from 1.0–1.2 ms. All gradient echo images were transferred to a central core laboratory for R2* calculation using a three component decay model (exponential + offset). Only patients with LIC values between 3 and 30 mg/g by Ferriscan LIC were allowed to participate. Transfusional iron burden was calculated from transfusional volumes documented for six months prior to entering the study and corrected for hematocrit. Change in total body iron was calculated using the Angelucci equation. Chelator efficiency was calculated using the net change in body iron concentration by drug consumption, calculated on a molar basis, to yield a unit-less number; drug concentration was divided by two to account for the chelator-iron stoichiometry.Observed changes in LIC were judged to be erroneous if they produced an estimated chelator efficiency greater than one or less than zero. We also assume that the efficiency between 0–12 weeks and 12–24 weeks should be comparable; the variance between these two values was used as an independent metric of Ferriscan, robustness for LIC measurement. Results:Figure 1 demonstrates the calculated chelator efficiency from 12–24 weeks versus 0–12 weeks, using LIC values calculated by Ferriscan(open circles) and by R2* (solid dots). The solid line indicates the line of identity and the inset box represents the physiologically possible range. 19/95 Ferriscan LIC measurements were physiologically impossible compared with 5/95 R2* LIC measurements (p=0.004 by Fischer’s exact test). Ferriscan 12–24 week efficiency measurements were uncorrelated with Ferriscan 0–12 week measurements and generally strayed a greater distance from the line of identity, with a three-fold larger mean-squared error (0.375 versus 0.126) than for efficiencies calculated using R2*. [Display omitted] Discussion:Both R2 and R2* are biopsy-validated, clinically accepted tools for noninvasive LIC estimation and can be used to track liver iron on a long-term basis. However, the ability of these techniques to accurately track short-term changes (below 1 year) has never been studied; such changes may be important for rapid dose-titration. In this study, Ferriscan LIC estimates were inconsistent with measured iron-balance, producing many nonphysiologic estimates of chelator efficiency and poor consistency between observations at three-month intervals. It is not known whether this represents an intrinsic property of R2 measurements, caused by undue sensitivity to microscopic iron particle distribution, or a limitation specific to the Ferriscan processing. However, given the previously published success of the Ferriscan technique with respect to liver biopsy when assessed on longer time-scales, we believe that these data represent a disequilibrium phenomenon, i.e., that R2 measurements are transiently inaccurate following an abrupt chelation change. Longer-term studies will be necessary to test this hypothesis. Nonetheless, caution should be used in trying to interpret Ferriscan results at intervals of six months or less. R2* LIC measurements are intrinsically less sensitive to changes in tissue iron distribution and more accurate reflections of iron balance at shorter time intervals. Disclosures:Wood:Novartis: Research Funding; Ferrokin Biosciences: Consultancy; Cooleys Anemia Foundation: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Jones:Ferrokin BioSciences: Employment. Rienhoff:Ferrokin BioSciences: Employment, Equity Ownership. Neufeld:Ferrokin BioSciences: Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding.

Rethinking Macroeconomics in the Light of the Financial Crisis

The recent financial crisis showed that mainstream economics was quite unprepared to deal with it. Mainstream macroeconomics failed to envisage even the possibility of a financial crisis like the one that took place in 2008. Even worse, the institutional changes which made the crisis possible were inspired by the neoclassical thought based on the holy trinity of utter competition, rationality and efficiency.In this paper, I start with an example showing how the neoclassical business cycle model does not contribute to the understanding of the recent economic crisis. But the dominance of this approach has deeply damaged the reputation of macroeconomics. So, it is time to question what has gone wrong with it and try to put it right. I argue that, due to the asymmetric behavior of prices and wages, an increase and a fall in aggregate demand require different approaches in macroeconomic theory. It seems much more reasonable to consider separately, on the one hand, the macroeconomics of inflation and, on the other hand, the macroeconomics of recession and depression. This would not be a different situation to the one we have today in physics where to describe the universe physicists employ different theories in different situations. I also argue that macroeconomics has to go back to its roots and recover its original aims and methodology.This discipline was founded by Keynes. So, it seems natural to recover his original ideas as stated in the General Theory, which often differ from the so called Keynesian ones. A central contribution made by Keynes was to focus attention of economics on the economic aggregates. Another main Keynesian contribution is the concept of involuntary unemployment as an equilibrium state. The other key contribution by Keynes has been to identify the crucial role of investment in determining the level of output. Following Keynes´ ideas, Minsky added instability as a normal result of modern financial capitalism and developed his financial fragility theory. His work provides an agenda for policy reforms to attenuate economic fluctuations and avert economic crises. I also survey the contributions made by the different branches of Keynesian thought. In particular, I discuss the New Keynesian approach where unemployment is modeled as a disequilibrium phenomenon due to sticky prices and wages or to coordination failures. Although this approach departs from Keynes´ original definition of involuntary unemployment it allows developing the analysis in a general equilibrium framework, which permits taking into account the interactions across different markets as well as using DSGE models. I argue that sticky prices/wages may be postulated as assumptions in a model in order to represent their minor effect on quantities but economists should remember that this is why the assumption was introduced and not be tempted to argue that price/wage flexibilization may be the panacea to reaching full employment.

An Equilibrium Model of 'Global Imbalances' Revisited

Global imbalances are almost universally regarded as a disequilibrium phenomenon. Caballero, Farhi, and Gourinchas (2008) challenge this notion with their dynamic general equilibrium model of global imbalances. The authors conclude that current account deficit nations need not worry about long-lasting deficits as long as the model is in equilibrium. The joint model in this paper combines the two model extensions for exchange rates and FDI which are disjunct in the original model. An analytical solution to the new joint model is neither as straightforward as for the separate models nor can previous results from calibrated simulation be confirmed without restriction. The model is highly dependent on parameter assumptions: A variation of calibrated parameters highlights the prime impact of investment costs previously assumed away. Sustainable equilibrium paths for global imbalances are much narrower in updated simulations than previously predicted. Policy recommendations on the sustainability of international debt holdings therefore need to be a lot more cautious.

Translational disequilibrium as an interference marker to study miRNA and methylation silencing of APRIN, a stem cell regulator in breast cancer microchimerism

11109 Background: Gene silencing is universally observed in cancer and involves promoter DNA methylation. We found that a cohesin-related stem cell regulator, APRIN (Pds5B) was silenced in breast cancer clinical samples. Surprisingly, in 40% of these samples DNA methylation was not involved. Furthermore, in some breast cancer cell lines the APRIN protein was silenced without transcript downregulation or promoter methylation. This “translational disequilibrium” has been frequently reported with other proteins, but without mechanistic explanations. Recent results with RNA interference indicate that gene repression through microRNAs (typically mismatched) is mostly translational without transcript degradation. We propose, therefore, that the puzzling translational disequilibrium phenomenon is a new form of epigenetic silencing by miRNA mechanisms. We aim (i) to verify miRNA epigenetics of APRIN silencing in breast cancer cell lines; (ii) to study clinical breast cancer samples for methylation vs. miRNAs mechanisms in APRIN translational disequilibrium; and (iii) to investigate if miRNA silencing of APRIN affects a fetal embryonic stem cell pool in breast cancer (microchimerism). Methods: (i) We used miRNA mimics and miRNA inhibitors in breast cancer cell lines to verify specific miRNA involvement in APRIN silencing. (ii) We used immunohistochemistry with bisulfite converted DNA for methylation and microdissected RNA for microRNA interference studies from 56 clinical breast cancer samples. (iii) We used Y-chromosome markers on microdissected DNA for fetal microchimerism studies. Results: (i) We found that in breast cancer cell lines with APRIN translational disequilibrium a set of microRNAs correlate with APRIN silencing. (ii) We found miRNA related mechanisms in about 35 percent of breast cancer samples where APRIN was silenced and (iii) APRIN may specifically affect stem cells of fetal origin in the mother's mammary gland and contribute to cancer. Conclusions: The novel miRNA-based mechanism maybe a new epigenetic factor of gene silencing in cancer. We experimentally confirmed a set of APRIN specific miRNAs and established preliminary correlations with fetal microchimerism in breast cancer. No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Problematising the ‘Orderly’ Aesthetic Assumptions of Forecasts of East–West Migration in the European Union

This paper critically examines migration forecasts: numerical guesstimates of future patterns of migration flows. In the enlarging European Union, migration forecasts are often carried out upon requests from mass-migration-fearing policy makers. Most forecasts are based on key principles and working practices adhered to in neoclassical economics and spatial science—notably, equilibrium and place. Offering apparent numerical certainty, migration forecasts speak to a latent desire for aesthetic sociospatial order. Migration is considered a disequilibrium phenomenon, and linear movements and final destinations are presupposed. However, it is argued that these ‘orderly’ aesthetic assumptions do not correspond with ‘messy’ real East–West migration dynamics in the EU, which are foremost temporary and circulatory in nature. Drawing on evidence from the Netherlands, the paper concludes by suggesting that migration forecasts may indirectly strengthen claims for restrictive migration policy.

Implications of HLA linkage disequilibrium phenomenon in finding unrelated volunteer bone marrow donors

The distribution of HLA genes and haplotypes in the normal population is of considerable importance in disease susceptability studies, population and genetic studies and tissue and organ transplantation. The HLA phenotype frequencies can be used for the estimation of the probability of finding phenotypically identical unrelated volunteer bone marrow donors. It has been presumed that patients with HLA haplotypes in strong linkage disequilibrium, a have higher probability of finding HLA identical unrelated donors than others. HLA gene and haplotype frequencies were calculated, as well as delta values and their significance. The implications of HLA disequilibrium phenomenon in unrelated donor search, was investigated by calculating the correlation coefficient between frequencies of haplotypes showing significant delta values and the linkage disequilibrium coefficient, as well as between the average number of donors necessary for research. Haplotypes showing the highest delta values are at the same time the most frequent haplotypes (A1B8:0,1188 and 0,145; A3B35:0,0722 and 0,1;A2B12:0,055 and 0,105). In patients who have both haplotypes showing significant delta values (e.g. A2B5/A3B35), the number of donors necessary for research is clearly lower than in patients who have only one given haplotype, or have no such haplotypes. Our results showed that patients with HLA haplotypes showing significant delta values have a higher probability of finding HLA identical unrelated donors.

IMITATION AND THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

The sustainability of competitive advantage has received considerable attention from economists and scholars in strategic management over the last four decades. Research on this issue began with the fundamental question about the existence of competitive advantage altogether. Neo-classical economics suggests profits of all firms in an industry converge over time towards the competitive equilibrium and implies that abnormal or excess profits are a disequilibrium phenomenon. It is interesting to note that research has primarily focused on new entry as the mechanism by which competition is assumed to erode excess firm profits. In this paper, we explore another mechanism that is capable of eroding excess profits-imitation. We use simulation to demonstrate interorganizational imitation can erode abnormal profitability in an industry, and find evidence that continuous firm level strategic innovation is capable of sustaining abnormal profits indefinitely. Simulation results demonstrate the internal validity of this theoretical argument and generate new propositions for future empirical testing that may disentangle the effects of imitation.

Monetary discipline and inflation in developing countries: the role of the exchange rate regime

Adherence to a pegged exchange rate regime has the potential to affect inflation in two ways: by instilling monetary discipline and by altering the relationship between money and prices, because shocks to the money stock are absorbed partly by changes in the balance of payments. Although the latter is a disequilibrium phenomenon (if balance of payments deficits are unsustainable in the long run), it might still be important in the medium term. Evidence on the relative importance and magnitude of the two effects is presented, using cross-sectional macroeconomic data from 80 LDCs. Both effects are found to be significant. Copyright 2000 by Oxford University Press.

Diel temperature effects on the exchange of elemental mercury between the atmosphere and underlying waters

Ample scientific literature demonstrates that elemental mercury evasion from natural waters displays a diel cycle; evasion rates measured during the day are typically two to three times the values observed at night. The traditional explanation for this phenomenon is that water column elemental mercury concentrations display a diel cycle, with elemental mercury concentrations occurring at their highest values during the day. The present study tests the hypothesis that diel atmospheric temperature cycles also may play a significant role in diel mercury evasion rates. A chemical potential model is used to provide a thermodynamic framework for the development of nonisothermal Henry's law constants to describe atmospheric–aqueous partitioning of elemental mercury under temperature disequilibrium conditions. The effects of temperature disequilibrium on aqueous diffusive layer transport properties also are examined. Findings suggest that under one set of real-world temperature disequilibrium conditions, diel evasion rate variations of up to 44% can be anticipated. Given the inability to consider the effects of temperature disequilibrium on aqueous diffusive layer thicknesses, the actual effects of temperature disequilibrium on rates of mercury evasion may exceed this value. Finally, the temperature disequilibrium phenomenon may be most significant for atmospheric–aqueous exchange of trace toxicants that do not experience dynamic environmental speciation behavior.

Testing Equilibrium Models of Regional Disparities

The large and persistent regional disparities of most European economies have been explained as a disequilibrium phenomenon; convergence between backward and successful regions is slow because the equilibrating forces are weak. Recently, two models have emerged where regional disparities are seen as an equilibrium phenomenon; the amenity model, which assumes that high unemployment and low wages reflect favourable living conditions, and the matching model, which views high unemployment as the result of labour market congestion in declining regions. The paper derives some key empirical implications of the models and examines whether the regional pattern of migration, unemployment and wages in Norway conforms with these implications. The results are supportive of the matching model but not of the amenity model.