For China to realise its research and innovation potential the government may have to place greater trust in the academic community

After three decades of being the world's manufacturing powerhouse, China is now looking to science and technology to drive its economic future. However, a recent study suggests that China's higher education research environment faces numerous challenges that may hinder the country from realising its research and innovation potential; from the promotion of short-term thinking, to an excessive level of bureaucratic and governmental intervention. Xueying Han and Richard P. Appelbaum argue that for China to reach the next level of research and innovation, the central government may have to cede control and trust the academic community to take a more active role in guiding the country’s research direction

Empresas nanotecnológicas en México: hacia un primer inventario

En este artículo presentamos un inventario inicial de compañías mexicanas que venden productos que son manufacturados a partir de nanotecnología, o que utilizan nanotecnología en sus operaciones. El inventario permite a los interesados identificar el número de empresas, su ubicación geográfica y los sectores industriales en los que se insertan. Esto es, de hecho, un primer acercamiento para el análisis los vínculos productivos de la nanotecnología en México. Los resultados muestran una alta concentración de empresas en dos estados: Nuevo León y la ciudad de México. Esto sucede en un contexto donde no hay una iniciativa nacional, ni una política pública específica ni datos disponibles públicamente o bases de datos que contienen información relevante

Análisis económico sectorial de las empresas de nanotecnología en México

En este escrito se presenta un análisis de las empresas de nanotecnología en México. Se informa sobre su distribución geográfica, sobre la clasificación económica sectorial, y sobre el lugar en la cadena de valor de las nanotecnologías. La metodología puede ser replicada sin mayores modificaciones a otros países. Los resultados registran un total de 139 empresas que trabajan con nanotecnología en México. El principal sector corresponde a la manufactura de productos químicos, y la mayoría de los productos vendidos por las empresas nanotecnológicas son medios de producción (materia prima, materiales intermedios, instrumentos y equipo) para ulteriores procesos industrialesIn this document the authors present an analysis of nanotechnology companies in Mexico. They identify geographical location, determine an economic classification and the companies' place in a simple value chain of nanotechnology. The methodology used here may be employed in other case studies to analyze the nanotechnology industry of any given country. The research indicated that there are a total of 139 nanotechnology companies in Mexico. Most companies are located in the chemical sector, and the majority of goods produced and traded are destined for further production (raw materials, intermediates, tools and equipment) for subsequent manufacturing processe

Postural directionality and head tremor in cervical dystonia

Background: Although abnormal head and neck postures are defining features of cervical dystonia (CD), head tremor (HT) is also common. However, little is known about the relationship between abnormal postures and HT in CD. Methods: We analyzed clinical data and video recordings from 185 patients enrolled by the Dystonia Coalition. We calculated the likelihood of their HT and HT type ( regular vs. jerky ) given directionality of abnormal head postures, disease duration, sex, and age. Results: Patients with retrocollis were more likely to have HT than patients with anterocollis (X Discussion: We found that HT is more likely for CD patients with a specific directionality in their predominant posture. Our finding that CD patients with longer disease duration have a higher likelihood of HT also raises the question of whether HT becomes more likely over time in individual patients

The Impact of Teams on Output, Quality, and Downtime: An Empirical Analysis Using Individual Panel Data

The authors use the econometric case study method to investigate the direct impact of offline teams on productivity in a non-unionized subsidiary of a multinational firm from January 1999 through November 2001. They analyze daily data on rejection, production, and downtime rates for both team and non-team-member operators. They hypothesize that team membership without complementary involvement practices is initially sufficient to enhance productivity and quality control. Further, the use of teams leads initially to more downtime, but this cost will diminish over time. Findings indicate that membership in offline teams initially increases individual productivity by about 3% and lowers rejection rates by about 27%. These improvements dissipate, however, typically at a rate of 10 to 16% per 100 days in a team. For these benefits to be sustained, team membership must be complemented with measures that provide extrinsic rewards. The authors also find that the performance-enhancing effects of team membership are generally greater and longer-lasting for more educated members. JEL classification: F23, J24, L60, M11, M12, M5

Density-functional Study of Small Molecules within the Krieger-Li-Iafrate Approximation

We report density-functional studies of several small molecules ($H_{2}, N_{2}, CO, H_{2}O$, and $CH_{4}$) within the Krieger-Li-Iafrate (KLI) approximation to the exact Kohn-Sham local exchange potential, using a three-dimensional real-space finite-difference pseudopotential method. It is found that exchange-only KLI leads to markedly improved eigenvalue spectra compared to those obtained within the standard local-density approximation (LDA), the generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and the Hartree-Fock (HF) method. For structural properties, exchange-only KLI results are close to the corresponding HF values. We find that the addition of LDA or GGA correlation energy functionals to the KLI exact exchange energy functional does not lead to systematic improvements.Comment: 16 pages including 1 fugure, to be published in Phys. Rev. A Nov. 1 '9

Understanding, treating, and renaming grandiose delusions : a qualitative study

Background Grandiose delusions are arguably the most neglected psychotic experience in research. Objectives We aimed to discover from patients: whether grandiose delusions have harmful consequences; the psychological mechanisms that maintain them; and what help patients may want from clinical services. Design A qualitative interview design was used to explore patients’ experiences of grandiose delusions. Method Fifteen patients with past or present experiences of grandiose delusions who were attending psychiatric services were interviewed. Thematic analysis and grounded theory were used to analyse the data. Results Participants reported physical, sexual, social, occupational, and emotional harms from grandiose delusions. All patients described the grandiose belief as highly meaningful: it provided a sense of purpose, belonging, or self‐identity, or it made sense of unusual or difficult events. The meaning from the belief was not synonymous with extreme superiority or arrogance. The meaning obtained appeared to be a key driver of the persistence of the beliefs. Other maintenance factors were subjectively anomalous experiences (e.g., voices), symptoms of mania, fantasy elaboration, reasoning biases, and immersive behaviours. Participants described insufficient opportunities to talk about their grandiose beliefs and related experiences and were generally positive about the possibility of a psychological therapy. Conclusions We conclude that grandiosity is a psychologically rich experience, with a number of maintenance factors that may be amenable to a targeted psychological intervention. Importantly, the term ‘grandiose delusion’ is an imprecise description of the experience; we suggest ‘delusions of exceptionality’ may be a credible alternative. Practitioner points -Harm from grandiose delusions can occur across multiple domains (including physical, sexual, social, occupational, and emotional) and practitioners should assess accordingly. -However, grandiose delusions are experienced by patients as highly meaningful: they provide a sense of purpose, belonging, or self‐identity, or make sense of unusual or difficult events. -Possible psychological maintenance mechanisms that could be a target for intervention include the meaning of the belief, anomalous experiences, mania, fantasy elaboration, reasoning biases, and immersive behaviours. -Patients are keen to have the opportunity to access talking therapies for this experience. Taking extra time to talk at times of distress, ‘going the extra mile’, and listening carefully can help to facilitate trust

Icarus Falls: The Coal Health Scandal

The handling of cases under the Coal Health Compensation Schemes, set up in 1999 to compensate miners suffering from workplace medical conditions, resulted in over 100 solicitors from more than 30 firms facing disciplinary proceedings. Three were struck off, three suspended and over forty fined following the largest investigation ever mounted by the regulator. This article examines the political and regulatory context of the scandal, describes one of the cases presented to the Solicitors' Disciplinary Tribunal and examines the relevance of theories of transgression to professional disciplinary matters. It concludes by considering the regulatory impacts and implications of the scandal

Who Benefits From Teams? Comparing Workers, Supervisors, and Managers

This paper offers a political explanation for the diffusion and sustainability of team-based work systems by examining the differential outcomes of team structures for 1200 workers, supervisors, and middle managers in a large unionized telecommunications company. Regression analyses show that participation in self-managed teams is associated with significantly higher levels of perceived discretion, employment security, and satisfaction for workers and the opposite for supervisors. Middle managers who initiate team innovations report higher employment security, but otherwise are not significantly different from their counterparts who are not involved in innovations. By contrast, there are no significant outcomes for employees associated with their participation in offline problem-solving teams

Longitudinal consent-related abilities among research participants with schizophrenia: Results from the CATIE study

Research participants must have adequate consent-related abilities to provide informed consent at the time of study enrollment. We sought to determine if research participants with schizophrenia maintain adequate consent-related abilities during a longitudinal study. If participants lose abilities during a trial they may not be able to judge and protect their interests. If reduced abilities are common or can be predicted, special protections can be targeted appropriately