Impact of European Integration on the Functioning of the Insurance Market in Poland

The transformation process, that has begun 20 years ago, generated significant changes in the structure and organization of Polish economy. It stimulated development of particular market's segments, especially of the insurance sector. Poland's accession to the European Union required conformity to Its regulations, fulfillment of several conditions connected with the membership in the European Community. The purpose of this article is to present the main consequences of Poland's integration with EU in the field of insurance market. Joining the common market was an important challenge for this sector in our country.Rok 1990 stanowił początek procesu transformacji systemu społeczno - gospodarczego i ustrojowego. Ostatnie 20 lat to okres intensywnych przemian o charakterze strukturalnym i organizacyjnym, w wyniku których ukształtowały się warunki rozwoju poszczególnych segmentów systemu finansowego państwa, zwłaszcza sektora ubezpieczeń. Przystąpienie Polski do Unii Europejskiej wymagało wprowadzenia szeregu zmian, dostosowujących polski porządek prawny do uregulowań wspólnotowych regulujących funkcjonowanie rynku ubezpieczeń. Celem artykułu jest zaprezentowanie szans i zagrożeń, jakie wynikają dla tego segmentu gospodarki z przystąpienia Polski do UE. Niewątpliwie proces integracji stanowił poważne wyzwanie dla polskiego rynku ubezpieczeń

Recurrence and differential relations for spherical spinors

We present a comprehensive table of recurrence and differential relations obeyed by spin one-half spherical spinors (spinor spherical harmonics) $\Omega_{\kappa\mu}(\mathbf{n})$ used in relativistic atomic, molecular, and solid state physics, as well as in relativistic quantum chemistry. First, we list finite expansions in the spherical spinor basis of the expressions $\mathbf{A}\cdot\mathbf{B}\,\Omega_{\kappa\mu}(\mathbf{n})$ and {$\mathbf{A}\cdot(\mathbf{B}\times\mathbf{C})\, \Omega_{\kappa\mu}(\mathbf{n})$}, where $\mathbf{A}$, $\mathbf{B}$, and $\mathbf{C}$ are either of the following vectors or vector operators: $\mathbf{n}=\mathbf{r}/r$ (the radial unit vector), $\mathbf{e}_{0}$, $\mathbf{e}_{\pm1}$ (the spherical, or cyclic, versors), $\boldsymbol{\sigma}$ (the $2\times2$ Pauli matrix vector), $\hat{\mathbf{L}}=-i\mathbf{r}\times\boldsymbol{\nabla}I$ (the dimensionless orbital angular momentum operator; $I$ is the $2\times2$ unit matrix), $\hat{\mathbf{J}}=\hat{\mathbf{L}}+1/2\boldsymbol{\sigma}$ (the dimensionless total angular momentum operator). Then, we list finite expansions in the spherical spinor basis of the expressions $\mathbf{A}\cdot\mathbf{B}\,F(r)\Omega_{\kappa\mu}(\mathbf{n})$ and $\mathbf{A}\cdot(\mathbf{B}\times\mathbf{C})\, F(r)\Omega_{\kappa\mu}(\mathbf{n})$, where at least one of the objects $\mathbf{A}$, $\mathbf{B}$, $\mathbf{C}$ is the nabla operator $\boldsymbol{\nabla}$, while the remaining ones are chosen from the set $\mathbf{n}$, $\mathbf{e}_{0}$, $\mathbf{e}_{\pm1}$, $\boldsymbol{\sigma}$, $\hat{\mathbf{L}}$, $\hat{\mathbf{J}}$.Comment: LaTeX, 12 page

Effects of build orientation and element partitioning on microstructure and mechanical properties of biomedical Ti-6Al-4V alloy produced by laser sintering

Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) technology was used to produce tensile and flexural samples based on the Ti-6Al-4V biomedical composition. Tensile samples were produced in three different orientations in order to investigate the effect of building direction on the mechanical behavior. On the other hand, flexural samples were submitted to thermal treatments to simulate the firing cycle commonly used to veneer metallic devices with ceramics in dental applications. Roughness and hardness measurements as well as tensile and flexural mechanical tests were performed to study the mechanical response of the alloy while X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (SEM, TEM, STEM) techniques and microanalysis (EDX) were used to investigate sample microstructure. Results evidenced a difference in the mechanical response of tensile samples built in orthogonal directions. In terms of microstructure, samples not submitted to the firing cycle show a single phase acicular α’ (hcp) structure typical of metal parts subject to high cooling rates. After the firing cycle, samples show a reduction of hardness and strength due to the formation of laths of the β (bcc) phase at the boundaries of the primary formed α’ plates as well as to lattice parameters variation of the hcp phase. Element partitioning during the firing cycle gives rise to high concentration of V atoms (up to 20 wt%) at the plate boundaries where the β phase preferentially forms

Stellar Populations of Lyman Break Galaxies at z=1-3 in the HST/WFC3 Early Release Science Observations

We analyze the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z=1-3 selected using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) UVIS channel filters. These HST/WFC3 observations cover about 50 sq. arcmin in the GOODS-South field as a part of the WFC3 Early Release Science program. These LBGs at z=1-3 are selected using dropout selection criteria similar to high redshift LBGs. The deep multi-band photometry in this field is used to identify best-fit SED models, from which we infer the following results: (1) the photometric redshift estimate of these dropout selected LBGs is accurate to within few percent; (2) the UV spectral slope (beta) is redder than at high redshift (z>3), where LBGs are less dusty; (3) on average, LBGs at z=1-3 are massive, dustier and more highly star-forming, compared to LBGs at higher redshifts with similar luminosities (0.1L*<~L<~2.5L*), though their median values are similar within 1-sigma uncertainties. This could imply that identical dropout selection technique, at all redshifts, find physically similar galaxies; and (4) stellar masses of these LBGs are directly proportional to their UV luminosities with a logarithmic slope of ~0.46, and star-formation rates are proportional to their stellar masses with a logarithmic slope of ~0.90. These relations hold true --- within luminosities probed in this study --- for LBGs from z~1.5 to 5. The star-forming galaxies selected using other color-based techniques show similar correlations at z~2, but to avoid any selection biases, and for direct comparison with LBGs at z>3, a true Lyman break selection at z~2 is essential. The future HST UV surveys, both wider and deeper, covering a large luminosity range are important to better understand LBG properties, and their evolution.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ (29 pages, 9 figures

Inequality, Fiscal Capacity and the Political Regime: Lessons from the Post-Communist Transition

Using panel data for twenty-seven post-communist economies between 1987-2003, we examine the nexus of relationships between inequality, fiscal capacity (defined as the ability to raise taxes efficiently) and the political regime. Investigating the impact of political reform we find that full political freedom is associated with lower levels of income inequality. Under more oligarchic (authoritarian) regimes, the level of inequality is conditioned by the state’s fiscal capacity. Specifically, oligarchic regimes with more developed fiscal systems are able to defend the prevailing vested interests at a lower cost in terms of social injustice. This empirical finding is consistent with the model developed by Acemoglu (2006). We also find that transition countries undertaking early macroeconomic stabilisation now enjoy lower levels of inequality; we confirm that education fosters equality and the suggestion of Commander et al (1999) that larger countries are prone to higher levels of inequality.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/57211/1/wp831 .pd

The role of quenching time in the evolution of the mass-size relation of passive galaxies from the WISP survey

We analyze how passive galaxies at z $\sim$ 1.5 populate the mass-size plane as a function of their stellar age, to understand if the observed size growth with time can be explained with the appearance of larger quenched galaxies at lower redshift. We use a sample of 32 passive galaxies extracted from the Wide Field Camera 3 Infrared Spectroscopic Parallel (WISP) survey with spectroscopic redshift 1.3 $\lesssim$ z $\lesssim$ 2.05, specific star-formation rates lower than 0.01 Gyr$^{-1}$, and stellar masses above 4.5 $\times$ 10$^{10}$ M$_\odot$. All galaxies have spectrally determined stellar ages from fitting of their rest-frame optical spectra and photometry with stellar population models. When dividing our sample into young (age $\leq$ 2.1 Gyr) and old (age $>$ 2.1 Gyr) galaxies we do not find a significant trend in the distributions of the difference between the observed radius and the one predicted by the mass-size relation. This result indicates that the relation between the galaxy age and its distance from the mass-size relation, if it exists, is rather shallow, with a slope alpha $\gtrsim$ -0.6. At face value, this finding suggests that multiple dry and/or wet minor mergers, rather than the appearance of newly quenched galaxies, are mainly responsible for the observed time evolution of the mass-size relation in passive galaxies.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters; 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Spatio-temporal Models of Lymphangiogenesis in Wound Healing

Several studies suggest that one possible cause of impaired wound healing is failed or insufficient lymphangiogenesis, that is the formation of new lymphatic capillaries. Although many mathematical models have been developed to describe the formation of blood capillaries (angiogenesis), very few have been proposed for the regeneration of the lymphatic network. Lymphangiogenesis is a markedly different process from angiogenesis, occurring at different times and in response to different chemical stimuli. Two main hypotheses have been proposed: 1) lymphatic capillaries sprout from existing interrupted ones at the edge of the wound in analogy to the blood angiogenesis case; 2) lymphatic endothelial cells first pool in the wound region following the lymph flow and then, once sufficiently populated, start to form a network. Here we present two PDE models describing lymphangiogenesis according to these two different hypotheses. Further, we include the effect of advection due to interstitial flow and lymph flow coming from open capillaries. The variables represent different cell densities and growth factor concentrations, and where possible the parameters are estimated from biological data. The models are then solved numerically and the results are compared with the available biological literature.Comment: 29 pages, 9 Figures, 6 Tables (39 figure files in total

Reactive scattering of H2 from Cu(100): comparison of dynamics calculations based on the specific reaction parameter approach to density functional theory with experiment

We present new experimental and theoretical results for reactive scattering of dihydrogen from Cu(100). In the new experiments, the associative desorption of H2 is studied in a velocity resolved and final rovibrational state selected manner, using time-of-flight techniques in combination with resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization laser detection. Average desorption energies and rota- tional quadrupole alignment parameters were obtained in this way for a number of (v = 0, 1) ro- tational states, v being the vibrational quantum number. Results of quantum dynamics calculations based on a potential energy surface computed with a specific reaction parameter (SRP) density func- tional, which was derived earlier for dihydrogen interacting with Cu(111), are compared with the results of the new experiments and with the results of previous molecular beam experiments on sticking of H2 and on rovibrationally elastic and inelastic scattering of H2 and D2 from Cu(100). The calculations use the Born-Oppenheimer and static surface approximations. With the functional derived semi-empirically for dihydrogen + Cu(111), a chemically accurate description is obtained of the molecular beam experiments on sticking of H2 on Cu(100), and a highly accurate descrip- tion is obtained of rovibrationally elastic and inelastic scattering of D2 from Cu(100) and of the orientational dependence of the reaction of (v = 1, j = 2 − 4) H2 on Cu(100). This suggests that a SRP density functional derived for H2 interacting with a specific low index face of a metal will yield accurate results for H2 reactively scattering from another low index face of the same metal, and that it may also yield accurate results for H2 interacting with a defected (e.g., stepped) surface of that same metal, in a system of catalytic interest. However, the description that was obtained of the average desorption energies, of rovibrationally elastic and inelastic scattering of H2 from Cu(100), and of the orientational dependence of reaction of (v = 0, j = 3 − 5, 8) H2 on Cu(100) compares less well with the available experiments. More research is needed to establish whether more accurate SRP-density functional theory dynamics results can be obtained for these observables if surface atom motion is added to the dynamical model. The experimentally and theoretically found dependence of the rotational quadrupole alignment parameter on the rotational quantum number provides evidence for rotational enhancement of reaction at low translational energies.Fil: Sementa, L.. Leiden University; Países Bajos. Istituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici of the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; ItaliaFil: Wijzenbroek, M.. Leiden University; Países BajosFil: Van Kolck, B. J.. Leiden University; Países BajosFil: Somers, M. F.. Leiden University; Países BajosFil: Al-Halabi, A.. Leiden University; Países BajosFil: Busnengo, Heriberto Fabio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Rosario. Instituto de Física de Rosario (i); ArgentinaFil: Olsen, R. A.. Leiden University; Países Bajos. SINTEF Materials and Chemistry; NoruegaFil: Kroes, G. J.. Leiden University; Países BajosFil: Rutkowski, M.. Westfalische Wilhelms Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Thewes, C.. Westfalische Wilhelms Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Kleimeier, N. F.. Westfalische Wilhelms Universitat; AlemaniaFil: Zacharias, H.. Westfalische Wilhelms Universitat; Alemani

Phase III study of nilotinib versus best supportive care with or without a TKI in patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors resistant to or intolerant of imatinib and sunitinib

Background This phase III open-label trial investigated the efficacy of nilotinib in patients with advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors following prior imatinib and sunitinib failure. Patients and methods Patients were randomized 2:1 to nilotinib 400 mg b.i.d. or best supportive care (BSC; BSC without tyrosine kinase inhibitor, BSC+imatinib, or BSC+sunitinib). Primary efficacy end point was progression-free survival (PFS) based on blinded central radiology review (CRR). Patients progressing on BSC could cross over to nilotinib. Results Two hundred and forty-eight patients enrolled. Median PFS was similar between arms (nilotinib 109 days, BSC 111 days; P=0.56). Local investigator-based intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed a significantly longer median PFS with nilotinib (119 versus 70 days; P=0.0007). A trend in longer median overall survival (OS) was noted with nilotinib (332 versus 280 days; P=0.29). Post hoc subset analyses in patients with progression and only one prior regimen each of imatinib and sunitinib revealed a significant difference in median OS of >4 months in favor of nilotinib (405 versus 280 days; P=0.02). Nilotinib was well tolerated. Conclusion In the ITT analysis, no significant difference in PFS was observed between treatment arms based on CRR. In the post hoc subset analyses, nilotinib provided significantly longer median O

Newborn spheroids at high redshift: when and how did the dominant, old stars in today's massive galaxies form?

We study ~330 massive (M* > 10^9.5 MSun), newborn spheroidal galaxies (SGs) around the epoch of peak star formation (1<z<3), to explore the high-redshift origin of SGs and gain insight into when and how the old stellar populations that dominate today's Universe formed. The sample is drawn from the HST/WFC3 Early-Release Science programme, which provides deep 10-filter (0.2 - 1.7 micron) HST imaging over a third of the GOODS-South field. We find that the star formation episodes that built the SGs likely peaked in the redshift range 2<z<5 (with a median of z~3) and have decay timescales shorter than ~1.5 Gyr. Starburst timescales and ages show no trend with stellar mass in the range 10^9.5 < M* < 10^10.5 MSun. However, the timescales show increased scatter towards lower values ( 10^10.5 MSun, and an age trend becomes evident in this mass regime: SGs with M* > 10^11.5 MSun are ~2 Gyrs older than their counterparts with M* < 10^10.5 MSun. Nevertheless, a smooth downsizing trend with galaxy mass is not observed, and the large scatter in starburst ages indicate that SGs are not a particularly coeval population. Around half of the blue SGs appear not to drive their star formation via major mergers, and those that have experienced a recent major merger, show only modest enhancements (~40%) in their specific star formation rates. Our empirical study indicates that processes other than major mergers (e.g. violent disk instability driven by cold streams and/or minor mergers) likely play a dominant role in building SGs, and creating a significant fraction of the old stellar populations that dominate today's Universe.Comment: MNRAS in pres