Precise Way (precise + way)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


The Democratic Accountability of the European Central Bank: A Comment on Two Fairy-tales

JCMS: JOURNAL OF COMMON MARKET STUDIES, Issue 3 2000
Jakob De Haan
The European Central Bank (ECB) is widely considered to be (legally) independent. Buiter (1999) critizes the ECB for its lack of democratic accountability, which he does not define in a very precise way. Issing (1999) replies to some of the points raised by Buiter and argues that the ECB is both accountable and transparent. We first outline the concept of democratic accountability of central banks, before we comment on some of the disagreements between Buiter and Issing. Furthermore, we compare the legal accountability of the ECB with those of some other central banks (Bank of Canada, Bank of Japan, Bank of England and the Federal Reserve System). [source]


Sex-biased hatching sequences in the cooperatively breeding Noisy Miner

JOURNAL OF AVIAN BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
Kathryn E. Arnold
The Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala (Meliphagidae) is a cooperatively breeding bird species in which sons often remain on their natal home ranges and help one or both of their parents. In a population of Noisy Miners in SE Queensland, Australia, a molecular technique was used to explore adult and offspring sex ratios, and also hatching sequences. Among the adult population, there were 2.31 males for every female, and roughly 99% of helping was performed by males. At hatching and fledging, the population sex ratio was even, with exactly 57 males and 57 females. However, in 17 out of 18 broods the first egg to hatch was male. First-hatched males were significantly larger and heavier than their sisters just prior to fledging. Through their helping behaviour, large healthy sons could clearly enhance the future reproductive success of parents, and benefit the entire group. Sex-biased hatching sequences could potentially provide cooperatively breeding birds with a subtle and precise way of varying investment in the helping sex. [source]


Similarity measures, author cocitation analysis, and information theory

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 7 2005
Loet Leydesdorff
The use of Pearson's correlation coefficient in Author Cocitation Analysis was compared with Salton's cosine measure in a number of recent contributions. Unlike the Pearson correlation, the cosine is insensitive to the number of zeros. However, one has the option of applying a logarithmic transformation in correlation analysis. Information calculus is based on both the logarithmic transformation and provides a non-parametric statistics. Using this methodology, one can cluster a document set in a precise way and express the differences in terms of bits of information. The algorithm is explained and used on the data set, which was made the subject of this discussion. [source]


Screening food products for the presence of CaMV 35S promoter and NOS 3, terminator

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE, Issue 12 2005
Hanaa AS Oraby
Abstract Biotechnology has enabled the modification of agricultural materials in a very precise way, thereby improving productivity and yields of economically important crops. There are a number of methods available for detecting genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In the present investigation, a qualitative PCR technique has been adopted in order to discriminate between genetically modified and non-modified food products. The qualitative PCR assay employs primers specific for genetic elements that are used to generate genetically engineered agricultural crops. Two of the most common primers used for the detection of GMOs, 35S promoter and NOS 3, terminator, have been tested over a panel of 24 food products purchased from the local market. The results indicated that, out of the 24 food products tested, three products gave positive results with the 35S promoter. The NOS 3, primers gave negative results with all tested samples. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source]


The protein content in crystals and packing coefficients in different space groups

ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D, Issue 7 2000
Klas M. Andersson
A precise way of estimating the packing coefficient, i.e. the ratio between the protein and unit-cell volume, or solvent content in protein crystals is given. At present, the solvent content is not given for most proteins in the Protein Data Bank and in many cases where it is given the values are dubious. The mean density of proteins in the crystalline form is around 1.22,g,cm,3, not 1.35,g,cm,3 as usually stated. This is equivalent to 19.5,Å3 per non-H atom. A statistical investigation of the average protein content and packing coefficient in different space groups is presented. The packing coefficients are generally higher in the most frequently occurring space groups than in the uncommon space groups. There is also a remarkable difference in frequency distribution for enantiomorphous pairs of space groups. [source]