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Selected AbstractsPatents and R&D as Real OptionsECONOMIC NOTES, Issue 1 2004Eduardo S. Schwartz This article develops and implements a simulation approach to value patents and patent-protected R&D projects based on the Real Options approach. It takes into account uncertainty in the cost-to-completion of the project, uncertainty in the cash flows to be generated from the project, and the possibility of catastrophic events that could put an end to the effort before it is completed. It also allows for the possibility of abandoning the project when costs turn out to be larger than expected or when estimated cash flows turn out to be smaller than anticipated. This abandonment option represents a very substantial part of the project's value when the project is marginal or/and when uncertainty is large. The model presented can be used to evaluate the effects of regulation on the cost of innovation and the amount on innovative output. The main focus of the article is the pharmaceutical industry. The framework, however, applies just as well to other research-intensive industries such as software or hardware development. (J.E.L.:G31, O22, O32). [source] Pedotransfer functions for solute transport parameters of Portuguese soilsEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 4 2001M. C. Gonc, alves Summary The purpose of this study is to quantify solute transport parameters of fine-textured soils in an irrigation district in southern Portugal and to investigate their prediction from basic soil properties and unsaturated hydraulic parameters. Solute displacement experiments were carried out on 24 undisturbed soil samples by applying a 0.05 m KCl pulse during steady flow. The chloride breakthrough curves (BTCs) were asymmetric, with early breakthrough and considerable tailing characteristic of non-equilibrium transport. The retardation factor (R), dispersion coefficient (D), partitioning coefficient (,), and mass transfer coefficient (,) were estimated by optimizing the solution of the non-equilibrium convection,dispersion equation (CDE) to the breakthrough data. The solution could adequately describe the observed data as proved by a median of 0.972 for the coefficient of determination (r2) and a median for the mean squared error (MSE) of 5.1 × 10,6. The median value for R of 0.587 suggests that Cl, was excluded from a substantial part of the liquid phase. The value for , was typically less than 0.5, but the non-equilibrium effects were mitigated by a large mass transfer coefficient (, > 1). Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) were developed with regression and neural network analyses to predict R, D, , and , from basic soil properties and unsaturated hydraulic parameters. Fairly accurate predictions could be obtained for logD (r2 , 0.9) and , (r2 , 0.8). Prediction for R and log, were relatively poor (r2 , 0.5). The artificial neural networks were all somewhat more accurate than the regression equations. The networks are also more suitable for predicting transport parameters because they require only three input variables, whereas the regression equations contain many predictor variables. [source] Quantifying dye tracers in soil profiles by image processingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2000I. Forrer Summary Developing and testing models for solute transport in the field requires experimental data on the spreading of solutes in the soil. Obtaining such data is costly, and a substantial part of the total costs is in the preparation and chemical analysis of the tracing compounds in the gathered samples. We developed a cheap method to quantify the concentration of the mobile dye tracer Brilliant Blue FCF from digitized photographs of stained soil profiles, and we have tested it in the field. Soil sampling and chemical analyses were necessary only to establish a calibration relation between the dye content and the colour of the soil. The digital images were corrected for geometrical distortions, varying background brightness, and colour tinges, and then they were analysed to determine the soil colour at sampling points in the profiles. The resident concentration of the dye was modelled by polynomial regression with the primary colours red, green, blue and the soil depth as explanatory variables. Concentration maps of Brilliant Blue were then computed from the digitized images with a spatial resolution of 1 mm. Validation of the technique with independent data showed that the method predicted the concentration of the dye well, provided the corrected images contained only the colours included in the calibration. [source] Population pharmacokinetics of ketanserin in pre-eclamptic patients and its association with antihypertensive responseFUNDAMENTAL & CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 5 2005Lidwien M. Hanff Abstract Ketanserin is an antihypertensive drug that is increasingly being used parenterally in the treatment of pre-eclampsia. Because of lack of efficacy in a substantial part of our pre-eclamptic patients, we determined the plasma concentrations of ketanserin in 51 pre-eclamptic patients. Population pharmacokinetic parameters were assessed using the iterative two-stage Bayesian population procedure. The influence of individual pharmacokinetic parameters on antihypertensive response, expressed as the attainment of a diastolic blood pressure ,90 mmHg using ketanserin treatment, was analysed. Almost all plasma concentrations of ketanserin were in or above the therapeutic range. The individual pharmacokinetics of ketanserin in pre-eclamptic patients showed an accurate fit using a three-compartment model. The pharmacokinetic parameters in our pre-eclamptic population were a metabolic clearance (Clm) of 37.9 ± 10.86 L/h and volume of distribution (V1) of 0.544 ± 0.188 L/kg, which is comparable with data from healthy volunteers. Despite a considerable inter-individual variation, no correlation was found between differences in pharmacokinetic parameters and antihypertensive response. We conclude that therapeutic plasma levels can be obtained in pre-eclamptic patients with a fixed dosage schedule of ketanserin and differences in antihypertensive responses within a pre-eclamptic population cannot be attributed to pharmacokinetic differences. [source] Dementia and the Over-75 Check: the role of the primary care nurseHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 1 2000Heather Trickey BSc MSc (Med) Abstract Primary care nurses are very likely to provide a substantial part of the routine care for patients with dementia. In order to examine the knowledge and attitudes of the primary care nurses who undertake the Over-75 Check, towards assessing and managing patients with symptoms of dementia, and to assess their level of support for a clinical practice guideline, a postal questionnaire survey was undertaken of primary care nurses responsible for the Over-75 Check in 209 general practices in Gloucester, Avon and Somerset. The questionnaire ascertained some demographic information about the nurses, their training and the practice routine for the Over-75 Check. It also included a case vignette describing a typical presentation of dementia at an Over-75 Check. A 65% response rate was achieved. Only one-fifth of respondents ever used formal validated cognitive tests as part of the Over-75 Check. In response to the vignette, nearly 10% took no action at all and a further 25% simply referred the patient on. Amongst the remainder there was considerable variation regarding the tasks considered to be within their remit. The respondents strongly supported the introduction of guidelines. Given the variation in professional responsibilities between practices, it is proposed that a clinical practice guideline covering diagnosis, assessment and management of dementia should address the practice as a whole rather than be targeted to specific professionals. The guideline should prompt professionals carrying out an Over-75 Check to recognize symptoms of dementia and raise awareness of the range of tasks which need to be undertaken in confirming diagnosis, assessing needs and managing patients. Results from this study suggest that improved training and increased autonomy for primary care nurses would improve access to services for these patients and their carers. [source] Defining and optimizing algorithms for neighbouring particle identification in SPH fluid simulationsINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUIDS, Issue 6 2008G. Viccione Abstract Lagrangian particle methods such as smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) are very demanding in terms of computing time for large domains. Since the numerical integration of the governing equations is only carried out for each particle on a restricted number of neighbouring ones located inside a cut-off radius rc, a substantial part of the computational burden depends on the actual search procedure; it is therefore vital that efficient methods are adopted for such a search. The cut-off radius is indeed much lower than the typical domain's size; hence, the number of neighbouring particles is only a little fraction of the total number. Straightforward determination of which particles are inside the interaction range requires the computation of all pair-wise distances, a procedure whose computational time would be unpractical or totally impossible for large problems. Two main strategies have been developed in the past in order to reduce the unnecessary computation of distances: the first based on dynamically storing each particle's neighbourhood list (Verlet list) and the second based on a framework of fixed cells. The paper presents the results of a numerical sensitivity study on the efficiency of the two procedures as a function of such parameters as the Verlet size and the cell dimensions. An insight is given into the relative computational burden; a discussion of the relative merits of the different approaches is also given and some suggestions are provided on the computational and data structure of the neighbourhood search part of SPH codes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Breaking Deadlocks in International Institutional Negotiations: The WTO, Seattle, and DohaINTERNATIONAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2009John S. Odell Negotiations among members of international institutions often stalemate yet the outcomes vary. Sometimes talks end in impasse and other times in agreement. Several familiar theories are unable to explain the contrast between two prominent outcomes in the World Trade Organization,its 1999 deadlock in Seattle and its 2001 agreement in Doha, Qatar, on an agenda for a new round. Extensive original evidence from these cases documents mechanisms that can tip the negotiation process between impasse and agreement in any institution, not only economic ones. The study illustrates benefits for international relations research of building on the relatively neglected tradition of negotiation analysis, a substantial part of which is outside political science. [source] Genetic interactions between marine finfish species in European aquaculture and wild conspecificsJOURNAL OF APPLIED ICHTHYOLOGY, Issue 4 2001Youngson The principal species of marine aquaculture in Europe are Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and sea bream (Sparus auratus). For Atlantic salmon and sea bass, a substantial part of total genetic variation is partitioned at the geographical population level. In the case of sea bream, gene flow across the Azores/Mediterranean scale appears to be extensive and population structuring is not detected. For Atlantic salmon and sea bass, natural population structure is at risk from genetic interaction with escaped aquaculture conspecifics. The locally adaptive features of populations are at risk from interbreeding with non-local aquaculture fish. Wild populations, generally, are at risk from interactions with aquaculture fish that have been subject to artificial selection or domestication. Atlantic salmon is the main European aquaculture species and its population genetics and ecology have been well-studied. A general case regarding genetic interactions can be based on the information available for salmon and extended to cover other species, in the appropriate context. A generalized flow chart for interactions is presented. Salmon escape from aquaculture at all life stages, and some survive to breed among wild salmon. Reproductive fitness in the escaped fish is lower than in native, wild fish because of behavioural deficiencies at spawning. However, as the number of salmon in aquaculture greatly exceeds the number of wild fish, even small fractional rates of escape may result in the local presence of large numbers, and high frequencies, of escaped fish. At present, policy and legislation in relation to minimizing genetic interactions between wild and aquaculture fish is best developed for Atlantic salmon, through the recommendations of the Oslo Agreement developed by the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization and subsequent agreements on their implementation. In future, the potential use of genetically modified fish in aquaculture will make additional policy development necessary. Improved containment is recommended as the key to minimizing the numbers and therefore the effects of escaped fish. Emergency recovery procedures are recommended as a back-up measure in the case of containment failure. Reproductive sterility is recommended as a future key to eliminating the genetic potential of escaped fish. The maintenance of robust populations of wild fish is recommended as a key to minimizing the effects of escaped fish on wild populations. [source] Species richness, rarity and endemicity on Italian offshore islands: complementary signals from island-focused and species-focused analysesJOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2008Leonardo Dapporto Abstract Aims, To investigate the relative explanatory power of source faunas and geographical variables for butterfly incidence, frequency, richness, rarity, and endemicity on offshore islands. Location, The western Italian offshore islands (Italy and Malta). Methods, Thirty-one islands were examined. Data were taken from our own field surveys and from the literature. Two approaches were undertaken, described as island-focused and species-focused, respectively. Offshore islands were allocated to their neighbouring source landmasses (Italian Peninsula, Sicily and Sardinia,Corsica) and compared with each other for faunal attributes, source and island geography. Generalized linear and stepwise multiple regression models were then used to determine the relationships of island species richness, rarity and endemicity with potential geographical predictors and source richness, rarity, and endemicity (island-focused). Species frequency and incidence were assessed in relation to geographical and source predictors using stepwise linear and logistic regression, and inter-island associations were examined using K-Means clustering and non-metric scaling (species-focused). Results, The analysis reveals firm evidence for the influence of the nearest large landmass sources on island species assemblages, richness, rarity and endemicity. A clear distinction in faunal affinities occurs between the Sardinian islands and islands lying offshore from the Italian mainland and Sicily. Islands neighbouring these three distinct sources differ significantly in richness, rarity and endemicity. Source richness, rarity, and endemicity have explanatory power for island richness, rarity, and endemicity, respectively, and together with island geography account for a substantial part of the variation in island faunas (richness 59%, rarity 60% and endemicity 64%). Source dominates the logistic regression parameters predicting the incidence of island species [13 (38%) of 34 species that could be analysed]; three ecological factors (source frequency, flight period and maximal altitude at which species live) explained 75% of the variation in the occurrence of species on the islands. Species found more frequently on islands occurred more frequently at sources, had longer flight periods, and occurred at lower altitudes at the sources. The incidence of most species on islands (84%) is correctly predicted by the same three variables. Main conclusions, The Italian region of the Mediterranean Sea has a rich butterfly fauna comprising endemics and rare species as well as more cosmopolitan species. Analysis of island records benefited from the use of two distinct approaches, namely island-focused and species-focused, that sift distinct elements in island and source faunas. Clear contemporary signals appear in island,source relationships as well as historical signals. Differences among faunas relating to sources within the same region caution against assuming that contemporary (ecological) and historical (evolutionary) influences affect faunas of islands in different parts of the same region to the same extent. The implications of source,island relationships for the conservation of butterflies within the Italian region are considered, particularly for the long-term persistence of species. [source] Floral free fall in the Swiss lowlands: environmental determinants of local plant extinction in a peri-urban landscapeJOURNAL OF ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2007IVANA STEHLIK Summary 1Local floras are being depleted by a host of human activities, including habitat destruction and fragmentation, eutrophication, and the intensification of agriculture. Species with particular ecological demands or life-history attributes are more prone to extinction than species with a broader niche. 2We used an old herbarium from the municipality of Küsnacht (Swiss lowlands) as a historical record for comparison with contemporary plant diversity. This comparison revealed that 17% to 28% of all vascular plants that occurred between 1839 and 1915 were extinct by 2003. 3Species of different habitats and life-forms had significantly different rates of extinction: wetlands, disturbed sites and meadows lost most species, whereas forests and rocky habitats were least affected; aquatics and annuals were most prone to extinction, geophytes and hemicryptophytes were intermediate, and phanerophytes and chamaephytes were least affected. 4Species adapted to nutrient-poor soils suffered highest extinction in all habitats, indicating that eutrophication poses an urgent threat to species diversity. Light and soil moisture requirements also had significant effects on extinction, but the direction of the effect varied by habitat. 5When species were grouped into IUCN categories of the red list of Switzerland, the rank order of the observed extinction matched the red list assignment. 6Because many of the remaining species had high estimated extinction probabilities and because extinction is often delayed (extinction debt), a substantial part of the remaining flora of Küsnacht is likely to go extinct in the near future. This will increase the dominance of the common species that already comprise 81% of the local flora. 7The rates and patterns of extinction in Küsnacht are probably representative of surrounding Swiss lowlands and peri-urban landscapes in most developed countries. Studies such as ours can serve as a call for action and form a basis for future monitoring of biodiversity. [source] Psychosocial well-being of patients with skin diseases in general practiceJOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY & VENEREOLOGY, Issue 5 2007EWM Verhoeven Abstract Background, Skin diseases are a substantial part of the problems dealt with by general practitioners. Although the psychosocial consequences of skin diseases in secondary care has been extensively studied, little is known about the psychosocial well-being of patients with skin diseases in primary care. Objective, To investigate the psychosocial well-being of patients with skin diseases in primary care. Patients/methods, Questionnaires about the psychosocial consequences of skin diseases were sent to patients with a skin disease who were registered within a research network (continuous morbidity registration) of general practices that continuously have recorded morbidity data since 1971. Questionnaires completed by 532 patients were eventually suitable for analyses. Results, Compared with the general population, patients with skin diseases reported significantly lower scores for psychosocial well-being. Furthermore, a lower psychosocial wellbeing was significantly related with higher levels of disease-severity, lower disease-related quality of life, longer disease duration, more comorbidity and more physical symptoms of itch, pain and fatigue. After demographic variables and comorbidity were controlled for, sequential regression analyses showed that disease duration, disease severity and physical symptoms (itch, pain and fatigue) were significant predictors of psychosocial well-being. Conclusion, The psychosocial well-being of patients with skin diseases in primary care is lower than that of the general population. Special attention has to be directed to those patients with lowered psychosocial well-being who might be at risk of developing severe psychosocial impairments such as clinical depression. [source] Is Contemporary Interest Rate in Conflict with Islamic Ethics?KYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2008Erhun Kula SUMMARY This paper considers whether the modern interest rate theory is in conflict with Islamic values. Unfortunately, the issue is not sufficiently debated in economic and cognate literature and thus a mist surrounds the Islamic concept of interest (riba) and its use in the Moslem world that contains about 1.3 billion people and hundreds of billions of dollars of surplus funds. A substantial part of this money has not been made available to the commercial banking system as Islamists in particular keep their savings in the form of gold, precious stones or durable foreign currency, in residential or other safe places, believing that earning interest on savings is against the principles of Islam. This attitude by creating a shortage of funds for investment projects is hampering the economic development of many Moslem countries where standards of living are generally low. The finding of the paper is that only one component part of the time preference rate, namely pure time discount, may be objectionable from the Islamic as well as from secular viewpoints; the rest does not appear to be against Muslim ethics. However, a truly competitive financial market structure is likely to wipe away the excessive pure time discount rate leaving the market interest rate free from any objectionable parameter. [source] Analysing the Gender Wage Gap (GWG) Using Personnel RecordsLABOUR, Issue 2 2009Christian Pfeifer We use monthly personnel records of a large German company for the years 1999,2005 to analyse the gender wage gap (GWG). The unconditional GWG is 15 per cent for blue-collar and 26 per cent for white-collar workers. Different returns to entry age explain a substantial part of the GWG as well as segregation of men and women in different hierarchical levels. The relative GWG increases with increasing tenure for blue-collar but declines for white-collar workers. Taking into account the different impact of general and firm-specific human capital on white-collar and blue-collar occupation, this is consistent with theories of statistical discrimination. [source] Stomach contents of mass-stranded short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) from North CarolinaMARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2008Vanessa J. Mintzer Abstract We examined the stomach contents of 27 short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) that mass stranded on the North Carolina coast on 15 January 2005. Eleven whales had prey parts in their forestomachs. We used frequency of occurrence and numerical abundance to assess the relative importance of prey. Brachioteuthis riisei (numerical abundance 28%), an oceanic species, was the most important cephalopod prey, but Taonius pavo (12%) and Histioteuthis reversa (9%) also represented a substantial part of the diet. A large number of otoliths belonging to the fish Scopelogadus beanii were present (25%). These results differ from reports of the stomach contents of short-finned pilot whales from the Pacific coast in which neritic species dominate the diet. Our findings also suggest that there is a considerable difference between the diet of short- and long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in the western North Atlantic. The latter feed predominantly on the long-finned squid (Loligo pealei) whereas the former feed on deep-water species. Our results indicate the whales fed primarily off the continental shelf prior to stranding. [source] The major Cu,Zn SOD of the phytopathogen Claviceps purpurea is not essential for pathogenicityMOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Sabine Moore summary Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities of the biotrophic pathogen Claviceps purpurea, which causes the ergot disease on a wide range of host grasses, were examined in axenic and pathogenic cultures. Almost all SOD activity in axenic culture originated from a single Cu,Zn SOD; a substantial part of this activity could be separated from lyophilized intact mycelia by gentle washing, indicating that this protein is at least partially secreted. The corresponding gene (cpsod1) was cloned and characterized; like other fungal Cu,Zn SOD genes, it groups with the extracellular mammalian Cu,Zn SODs in a phylogenetic tree. Northern analyses showed that cpsod1 is strongly induced by copper and weakly induced by iron; superoxide generated by paraquat, or xanthine and xanthine oxidase, as well as hydrogen peroxide, had no effect on gene expression under axenic conditions. Analysis of the deletion mutant ,cpsod1 showed that, although growth in axenic culture was generally slower, sensitivity to paraquat was not increased in comparison to the wild-type. Pathogenicity assays showed that this gene is not essential for parasitic growth in rye; no further soluble SOD activity is induced in the mutant. [source] Radiative torques: analytical model and basic propertiesMONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 3 2007A. Lazarian ABSTRACT We attempt to get a physical insight into grain alignment processes by studying basic properties of radiative torques (RATs). For this purpose we consider a simple toy model of a helical grain that reproduces well the basic features of RATs. The model grain consists of a spheroidal body with a mirror attached at an angle to it. Being very simple, the model allows analytical description of RATs that act upon it. We show a good correspondence of RATs obtained for this model and those of irregular grains calculated by ddscat. Our analysis of the role of different torque components for grain alignment reveals that one of the three RAT components does not affect the alignment, but induces only for grain precession. The other two components provide a generic alignment with grain long axes perpendicular to the radiation direction, if the radiation dominates the grain precession, and perpendicular to magnetic field, otherwise. The latter coincides with the famous predictions of the Davis,Greenstein process, but our model does not invoke paramagnetic relaxation. In fact, we identify a narrow range of angles between the radiation beam and the magnetic field, for which the alignment is opposite to the Davis,Greenstein predictions. This range is likely to vanish, however, in the presence of thermal wobbling of grains. In addition, we find that a substantial part of grains subjected to RATs gets aligned with low angular momentum, which testifies that most of the grains in diffuse interstellar medium do not rotate fast, that is, rotate with thermal or even subthermal velocities. This tendency of RATs to decrease grain angular velocity as a result of the RAT alignment decreases the degree of polarization, by decreasing the degree of internal alignment, that is, the alignment of angular momentum with the grain axes. For the radiation-dominated environments, we find that the alignment can take place on the time-scale much shorter than the time of gaseous damping of grain rotation. This effect makes grains a more reliable tracer of magnetic fields. In addition, we study a self-similar scaling of RATs as a function of ,/aeff. We show that the self-similarity is useful for studying grain alignment by a broad spectrum of radiation, that is, interstellar radiation field. [source] Model of the home food environment pertaining to childhood obesityNUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 3 2008Richard R Rosenkranz The home food environment can be conceptualized as overlapping interactive domains composed of built and natural, sociocultural, political and economic, micro-level and macro-level environments. Each type and level of environment uniquely contributes influence through a mosaic of determinants depicting the home food environment as a major setting for shaping child dietary behavior and the development of obesity. Obesity is a multifactorial problem, and the home food environmental aspects described here represent a substantial part of the full environmental context in which a child grows, develops, eats, and behaves. The present review includes selected literature relevant to the home food environment's influence on obesity with the aim of presenting an ecologically informed model for future research and intervention in the home food environment. [source] Schumpeter 1911: Farsighted Visions on Economic DevelopmentAMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 2 2002Markus C. Becker This paper presents to the English-speaking reader a sample of material contained only in Schumpeter's first German edition (1911) of Theorie der wirtschaftlichen Entwicklung, material subsequently omitted from later German editions and from the English translation. The newly-translated material, presented here for the first time in English, comprises a substantial part of the second chapter, only available in a completely rewritten version, and fully half of the famous seventh chapter, which has not been previously available at all in English. This material merits attention today because it contains remarkable and farsighted visions on economic theory that may inspire current efforts to devise models of economic and social evolution. In order to better appreciate the original text, we briefly introduce the "background" to Theorie and its revisions, briefly describing the social and intellectual environment of the time. We then discuss how the entrepreneur evolved over the three editions of Theorie (from 1911 to 1934) in view of the shift in Schumpeter's personal and intellectual life and outline the most important implications raised by the first German edition of 1911. Finally, we use Schumpeter's own statements to settle the obstinate confusion on the publication year of Theorie in favour of the year 1911. [source] ALD growth of Al2O3 on GaAs: Oxide reduction, interface structure and CV performancePHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 2 2010H. D. Lee Abstract We have studied the effect of the trimethylaluminum (TMA) precursor on the reduction of surface "native" oxides from GaAs substrates using medium energy ion scattering spectroscopy (MEIS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrical measurements. Our data show that after one single TMA pulse a substantial part of the native oxide is reduced and an oxygen-rich aluminum oxide layer is formed. Al2O3 films grown with the normal atomic layer deposition cycles of TMA and water show that the growth rate of the Al oxide during this initial reduction of the native oxides is faster than the rate once this reduction is completed. Furthermore, the results of C-V measurements of Al2O3/GaAs grown under the same conditions along with post deposition annealing indicate a good quality interface. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Adjustment of leaf photosynthesis to shade in a natural canopy: reallocation of nitrogenPLANT CELL & ENVIRONMENT, Issue 3 2005H. EICHELMANN ABSTRACT The present study was performed to investigate the adjustment of the constituents of the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis to the natural growth irradiance in the leaves of an overstorey species, Betula pendula Roth, a subcanopy species Tilia cordata P. Mill., and a herb Solidago virgaurea L. growing in a natural plant community in Järvselja, Estonia. Shoots were collected from the site and properties of individual leaves were measured in a laboratory, by applying a routine of kinetic gas exchange and optical measurements that revealed photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI), and cytochrome b6f densities per leaf area and the distribution of excitation (or chlorophyll, Chl) between the two photosystems. In parallel, N, Chl and ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco) content was measured from the same leaves. The amount of N in photosynthetic proteins was calculated from the measured contents of the components of the photosynthetic machinery. Non-photosynthetic N was found as the residual of the budget. Growth in shade resulted in the decrease of leaf dry mass to a half of the DW in sun leaves in each species, but the total variation, from the top to the bottom of the canopy, was larger. Through the whole cross-section of the canopy, leaf dry weight (DW) and Rubisco content per area decreased by a factor of four, N content by a factor of three, but Chl content only by a factor of 1.7. PSII density decreased by a factor of 1.9, but PSI density by a factor of 3.2. The density of PSI adjusted to shade to a greater extent than the density of PSII. In shade, the distribution of N between the components of the photosynthetic machinery was shifted toward light-harvesting proteins at the expense of Rubisco. Non-photosynthetic N decreased the most substantially, from 54% in the sun leaves of B. pendula to 11% in the shade leaves of T. cordata. It is concluded that the redistribution of N toward light-harvesting Chl proteins in shade is not sufficient to keep the excitation rate of a PSII centre invariant. Contrary to PSII, the density of PSI , the photosystem that is in immediate contact with the carbon assimilation system , shade-adjusts almost proportionally with the latter, whereas its Chl antenna correspondingly increases. Even under N deficiency, a likely condition in the natural plant community, a substantial part of N is stored in non-photosynthetic proteins under abundant irradiation, but much less under limiting irradiation. At least in trees the general sequence of down-regulation due to shade adjustment is the following: (1) non-protein cell structures and non-photosynthetic proteins; (2) carbon assimilation proteins; (3) light reaction centre proteins, first PSI; and (4) chlorophyll-binding proteins. [source] Gender and chain migration: the case of ArubaPOPULATION, SPACE AND PLACE (PREVIOUSLY:-INT JOURNAL OF POPULATION GEOGRAPHY), Issue 2 2010Haime Croes Abstract Family reunification and family formation form a substantial part of chain migration, as most countries accept this form of settlement on the basis of humanitarian commitment to protecting families. Yet this does not mean that all migrants are treated equally in allowing them to bring over family members. Whether people are allocated this statutory right depends on their social and economic position. Women might be ,triply disadvantaged' as migrant women are often in more marginal jobs, from a different ethnicity, and have a harder time in acquiring these statutory rights. In this contribution we test this gender hypothesis using data from Aruba. Aruba provides an interesting case because the rapid development of the tourist-driven economy has given rise to enormous labour shortages across the various sectors of the economy, and it is now among the ten countries in the world with the highest net immigration rate. Due to its geographical position the island has recruited labour migrants from both Latin and North America and also from Europe. Dutch nationals receive preferential treatment as Aruba is a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This diversity in immigration allows for an analysis of the social, ethnic, economic and legal determinants of family reunification. The results show that women have a disadvantaged position with respect to each of these determinants. On top of that a separate gender effect remains, indicating that it is harder for women migrants to bring over their spouses and children from their home country. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Citizens, Knowledge, and the Information EnvironmentAMERICAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2006Jennifer Jerit In a democracy, knowledge is power. Research explaining the determinants of knowledge focuses on unchanging demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. This study combines data on the public's knowledge of nearly 50 political issues with media coverage of those topics. In a two-part analysis, we demonstrate how education, the strongest and most consistent predictor of political knowledge, has a more nuanced connection to learning than is commonly recognized. Sometimes education is positively related to knowledge. In other instances its effect is negligible. A substantial part of the variation in the education-knowledge relationship is due to the amount of information available in the mass media. This study is among the first to distinguish the short-term, aggregate-level influences on political knowledge from the largely static individual-level predictors and to empirically demonstrate the importance of the information environment. [source] The Value of Life and Health for Public PolicyTHE ECONOMIC RECORD, Issue SpecialIssue 2003Peter Abelson Expenditure on health and safety is a substantial part of GDP, but public agencies in many countries, including Australia, have only qualitative views about the value of life and health. Also, despite considerable work by economists on the value of life and health in recent years, some important issues, such as the value of a healthy life-year, remain unresolved. This paper presents a framework for valuing life and health. It then draws on international and Australian research to estimate possible values for life, healthy life-years, and various chronic and acute health states for public policy purposes in Australia. [source] Single-dose lentiviral gene transfer for lifetime airway gene expressionTHE JOURNAL OF GENE MEDICINE, Issue 10 2009Alice G. Stocker Abstract Background Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) activity, often resulting in an incurable airway disease. Gene therapy into the conducting airway epithelium is a potential cure for CF; however, most gene vectors do not result in long-lived expression, and require re-dosing. Perversely, intrinsic host immune responses can then block renewed gene transfer. Methods To investigate whether persistent gene expression could be achieved after a single dosing event, thus avoiding the issue of blocking host responses, we used a gene transfer protocol that combined an airway pretreatment using lysophosphatidylcholine with a human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (vesicular stomatitis virus G pseudotype) derived lentiviral vector to test whether an integrating vector could produce gene expression able to last for a substantial part of the lifetime of the laboratory mouse. Results We found that a single dose of LV-LacZ produced immediate as well as lifetime mouse airway expression, confirming our hypothesis that use of an integrating vector extends transgene expression. Importantly, LV-CFTR dosing achieved at least 12 months of CFTR expression, representing partial functional correction of the CFTR defect in CF-null mice. Conclusions These findings validate the potential of this methodology for developing a gene transfer treatment for CF airway disease. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Perinatal services and outcomes in Quang Ninh province, VietnamACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2010Nguyen T Nga Abstract Aim:, We report baseline results of a community-based randomized trial for improved neonatal survival in Quang Ninh province, Vietnam (NeoKIP; ISRCTN44599712). The NeoKIP trial seeks to evaluate a method of knowledge implementation called facilitation through group meetings at local health centres with health staff and community key persons. Facilitation is a participatory enabling approach that, if successful, is well suited for scaling up within health systems. The aim of this baseline report is to describe perinatal services provided and neonatal outcomes. Methods:, Survey of all health facility registers of service utilization, maternal deaths, stillbirths and neonatal deaths during 2005 in the province. Systematic group interviews of village health workers from all communes. A Geographic Information System database was also established. Results:, Three quarters of pregnant women had ,3 visits to antenatal care. Two hundred and five health facilities, including 18 hospitals, provided delivery care, ranging from 1 to 3258 deliveries/year. Totally there were 17 519 births and 284 neonatal deaths in the province. Neonatal mortality rate was 16/1000 live births, ranging from 10 to 44/1000 in the different districts, with highest rates in the mountainous parts of the province. Only 8% had home deliveries without skilled attendance, but those deliveries resulted in one-fifth of the neonatal deaths. Conclusion:, A relatively good coverage of perinatal care was found in a Vietnamese province, but neonatal mortality varied markedly with geography and level of care. A remaining small proportion of home deliveries generated a substantial part of mortality. [source] Single Implants and Buccal Bone Grafts in the Anterior Maxilla: Measurements of Buccal Crestal Contours in a 6-Year Prospective Clinical StudyCLINICAL IMPLANT DENTISTRY AND RELATED RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005Odont Dr/PhD, Torsten Jemt DDS ABSTRACT Background: Patients provided with buccal bone grafts seem to lose a substantial part of the graft in the short term. Purpose: To measure long-term changes in buccal and proximal tissue volumes after local bone grafting and single implant treatment. Materials and Methods: Eight of 10 originally treated male patients were followed up for 6 years after treatment with buccal bone grafts in the central incisor region. After a healing time of 6 months, a two-stage implant surgery procedure was performed followed by single crown placement. Clinical photographs and impressions were taken prior to the surgical interventions and after crown placement and at first and fifth annual checkups. The photographs were analyzed with regard to papilla regeneration by means of a clinical papilla index. The models were used to measure the clinical length of teeth and tooth movements adjacent to the implants. Changes in buccal crest volume during the study period were measured by means of optical scanning of obtained study models. Results: Papillae volume increased significantly (p < .05) during the first year, thereafter showing a slow further increase during the 4 following years. Three of the patients (38%) presented small movements of their adjacent central incisor in a vertical or palatal direction of less than 1 mm during the follow-up period. All patients showed resorption during the first year after grafting (p < .01), in which three patients (38%) had lost basically all of increased volume at second surgery. After abutment or crown placement, all patients showed an increased volume (p < .01), followed by an average reduction during the first year, reaching a significant level in the apical part of the crest (p < .05). Thereafter, a relatively stable average situation was observed during the following 4 years, with individual variations, however. Conclusion: Local bone grafting seems to create sufficient bone volume for implant placement after 6 months, but individual variations in resorption pattern make the grafting procedure unpredictable for long-term prognosis. Instead, the abutment and the crown seem to play a more important role for building up and maintaining the buccal contour in the coronal part of the crest long term. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||