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Upgrading
Selected AbstractsUpgrading, uneven development, and jobs in the North American apparel industryGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 2 2003Jennifer Bair In this article we examine the developmental consequences of globalization at multiple scales, using a commodity chains framework to investigate the case of the North American apparel industry. In the first section we outline the apparel commodity chain and offer a brief typology of its lead firms. In the second section we discuss the concept of industrial upgrading and describe several main export roles in the global apparel industry. In the third section we focus on the regional dynamics resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). We contrast the Mexican experience with that of countries in the Caribbean Basin to show the impact of distinct trade policies on export-oriented development. We argue that NAFTA is creating upgrading opportunities for some Mexican firms to move from the low value-added export-oriented assembly (or maquila) model to full-package production. In the fourth section we explore the unevenness of upgrading dynamics through a comparison of two blue jeans manufacturing clusters in the United States and Mexico: El Paso and Torreon. Our conclusions about upgrading and uneven development in the North American apparel industry emphasize the importance of local, national and regional institutional contexts in shaping inter-firm networks and their development impact. [source] A simple and low-cost solution for the automation of X-ray powder diffractometers with chart recorder outputJOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Issue 4 2006M. Jayaprakasan X-ray powder diffraction is an established method for the qualitative identification of crystalline materials and their quantitative analysis. The new generation of X-ray diffraction systems are based on expensive digital/embedded control technology and computer interfaces. Yet many laboratories use conventional manual-controlled systems with XY strip-chart recorders. Since the output spectrum is a strip chart (hard copy), raw data, essential for structural and qualitative analysis, are not readily available for further analysis. Upgrading to modern computerized diffractometers is very expensive. The proposed automation design described here is intended to enable the conventional diffractometer user to collect, store and analyze data quickly. The design also improves the resolution by five times compared with the conventional setup. For the automation, a PC add-on card has been designed to control and collect the timing and intensity counts from the conventional X-ray diffractometer, and suitable software has been developed to collect, process and present the X-ray diffraction data for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Moreover, a major advantage of this design is that it does not warrant any physical modification of the hardware of the conventional setup; it is simply an extension to enhance the performance of collecting raw data with a higher resolution at desired intervals/timings. [source] Long-Term Effects of Upgrading to Biventricular Pacing: Differences with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy as Primary IndicationPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2010GAETANO PAPARELLA M.D. Background: Few studies have assessed the long-term effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with advanced heart failure (HF) and previously right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP). Aims: To assess the clinical and hemodynamic impact of upgrading to biventricular pacing in patients with severe HF and permanent RVAP in comparison with patients who had CRT implantation as initial therapy. Methods and Results: Thirty-nine patients with RVAP, advanced HF (New York Heart Association [NYHA] III,IV), and severe depression of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were upgraded to biventricular pacing (group A). Mean duration of RVAP before upgrading was 41.8 ± 13.3 months. Clinical and echocardiographic results were compared to those obtained in a group of 43 patients with left bundle branch block and similar clinical characteristics undergoing "primary" CRT (group B). Mean follow-up was 35 ± 10 months in patients of group A and 38 ± 12 months in group B. NYHA class significantly improved in groups A and B. LVEF increased from 0.23 ± 0.07 to 0.36 ± 0.09 (P < 0.001) and from 0.26 ± 0.02 to 0.34 ± 0.10 (P < 0.001), respectively. Hospitalizations were reduced by 81% and 77% (P < 0.001). Similar improvements in echocardiographic signs of ventricular desynchronization were also observed. Conclusion: Patients upgraded to CRT exhibit long-term clinical and hemodynamic benefits that are similar to those observed in patients treated with CRT as initial strategy. (PACE 2010; 841,849) [source] Upgrading Patients with Chronic Defibrillator Leads to a Biventricular System and Reducing Patient Risk: Contralateral LV Lead PlacementPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2006DAVID J. FOX Increasing numbers of patients with indwelling single- or dual- chamber internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) will require upgrading of an existing system to a biventricular ICD providing cardiac resynchronization with back-up defibrillation. Upgrading, usually by the addition of a new left ventricular (LV) lead, can be technically challenging with central venous occlusion or stenosis often being the main obstacle to a successful procedure. We report a new technique of implanting a LV lead from the contralateral side to the existing ICD system to minimize the peri- and postoperative risk to the patient. [source] Improvement of Congestive Heart Failure by Upgrading of Conventional to Resynchronization PacemakersPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 8 2006IBRAHIM MARAI Aims: To compare the clinical response of patients with right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP) upgraded to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) to that of previously nonpaced heart failure (HF) patients who had de novo CRT implantation. Background: The role of CRT in patients with wide QRS and HF due to RVAP is less well established than in other CRT candidates. Methods: Ninety-eight consecutive patients with CRT were studied (mean age 70, mean ejection fraction 0.23). Group A: patients having RVAP prior to CRT implantation (n = 25), group B: patients without prior RVAP (n = 73). Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were recorded prior to, and 3 months after, CRT implantation. Results: Group A patients had a wider QRS at baseline compared to group B (203 ± 32 ms vs 163 ± 30 ms respectively, P < 0.001), and a shorter 6-minute walking distance (222 ± 118 m vs 362 ± 119 m, respectively, P < 0.005). Otherwise, clinical and echocardiographic parameters were not different. At follow up, group A patients had an average 0.7 ± 0.5 decrease in their NYHA functional class, compared to 0.3 ± 0.7 in group B patients (P < 0.05). Six-minute walking distance increased by 93 ± 113 m in group A, versus 36 ± 120 m in group B (P = 0.22). There was no difference in echocardiographic response to CRT between the groups. Conclusions: HF patients with prior RVAP demonstrate clinical improvement after upgrading to CRT that is comparable, and in some aspects, even better than that observed in HF patients with native conduction delay who undergo de novo CRT implantation. [source] How much does Gleason grade of follow-up biopsy differ from that of initial biopsy in untreated, Gleason score 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer?THE PROSTATE, Issue 15 2007R. Choo Abstract OBJECTIVE To compare histologic grades between an initial biopsy and a follow-up biopsy in untreated, Gleason score (GS) 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS In a prospective single-arm cohort study, clinically localized, GS 4,7, prostate cancer was managed with active surveillance alone, provided that a pre-defined definition of disease progression was not met. One hundred five (63%) of a total of 168 eligible patients underwent a follow-up prostate biopsy during surveillance. Median time to a follow-up biopsy was 22 months (range: 7,81). Histologic grades between these two biopsies were compared to evaluate the extent of histologic grade change. RESULTS On the follow-up biopsy, GS was unchanged in 33 patients (31%), upgraded in 37 (35%), and downgraded in 34 (32%). Eleven (10%) had upgrading by 2 Gleason points or more. Eight (8%) had upgrading to GS 8 (none to GS 9 or 10); of these, six were among those with upgrading by 2 Gleason points or more. Twenty-seven (26%) had no malignancy on the follow-up biopsy. Negative follow-up biopsy was more prevalent in patients with a small volume of malignancy in the initial biopsy and a low baseline PSA. CONCLUSIONS No consistent change in histologic grade was observed on the follow-up biopsy at a median of 22 months in untreated, GS 4,7, clinically localized prostate cancer. Upgrading to GS ,8 or by 2 Gleason points or more was relatively uncommon. Prostate 67: 1614,1620, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The Policies and Politics of Industrial Upgrading in Thailand during the Thaksin Era (2001,2006)ASIAN POLITICS AND POLICY, Issue 3 2009Laurids S. Lauridsen What happens when developing countries can no longer grow by simply exploiting their existing comparative advantages in natural resources or cheap labor? When entering the 21st century Thailand was confronted with that question, but in comparison with other East Asian countries it was also a laggard in relation to industrial technology development. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra placed industrial upgrading high on the policy agenda. This article combines a policy cycle analysis with a political analysis. It examines the ability and willingness of the Thaksin government to design and implement an adequate and coherent set of industrial upgrading policies with a particular emphasis on implementation issues. It is argued that although many initiatives were taken during the Thaksin era, they did not add up to an adequate and coherent set of industrial upgrading policies. This was partly due to institutional legacies in the bureaucratic system but mainly a result of the logic of politics, including the nature of political coalition-building. [source] Separation and Mineralogical Analysis of Bayer Red MudASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 5-6 2002T. Picaro This paper describes preliminary work to assess the potential for recovering valuable components from Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL) red mud by physical beneficiation. Upgrading of Weipa bauxites residue was trialed using a 50 mm hydrocyclone and a Mozley Multigravity Separator (MGS) to recover desilication product (DSP) and TiO2 fractions. The mineralogy of the original red muh and the various sub-fractions produced was studied by chemical assay, selective leaching, XRD and SEM techniques. DSP is present in QAL red mud in two forms: (i) as balls in the size range from 0.8 to 10 ,m that appear to be liberated; and (ii) as finely grained DSP intermixed with the other minerals. The hydrocycloning tests produced a DSP rich (39.5 wt%) fraction at 89% recovery from a feed containing 31.9 wt.% DSP. This represents an upgrade (enrichment) of 1.24 times. These results suggest that the greatest DSP enrichment will be achieved by targeting the 0.8 to 10 ,m DSP balls. The richest TiO2 fraction produced varied from 20 to 36 wt.% TiO2 from a feed value of 7 wt.% at a recovery of 7.5%. Mineralogical examination showed that most of the TiO2 in this fraction was as liberated particles in the size range 8 to 20 ,m. Most of the TiO2 particles in the other fractions were not fully liberated from mainly iron minerals. The present work indicates that it is possible to further upgrade DSP fractions by investigating finer particle separation techniques, e.g. smaller, 25 mm and 10 mm, hydrocyclones. [source] Packed Bed Column Fermenter and Kinetic Modeling for Upgrading the Nutritional Quality of Coffee Husk in Solid-State FermentationBIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 6 2001Débora Brand Studies were carried out to evaluate solid-state fermentation (SSF) for the upgradation of the nutritional quality of coffee husk by degrading the caffeine and tannins present in it. SSF was carried out by Aspergillus niger LPBx in a glass column fermenter using factorial design experiments and surface response methodology to optimize bioprocess parameters such as the substrate pH and moisture content and aeration rate. The first factorial design showed that the moisture content of the substrate and aeration rate were significant factors for the degradation of toxic compounds, which was confirmed by the second factorial design too. The kinetic study showed that the degradation of toxic compounds was related to the development of the mold and its respiration and also to the consumption of the reducing sugars present in coffee husk. From the values obtained experimentally for the oxygen uptake rate and CO2 evolved, the system determined a biomass yield (Yx/o) of 3.811 (g of biomass)·(g of consumed O2),1 and a maintenance coefficient (m) of 0.0031 (g of consumed O2)·(g biomass of biomass),1·h,1. The best results on the degradation of caffeine (90%) and tannins (57%) were achieved when SSF was carried out with a 30 mL·min,1 aeration rate using coffee husk having a 55% initial moisture content. The inoculation rate did not affect the metabolization of the toxic compounds by the fungal culture. After SSF, the protein content of the husk was increased to 10.6%, which was more than double that of the unfermented husk (5.2%). [source] Assessing immunophenotyping performance: Proficiency-validation for adopting improved flow cytometry methodsCYTOMETRY, Issue 4 2007Lance E. Hultin Abstract Background: The continuous improvement and evolution of immune cell phenotyping requires periodic upgrading of laboratory methods and technology. Flow cytometry laboratories that are participating in research protocols sponsored by the NIAID are required to perform "switch" studies to validate performance before methods for T-cell subset analysis can be changed. Methods: Switch studies were conducted among the four flow cytometry laboratories of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), comparing a 2-color, lyse-wash method and a newer, 3-color, lyse no-wash method. Two of the laboratories twice failed to satisfy the criteria for acceptable differences from the previous method. Rather than repeating more switch studies, these laboratories were allowed to adopt the 3-color, lyse no-wash method. To evaluate the impact of the switch to the new method at these two sites, their results with the new method were evaluated within the context of all laboratories participating in the NIH-NIAID-Division of AIDS Immunology Quality Assurance (IQA) proficiency-testing program. Results: Laboratory performance at these two sites substantially improved relative to the IQA standard test results. Variation across the four MACS sites and across replicate samples was also reduced. Conclusions: Although switch studies are the conventional method for assessing comparability of laboratory methods, two alternatives to the requirement of repeating failed switch studies should be considered: (1) test the new method and assess performance on the proficiency testing reference panel, and (2) prior to adoption of the new methods, use both the old and the new method on the reference panel samples and demonstrate that performance with the new method is better according to standard statistical procedures. These alternatives may help some laboratories' transition to a new and superior methodology more quickly than if they are required to attempt multiple, serial switch studies. © 2007 Clinical Cytometry Society [source] A performance comparison of individual and combined treatment modules for water recyclingENVIRONMENTAL PROGRESS & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, Issue 4 2005Stuart Khan Abstract An Advanced Water Recycling Demonstration Plant (AWRDP) was commissioned and constructed by the Queensland State Government in Australia. The AWRDP was used to study the effectiveness of a variety of treatment processes in the upgrading of municipal wastewater for water recycling applications. The AWRDP consists of eight modules, each housing an individual specific treatment process. These processes are flocculation, dissolved air flotation, dual media filtration, ozonation, biological activated carbon adsorption, microfiltration, reverse osmosis, and ultraviolet disinfection. The individual performances of the treatment processes were determined, as well as their interdependence in series. A range of chemical water quality parameters were investigated. The study provides a broad process comparison on the basis of an important catalogue of these key parameters. This will be valuable in the selection and optimization of treatment processes trains in full-scale water recycling applications. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2005 [source] Networks, firms and upgrading within the blue-jeans industry: evidence from TurkeyGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 1 2007NEBAHAT TOKATLI Abstract Since the late 1980s, industry characteristics, country-specific contingencies and international conditions have come together and turned Turkey into a major exporter of jeans. It now has a 6.5 per cent share of the world's market. In this article, I explore this transformation and point out that it has created, especially in the 1990s, significant upgrading opportunities for Turkish firms. A large number of Turkish manufacturing firms are now full-package contractors for a diversified list of brand-name jeans. Some of these manufacturers are also experimenting with functional upgrading by developing their own brands and selling them abroad. Local firms, despite their subordinate position in the value chain, can go beyond low value-added manufacturing and encroach on the core competencies of lead firms. [source] Upgrading, uneven development, and jobs in the North American apparel industryGLOBAL NETWORKS, Issue 2 2003Jennifer Bair In this article we examine the developmental consequences of globalization at multiple scales, using a commodity chains framework to investigate the case of the North American apparel industry. In the first section we outline the apparel commodity chain and offer a brief typology of its lead firms. In the second section we discuss the concept of industrial upgrading and describe several main export roles in the global apparel industry. In the third section we focus on the regional dynamics resulting from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). We contrast the Mexican experience with that of countries in the Caribbean Basin to show the impact of distinct trade policies on export-oriented development. We argue that NAFTA is creating upgrading opportunities for some Mexican firms to move from the low value-added export-oriented assembly (or maquila) model to full-package production. In the fourth section we explore the unevenness of upgrading dynamics through a comparison of two blue jeans manufacturing clusters in the United States and Mexico: El Paso and Torreon. Our conclusions about upgrading and uneven development in the North American apparel industry emphasize the importance of local, national and regional institutional contexts in shaping inter-firm networks and their development impact. [source] Toward a More Embedded Production System?GROWTH AND CHANGE, Issue 3 2009Automotive Supply Networks, Localized Capabilities in Poland ABSTRACT The article addresses the embeddedness of automotive production in Poland in terms of supply networks. A comprehensive analysis of more than 550 suppliers, supported by company interviews, shows that foreign-owned producers become embedded in Poland in the automotive supplier networks they have largely created themselves. Numerous local suppliers gain access to export markets and become integrated in a Europe-wide production system. This trend has been accompanied by significant upgrading of foreign affiliates and domestic firms in terms of product quality, cost efficiency, adaptability, and fast response, but far less in nonproduction competences such as R&D. It is argued that the competences of automotive suppliers in Poland are built upon the localized capabilities, which are a product of the dynamic interplay between the activity of foreign firms and the changing local environment comprising various stakeholders. The localized capabilities constitute elements of a company's sunk costs and are embedding automotive producers in Poland. At the same time, the dependence on decisions and innovations from abroad and the limited development of local design and brands may constrain the future role of suppliers from the semiperipheral economy of Poland. [source] Feasibility of long-distance transport of thermal energy using solid sorption processesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 8 2010Nathalie Mazet Abstract This paper deals with the challenging transportation of thermal energy over long distances (over 10,km). The innovative concept presented in this paper is based on the transportation of a reactive fluid coupled with two sorption systems involving this fluid in two endothermal and exothermal processes respectively on source site and user site. The transport of this fluid at ambient temperature minimizes the thermal losses and it is therefore relevant for long distances. Moreover, an original concept involving a cascade of two sorption cycles can allow a heat upgrading on the user site using a distant source. This paper focuses on the feasibility of such systems. The potentialities have been detailed according to the reactive pairs, such as the well-known hydrates and ammonia solid/gas reactants, and taking into account thermodynamic and technological constraints. The cold production and transport can be carried out by numerous ammonia-based pairs. Nevertheless, such reactive pairs can perform a heat upgrading, but only if an additional heat source is available on the user site. The transportation of the reactive fluid between source and user sites has been investigated and it is not a limiting point. As it is transported at ambient temperature, the thermal losses are very weak. On the other hand, the pressure losses can be overcome with either an acceptable energetic cost or by slightly changing the operating conditions. Compared to current district heating networks based on sensible heat transportation, such thermochemical systems involving the transportation of a reactive fluid seem more efficient when the user is located more than 10,km away from the source site. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The perspectives of energy production from coal-fired power plants in an enlarged EUINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2004P. Grammelis Abstract The aim of this paper is to present the current status of the coal-fired power sector in an enlarged EU (EU-15 plus EU member candidate states) in relation with the main topics of the European Strategy for the energy production and supply. It is estimated that 731 thermoelectric units, larger than 100 MWe, are operating nowadays, and their total installed capacity equals to 200.7 GWe. Coal contribution to the total electricity generation with reference to other fuel sources, is by far more intensive in the non-EU part (EU member candidate states), compared to the EU member states. It is expected that even after the enlargement, the European Union will strongly being related to coal. Enlargement will bring additional factors into play in order to meet the requirements of rising consumption, growing demand for conventional fuels and increasing dependence on imports. Besides the technology, boiler size, efficiency, age and environmental performance will determine the necessities of the coal-fired power sector in each country. Depending on the case, lifetime extension measures in operating coal-fired power plants or clean coal technologies can play an important role towards the energy sector restructuring. Low efficiency values in the non-EU coal-fired units and heavily aged power plants in EU countries will certainly affect decisions in favour of upgrading or reconstruction. The overall increase of efficiency, the reduction of harmful emissions from generating processes and the co-combustion of coal with biomass and wastes for generating purposes indicate that coal can be cleaner and more efficient. Additionally, plenty of rehabilitation projects based on CCT applications, have already been carried out or are under progress in the EU energy sector. The proclamations of the countries' energy policies in the coming decades, includes integrated renovation concepts of the coal-fired power sector. Further to the natural gas penetration in the electricity generation and CO2 sequestration and underground storage, the implementation of CCT projects will strongly contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions in the European Union, according to the targets set in the Kyoto protocol. In consequence, clean coal technologies can open up new markets not only in the EU member candidate states, but also in other parts of the world. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Investigation into the potential of a novel superacid catalyst for the catalytic upgrading of pyrolytic bio-oilINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003Natalie G. Wilson Abstract Treatment of zirconium oxide with sulphate ions forms a highly acidic, or superacidic catalyst; sulphated zirconia. This catalyst has been found previously to be highly applicable to a range of reactions including acylation alkylation, isomerization, cracking and dehydration at temperatures in the range 150,200°C. These relatively low-temperature reactions offer potential in the field of bio-oil catalytic upgrading. Here zeolite catalysts have been used predominantly, but with associated problems due to the high reaction temperatures related with their use. The paper describes the processes involved in optimization of a process for the catalytic upgrading of a bio-oil produced by slow pyrolysis of pine wood. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Histologic upgrading of prostate cancer occurs frequently over a short period of time: Single hospital experiences of radical prostatectomyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 8 2001Hideki Mukouyama Abstract A total of 163 patients with localized prostate cancer underwent retropubic radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at a single hospital from 1989 to 1998. We reviewed the patients in terms of their prognostic factors and survival. The patients without advanced diseases were diagnosed as having prostate carcinoma, using either biopsies or transurethral resection of the prostate. The carcinomas were categorized into localized prostate carcinomas (stage A, B or C) as a result of digital rectal examinations, computed tomography scans and bone scans. The patients were informed of the risk of surgery and, if they agreed to sign the consent form, underwent radical prostatectomy under general and epidural anesthesia usually 2 months after a positive biopsy. The surgical specimens were sent for pathology and were graded according to classifications of well-, moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patients were usually discharged from the hospital 2,3 weeks postoperatively and had regular follow-up treatment. The mean age (± SD) was 68.75 (± 5.59) years and the mean follow-up period was 47.2 months. There was a significant difference (34.4%) in pathologic grades between biopsy and surgical specimen. In a quarter of the patients (approximately 26.4%) upgrading of the surgical report occurred despite neoadjuvant therapy. Three-year, 5-year and 7-year actuarial survival rates were 91.8%, 79.9% and 71.9%, respectively. Patients with organ-confined prostate cancer underwent radical prostatectomy and survived a fairly good period of time. Histologic upgrading was frequently observed within a short period of time (2 months). [source] Social, Economic and Demographic Consequences of Migration on KeralaINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 2 2001K.C. Zachariah Migration has been the single most dynamic factor in the otherwise dreary development scenario of Kerala during the last quarter of the last century. It has contributed more to poverty alleviation and reduction in unemployment in Kerala than any other factor. As a result of migration, the proportion of the population below the poverty line has declined by 12 per cent. The number of unemployed persons , estimated to be only about 13 lakhs in 1998 compared with 37 lakhs reported by the Kerala Employment Exchanges , has declined by over 30 per cent. Migration has caused nearly a million married women in Kerala to live away from their husbands. Most of these so-called "Gulf wives" experienced extreme loneliness to begin with, and were burdened with added family responsibilities to which they had not been accustomed when their husbands were with them. But over a period, and with a helping hand from abroad over the ISD, most came out of their early gloom. Their gain in autonomy, status, management skills and experience in dealing with the world outside their homes were developed the hard way and would remain with them for the rest of their lives for the benefit of their families and society. In the long run, the transformation of these million women will have contributed more to the development of Kerala society than all the temporary euphoria created by remittances and modern gadgetry. Kerala is dependent on migration for employment, subsistence, housing, household amenities, institution building, and many other developmental activities. The danger is that migration could cease, as shown by the Kuwait war of 1993, and repercussions could be disastrous for the State. Understanding migration trends and instituting policies to maintain the flow of migration is more important today than at any time in the past. Kerala workers seem to be losing out in international competition for jobs in the Gulf market. Corrective policies are needed urgently to raise their competitive edge over workers in competing countries in South and South-East Asia. Like any other industry, migration from Kerala needs periodic technological upgrading of workers. Otherwise, there is a danger that the State might lose the Gulf market permanently. The crux of the problem is Kerala workers' inability to compete with expatriates from other South and South-East Asian countries. The solution lies in equipping workers with better general education and job training. This study suggests a twofold approach. In the short run, the need is to improve the job skills of prospective emigrant workers. This could be achieved through ad hoc training programmes focussed on the job market in Gulf countries. In the long run, the need is to restructure the educational system, taking into consideration the future demand of workers not only in Kerala but also in potential destination countries all over the world, including the US and other developed countries. Kerala emigrants need not always be construction workers in the Gulf countries; they could also be software engineers in developed countries. [source] Identification of some optimal parameters to achieve higher laminate quality through tape placement processADVANCES IN POLYMER TECHNOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Muhammad Amir Khan Abstract Investigations of the tape placement process are still underway to achieve the laminate quality comparable with other highly developed composite manufacturing methods, such as autoclave-based processes. The evaluation of the products and the mechanical properties of the material has revealed regions where some upgrading could bring significant enhancement in performance. This study is concerned with issues related to the characterization of material properties, interlaminar bond development, and ways of optimizing process parameters. These include heating, layup velocity, tool temperature, and consolidation force, which were studied to determine their effects on the mechanical strength of the composites produced. The bonding degree of the laminates was simulated taking into account a combination of process parameters, comparing the predictions with the actual test results. The thermal stability of the polyether ether ketone matrix, in relation to the processing conditions used in the manufacture, and their effects on the interlaminar bonding stability were also investigated and explained. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 29:98,111, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20177 [source] Stabilization of biomass-derived pyrolysis oilsJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 5 2010R.H. Venderbosch Abstract BACKGROUND: Biomass is the only renewable feedstock containing carbon, and therefore the only alternative to fossil-derived crude oil derivatives. However, the main problems concerning the application of biomass for biofuels and bio-based chemicals are related to transport and handling, the limited scale of the conversion process and the competition with the food industry. To overcome such problems, an integral processing route for the conversion of (non-feed) biomass (residues) to transportation fuels is proposed. It includes a pretreatment process by fast pyrolysis, followed by upgrading to produce a crude-oil-like product, and finally co-refining in traditional refineries. RESULTS: This paper contributes to the understanding of pyrolysis oil upgrading. The processes include a thermal treatment step and/or direct hydroprocessing. At temperatures up to 250 °C (in the presence of H2 and catalyst) parallel reactions take place including re-polymerization (water production), decarboxylation (limited CO2 production) and hydrotreating. Water is produced in small quantities (approx. 10% extra), likely caused by repolymerization. This repolymerization takes place faster (order of minutes) than the hydrotreating reactions (order of tens of minutes, hours). CONCLUSIONS: In hydroprocessing of bio-oils, a pathway is followed by which pyrolysis oils are further polymerized if H2 and/or catalyst is absent, eventually to char components, or, with H2/catalyst, to stabilized components that can be further upgraded. Results of the experiments suggest that specifically the cellulose-derived fraction of the oil needs to be transformed first, preferably into alcohols in a ,mild hydrogenation' step. This subsequently allows further dehydration and hydrogenation. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Multinational supermarket chains in developing countries: does local agriculture benefit?AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 6 2009Hildegunn E. Stokke Backward productivity spillovers; Local constraints; Supply chain development; Intertemporal general equilibrium model Abstract There is no consensus in the empirical literature on how entry of multinational supermarket chains affects farmers in developing countries. Econometric analyses struggle with causality issues and are unclear about the channel of effects. We quantify the dynamic effects of supermarket expansion on agriculture within a structural framework that clarifies the adjustment mechanisms involved. The model specification allows for endogenous interaction between agricultural productivity and supermarkets' choice of suppliers. Based on numerical simulations, two results emerge. First, we offer a possible interpretation of the conflicting evidence in the empirical literature. Whether farmers benefit from supermarkets or get stuck in a low productivity trap depends on the extent of local constraints related to production capacity and market access. Second, supply chain development initiated by supermarkets can help farmers escape the low productivity trap. While supermarkets face a short-run cost to supplier upgrading, they gradually gain from more productive local suppliers. [source] Organizational Learning: An Empirical Assessment of Process in Small U.K. Manufacturing FirmsJOURNAL OF SMALL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2001Ians Chaston Organizational learning is increasingly being mentioned in the literature as a mechanism for assisting small firm survival. There exists, however, limited empirical evidence to validate the benefits claimed for the concept. A survey of small U.K. manufacturing firms was undertaken to ascertain whether entrepreneurial firms use higher-order (or double-loop) learning. Additional research aims included assessing whether organizational learning confers information management advantages and contributes to the upgrading of managerial competencies. The results suggest entrepreneurial firms do utilize higher-order learning and are able to manage information more effectively than non-entrepreneurial firms. Some evidence was found to support the view that higher-order learning influences certain managerial competencies. The implications of these findings are discussed and proposals presented on the needs for further research [source] Sustainability of the dimension stone industry in Zimbabwe,challenges and opportunitiesNATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 3 2001Oliver Maponga Abstract The rapid expansion of the dimension stone and black granite industry in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, a result of increasing domestic and international demand for black granite, has ushered in new challenges and opportunities for producers and beneficiaries alike. This article investigates the social, environmental and economic challenges emanating from the export boom, the economic opportunities presented by the expanding market and the potential role the robust industry could play in regional economic development and poverty alleviation. The article evaluates the long-term sustainability of the dimension stone industry and recommends the reinvestment of revenues into diversification of the regional economic base, upgrading of local infrastructure, further processing of rough stone before export and encouragement of micro-businesses to enhance sustainability. The author argues for modification of economic incentives to incorporate environmental and social objectives in order to enhance sustainability. The need for a holistic approach to policies affecting the exploitation, processing and marketing of granite resources and their products is recognized. More research on the operations of the industry is called for. [source] The State and Industrial Evolution: The Development of the Game Industry in Japan and KoreaPACIFIC FOCUS, Issue 1 2005Hidetaka Yoshimatsu This article examines the development of the game industry in Japan and South Korea with particular attention to the role of the government in fostering a creative industrial sector. Although the Japanese game industry achieved market-oriented growth until the 1990s, the government's involvement in the industry became salient after the new millennium. Games were positioned as main sources for creating internationally competitive media contents, and the government has provided environments where innovative companies and individuals can develop their skills and expertises and intensified the protection of intellectual property rights overseas. Unlike Japan, the development of the game industry was sustained by intensive government intervention in South Korea. The government changed the basic perception of the industry from a negative amusement industry to a positive cultural industry to be fostered for the new millennium. Then, the government set up an affiliated organisation that undertook a wide range of measures from technological upgrading, managerial and human resource development, global connections, and education. Thus, the Korean state still intends to foster a strategic industry but its manner of commitments became comprehensive and flexible. [source] Long-Term Effects of Upgrading to Biventricular Pacing: Differences with Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy as Primary IndicationPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2010GAETANO PAPARELLA M.D. Background: Few studies have assessed the long-term effects of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in patients with advanced heart failure (HF) and previously right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP). Aims: To assess the clinical and hemodynamic impact of upgrading to biventricular pacing in patients with severe HF and permanent RVAP in comparison with patients who had CRT implantation as initial therapy. Methods and Results: Thirty-nine patients with RVAP, advanced HF (New York Heart Association [NYHA] III,IV), and severe depression of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were upgraded to biventricular pacing (group A). Mean duration of RVAP before upgrading was 41.8 ± 13.3 months. Clinical and echocardiographic results were compared to those obtained in a group of 43 patients with left bundle branch block and similar clinical characteristics undergoing "primary" CRT (group B). Mean follow-up was 35 ± 10 months in patients of group A and 38 ± 12 months in group B. NYHA class significantly improved in groups A and B. LVEF increased from 0.23 ± 0.07 to 0.36 ± 0.09 (P < 0.001) and from 0.26 ± 0.02 to 0.34 ± 0.10 (P < 0.001), respectively. Hospitalizations were reduced by 81% and 77% (P < 0.001). Similar improvements in echocardiographic signs of ventricular desynchronization were also observed. Conclusion: Patients upgraded to CRT exhibit long-term clinical and hemodynamic benefits that are similar to those observed in patients treated with CRT as initial strategy. (PACE 2010; 841,849) [source] Opening an Occluded Subclavian Vein with a Screw-Like Flexible Hollow Guide-wire and VenoplastyPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 10 2007SETH JOSEPH WORLEY M.D. Patients with existing internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) often require upgrading to a biventricular ICD for treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). Placement of a left ventricular (LV) lead can be technically challenging in the best of circumstances. A subclavian vein stenosis or occlusion related to previously placed leads adds a major obstacle to a successful implant. We report a technique of implanting an LV lead from the same side as the existing ICD system despite complete occlusion of the subclavian vein. [source] Upgrading Patients with Chronic Defibrillator Leads to a Biventricular System and Reducing Patient Risk: Contralateral LV Lead PlacementPACING AND CLINICAL ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 9 2006DAVID J. FOX Increasing numbers of patients with indwelling single- or dual- chamber internal cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) will require upgrading of an existing system to a biventricular ICD providing cardiac resynchronization with back-up defibrillation. Upgrading, usually by the addition of a new left ventricular (LV) lead, can be technically challenging with central venous occlusion or stenosis often being the main obstacle to a successful procedure. We report a new technique of implanting a LV lead from the contralateral side to the existing ICD system to minimize the peri- and postoperative risk to the patient. [source] Zukunft der Arbeit und Arbeit der Zukunft in DeutschlandPERSPEKTIVEN DER WIRTSCHAFTSPOLITIK, Issue 2 2006Carsten Ochsen The main finding is that the reduction of the labour costs cannot reduce the aggregated unemployment rate substantially. An important conclusion is that the skill upgrading of the labour force is slower than that of labour demand. The future of work in Germany lies not in low paid low skilled jobs, but in high(er) skilled occupation. [source] Vladimir Putin on Raising Russia's Birth RatePOPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 2 2006Article first published online: 26 JUN 200 The total fertility rate in what is now the Russian Federation has been below replacement level during much of the last 40 years. By the late 1990s it was barely above 1.2 children per woman. There may have been some recovery since: the United Nations estimate for 2000,05 is 1.33. Other reports set the 2004 rate at 1.17. Countries elsewhere in Europe have fertility levels that are equally low or even lower, but the Russian demographic predicament is aggravated by mortality that is exceptionally high by modern standards. Thus, despite large-scale net immigration (mostly due to return of ethnic Russians from other republics of the former Soviet Union), the population in the last decade-and-a-half has been shrinking: of late by some 700,000 persons per year. The United Nations medium estimate assumes a steady recovery of the total fertility rate to reach a level of 1.85 by 2050 and a considerable improvement in survival rates during that period,notably an increase in male life expectancy at birth of more than ten years. It also assumes further modest net immigration at a steady rate, amounting to a total of somewhat over 2 million by midcentury. Under these stipulations the projected population of Russia in 2050 would be 112 million,some 31 million below its present size. By that time, 23 percent of the population would be aged 65 and older. The government's concern with the demographic situation of the country and its intent to improve it have been manifest in various official statements, notably in the annual State of the Nation Address given by the president to the Federal Assembly (or State Duma). Formerly a subordinate theme (see the Documents item in the June 2005 issue of PDR), the issue constituted the centerpiece of the 2006 Address, delivered on 10 May in the Kremlin by President Vladimir Putin. Policies regarding health and mortality were given short shrift in the speech,road safety, bootleg alcohol, and cardiovascular diseases being singled out as areas of special concern. The president's remarks on immigration are of greater interest: immigration of skilled persons is to be encouraged. They must be educated and law-abiding and must treat the country's culture and national tradition with respect. The main focus of the address, however, was on the birth rate and policies to be introduced to raise it. (The need for an "effective demographic policy" as seen from the Kremlin was of course also voiced in the later stages of the Soviet era. See, for example, the excerpts from the addresses delivered by then Party Chairman Leonid Brezhnev and Premier Nikolai Tikhonov to the 26th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in February 1981 that appear in the Documents item in the June 1981 issue of PDR.) In detail and specificity, and also in terms of the economic cost of the measures envisaged, Putin's speech is without parallel in addressing population policy matters by a head of state in Europe. The demo graphically relevant portion of the address is reproduced below in the English translation provided by the website of the president's office «http://www.kremlin.ru/eng». Calling Russia's demographic situation "the most acute problem facing our country today," Putin terms its causes as "well known," but lists only economic factors, presumably because these, at least in principle, lend themselves to remedial measures that the Russian government, its coffers now swollen with petrodollars, should be able to provide. His starkly economic interpretation of the problem of low fertility (in Russia apparently taking the form of convergence to a single-child pattern) may be overly optimistic. Causes of electing to have only one child may lie deeper than those Putin names: low incomes, inadequate housing, poor-quality health care and inadequate educational opportunities for children, and even lack of food. Putin's proposed policies to attack these problems in part consist of a major upgrading of existing child care benefits: to 1,500 roubles a month for the first child and 3,000 roubles for the second. The latter amount is roughly equivalent to US$113, a significant sum given Russian income levels. Maternity leave for 18 months at 40 percent of the mother's previous wage (subject to a ceiling) and compensation for the cost of preschool childcare round out the basic package proposed. Benefits are to be parity-dependent, highlighting the pronatalist intent of the measures. Thus the child benefit for the second child is to be twice as large as for the first, and payment for preschool childcare is to cover 20 percent of parental costs for the first, 50 percent for the second, and 70 percent for the third child. Putin mentions "young families" as recipients, but the payments are clearly directed to mothers. (Even the usually obligatory reference to western European,style paternity leave is missing.) The most innovative element of the proposed measures, however, is support for women who have a second birth. The state should provide such women (not the child, as called for in some European precedents) "with an initial maternity capital that will raise their social status and help resolve future problems." Citing expert opinion, Putin says that such support "should total at least 250,000 roubles [about $9,300] indexed to annual inflation." Evidently assuming, optimistically, that there will be many takers, Putin says that carrying out all these plans will require not only a lot of work but also "an immense amount of money." The measures are to be launched starting January 2007. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||