Adaptive EAGLE dynamic solution adaptation and grid quality enhancement

In the effort described here, the elliptic grid generation procedure in the EAGLE grid code was separated from the main code into a subroutine, and a new subroutine which evaluates several grid quality measures at each grid point was added. The elliptic grid routine can now be called, either by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code to generate a new adaptive grid based on flow variables and quality measures through multiple adaptation, or by the EAGLE main code to generate a grid based on quality measure variables through static adaptation. Arrays of flow variables can be read into the EAGLE grid code for use in static adaptation as well. These major changes in the EAGLE adaptive grid system make it easier to convert any CFD code that operates on a block-structured grid (or single-block grid) into a multiple adaptive code

How do foreign institutional investors enhance firm innovation?

We examine the effect of foreign institutional investors on firm innovation. Using firm-level data across 26 non-U.S. economies between 2000 and 2010, we show that foreign institutional ownership has a positive, causal effect on firm innovation. We further explore three possible underlying mechanisms through which foreign institutions affect firm innovation: Foreign institutions act as active monitors, provide insurance for firm managers against innovation failures, and promote knowledge spillovers from high-innovation economies. Our article sheds new light on the real effects of foreign institutions on firm innovation

Inequities in access to healthcare: analysis of national survey data across six Asia-Pacific countries

© 2013 Meyer et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background Evidence suggests that there is a link between inequitable access to healthcare and inequitable distribution of illness. A recent World Health Organization report stated that there is a need for research and policy to address the critical role of health services in reducing inequities and preventing future inequities. The aim of this manuscript is to highlight disparities and differences in terms of the factors that distinguish between poor and good access to healthcare across six Asia-Pacific countries: Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. Methods A population survey was undertaken in each country. This paper is a secondary analysis of these existing data. Data were collected in each country between 2009 and 2010. Four variables related to difficulties in access to healthcare (distance, appointment, waiting time, and cost) were analysed using binomial logistic regression to identify socio- and demographic predictors of inequity. Results Consistent across the findings, poor health and low income were identified as difficulties in access. Country specific indicators were also identified. For Thailand, the poorest level of access appears to be for respondents who work within the household whereas in Taiwan, part-time work is associated with difficulties in access. Within Hong Kong, results suggest that older (above 60) and retired individuals have the poorest access and within Australia, females and married individuals are the worst off. Conclusion Recognition of these inequities, from a policy perspective, is essential for health sector policy decision-making. Despite the differences in political and economic climate in the countries under analysis, our findings highlight patterns of inequity which require policy responses. Our data should be used as a means of deciding the most appropriate policy response for each country which includes, rather than excludes, socially marginalised population groups. These findings should be of interest to those involved in health policy, but also in policy more generally because as we have identified, access to health care is influenced by determinants outside of the health system

Adsorption and desorption of methylene blue on porous carbon monoliths and nanocrystalline cellulose

The dynamic batch adsorption of methylene blue (MB), a widely used and toxic dye, onto nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) and crushed powder of carbon monolith (CM) was investigated using the pseudo-first- and -second-order kinetics. CM outperformed NCC with a maximum capacity of 127 mg/g compared to 101 mg/g for NCC. The Langmuir isotherm model was applicable for describing the binding data for MB on CM and NCC, indicating the homogeneous surface of these two materials. The Gibbs free energy of −15.22 kJ/mol estimated for CM unravelled the spontaneous nature of this adsorbent for MB, appreciably faster than the use of NCC (−4.47 kJ/mol). Both pH and temperature exhibited only a modest effect on the adsorption of MB onto CM. The desorption of MB from CM using acetonitrile was very effective with more than 94 % of MB desorbed from CM within 10 min to allow the reusability of this porous carbon material. In contrast, acetonitrile was less effective than ethanol in desorbing MB from NCC. The two solvents were incapable of completely desorbing MB on commercial granular coal-derived activated carbon

The Gattini cameras for optical sky brightness measurements at Dome C, Antarctica

The Gattini cameras are two site testing instruments for the measurement of optical sky brightness, large area cloud cover and auroral detection of the night sky above the high altitude Dome C site in Antarctica. The cameras have been operating since installation in January 2006 and are currently at the end of the first Antarctic winter season. The cameras are transit in nature and are virtually identical both adopting Apogee Alta CCD detectors. By taking frequent images of the night sky we obtain long term cloud cover statistics, measure the sky background intensity as a function of solar and lunar altitude and phase and directly measure the spatial extent of bright aurora if present and when they occur. The full data set will return in December 2006 however a limited amount of data has been transferred via the Iridium network enabling preliminary data reduction and system evaluation. An update of the project is presented together with preliminary results from data taken since commencement of the winter season

Operationalising the Theory of Social Quality: analysis of the reliability of an instrument to measure social quality

The Theory of Social Quality (TSQ) has not yet had extensive empirical testing due to the difficulty of developing a validated and reliable tool to ‘measure’ social quality. A survey investigating social quality was piloted (n = 33) and analysed for test-retest and inter-item reliability in Australia, August 2009. Questions were considered reliable if the results from the test-retest analyses (Kappa, or Spearman Correlation tests) and the inter-item reliability test (Cronbach’s α) were statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) or the coefficients were (≥ 0.70) for any of the questionnaire items. Two questions and 34 items were removed from the survey. These preliminary data support the reliability and validity of the survey as an instrument for measuring social quality. In addition, the tool provides a means for operationalising the TSQ in future empirical research