Suchergebnisse

This paper addresses the relationships between innovation, research and development (R&D) and productivity in domestic ICT firms in Costa Rica. Factors considered were the types of innovation outputs produced by domestic ICT firms, the relative importance of innovation inputs, the impacts of innovation on firm productivity, the protection of innovations, and impediments to innovation. While most firms engaged in all types of output and input innovations, they appear to be driven by retaining or increasing market share rather than increasing productivity. Half of firms do not formally protect the intellectual property created by their innovations, are not familiar with methods for protecting innovation or the availability of government grants for such purposes, and face barriers associated with the Costa Rican Patent Office. Other impediments include lack of knowledge about financial resources available and scarcity of human resources. There is also evidence of knowledge spillovers through worker mobility from multinationals operating in Costa Rica to domestic ICT firms.

In 2008/09 and 2009/10, storage trials with 12 sugarbeet genotypes were carried out under different conditions in six countries. The genotypes were grown in strips and harvested in September/November either by machine (using good agricultural practice) or by hand. Samples were then stored either in nets incorporated in clamps or in separate nets/bags or containers inside a barn or climate room. All samples were weighed and analyzed before and after storage for sugar (by polarimetry), potassium, sodium, amino nitrogen, total soluble nitrogen, sucrose, glucose, fructose, raffinose, betaine and glutamine content. After storage the samples were also examined visually.

Differences between the genotypes were observed for root tip breakage, sprouting, moulds and rot, although these differences were not unambiguous in all experiments and varied between the observations in the different countries. The sugar losses ranged from 0 to 66% of the initial amount and seemed to be related to various biotic and abiotic factors. Root damage by machine harvest and storage temperature were dominant factors in relation to the sugar losses. Genotypes also showed significant differences in sugar losses, but a strong interaction with year and site existed. Correlations could be found between sugar losses and initial sugar content (r = –0.66), initial betaine content (r = –0.62) and root tip breakage (r = +0.66) and after storage, moulds (r = +0.87), rot (r = +0.88) and invert sugars (r = +0.89).

Chemical analyses showed differences between the genotypes for the decrease in beet quality after storage, not only by a reduction in sugar content but also by an increase in invert sugar and soluble nitrogen.

AbstractThe pressures of globalization and shifts towards post‐industrialism are producing policies that increasingly emphasize the common themes of activation and of individual responsibility for outcomes. Such approaches suggest normative principles of equality of opportunity rather than of outcome, and of individual rather than collective responsibility for the outcomes achieved. Does this imply a shift towards a common normative framework for European welfare states, with implications for future policy developments? This article reports a recent qualitative study examining ideas about fairness and social provision in the very different regimes of Germany and the UK. The analysis shows that while respondents in both countries value equality of opportunity as a normative principle, those in Germany are much more likely to argue that an equal opportunity approach requires government to guarantee equal access to basic services. They are also more likely to express concerns about market freedoms which allow those who can afford it better access to health care and education. Real differences in welfare values remain, loosely following differences of regime type, despite the greater emphasis on activation and individual responsibility across European welfare states.

24 p., y bibliografía ; As fish are ectothermic animals, water temperature can affect their basic biological processes such as larval development, growth and reproduction. Similar to reptiles, the incubation temperature during early phases of development is capable to modify sex ratios in a large number of fish species. This phenomenon, known as thermolabile sex determination (TSD) was first reported in Menidia menidia, a species belonging to the family Atherinopsidae. Since then, an increasing number of fish have also been found to exhibit TSD. Traditionally, likewise in reptiles, several TSD patterns have been described in fish, however it has been recently postulated that only one, females at low temperatures and males at high temperatures, may represent the "real" or "true" TSD. Many studies regarding the influence of temperature on the final sex ratios have been focused on the expression and activity of gonadal aromatase, the enzyme involved in the conversion of androgens into estrogens and encoded by the cyp19a1a gene. In this regard, teleost fish, may be due to a whole genome duplication event, produce another aromatase enzyme, commonly named brain aromatase, encoded by the cyp19a1b gene. Contrary to what has been described in other vertebrates, fish exhibit very high levels of aromatase activity in the brain and therefore they synthesize high amounts of neuroestrogens. However, its biological significance is still not understood. In addition, the mechanism whereby temperature can induce the development of a testis or an ovary still remains elusive. In this context the present review is aimed to discuss several theories about the possible role of brain aromatase using fish as models. The relevance of brain aromatase and therefore of neuroestrogens as the possible cue for gonadal differentiation is raised. In addition, the possible role of brain aromatase as the way to keep the high levels of neurogenesis in fish is also considered. Several key examples of how teleosts and aromatase regulation can offer more insight into basic mechanisms of TSD are also reviewed. ; The work was supported by a project from the Spanish Government "TERMOSEX" PET-2007-0390 to MB and from the Argentine Scientific Agency PICT 16-38206 to GMS. ; Peer reviewed

In view of rising poverty rates, the introduction of a legal minimum
wage has become an important policy issue in Germany. We
analyze the distributional effects of a nationwide minimum wage of
7.50e per hour based on a micro-simulation model accounting for interactions
between wages, the tax-benefit system, and net household
incomes. Due to the existing system of means-tested income support,
the minimum wage would be ineffective in reducing poverty in the
overall population, although poverty among singles and families with
children or with a female household head would be slightly reduced.