Innovación y flexibilidad de la universidad a través de autonomía y competitividad : la universidad alemana ante una reforma en profundidad

Editado por Prof. Santiago García Echevarrí

A Platform for Processing Expression of Short Time Series (PESTS)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Time course microarray profiles examine the expression of genes over a time domain. They are necessary in order to determine the complete set of genes that are dynamically expressed under given conditions, and to determine the interaction between these genes. Because of cost and resource issues, most time series datasets contain less than 9 points and there are few tools available geared towards the analysis of this type of data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To this end, we introduce a platform for Processing Expression of Short Time Series (PESTS). It was designed with a focus on usability and interpretability of analyses for the researcher. As such, it implements several standard techniques for comparability as well as visualization functions. However, it is designed specifically for the unique methods we have developed for significance analysis, multiple test correction and clustering of short time series data. The central tenet of these methods is the use of biologically relevant features for analysis. Features summarize short gene expression profiles, inherently incorporate dependence across time, and allow for both full description of the examined curve and missing data points.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PESTS is fully generalizable to other types of time series analyses. PESTS implements novel methods as well as several standard techniques for comparability and visualization functions. These features and functionality make PESTS a valuable resource for a researcher's toolkit. PESTS is available to download for free to academic and non-profit users at <url>http://www.mailman.columbia.edu/academic-departments/biostatistics/research-service/software-development</url>.</p

Fiskalische Kosten einer steuerlichen Förderung von Forschung und Entwicklung in Deutschland - Eine empirische Analyse verschiedener Gestaltungsoptionen

Der Beitrag berechnet die Aufkommensausfälle verschiedener Gestaltungsmodelle für eine steuerliche Forschungsförderung in Deutschland auf Basis eines Mikrosimulationsmodells. Die fiskalischen Kosten betragen zwischen 464 Mio. € und 5.701 Mio. €. Eine Erstattungsoption der Steuergutschrift über die Gewerbe- und Körperschaftsteuerschuld hinaus ist unerlässlich, da sonst etwa ein Drittel der Unternehmen nicht oder nur teilweise in den Genuss der Förderung kommen würde und sich dadurch starke Verzerrungen zwischen ertragsstarken und ertragsschwachen Unternehmen ergeben. Eine Differenzierung der Fördersätze für KMU und große Unternehmen kann die Aufkommensausfälle wirksam begrenzen. Eine Kappungsgrenze in Höhe eines absoluten Betrages ist wegen der Verzerrungen innerhalb der Gruppe großer Unternehmen ungünstig. Als besonders pragmatisch erscheint eine Verrechnung der Steuergutschrift mit der abzuführenden Lohnsteuer

New Horizons for Germany's Africa Policy

This paper deals with Germany's new Africa policy. The Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) presented a new Africa concept in January 2017. The BMZ wants to counter the further marginalisation of Africa with inclusive and sustainable growth. Chancellor Angela Merkel will explain her new policy for Africa at the G20 summit in Hamburg in July 2017, in an attempt to gain the approval of the other G20 members for focused cooperation with Africa. The paper argues that it remains solely the duty of African states to take their development into their own hands. Cooperation can support this process, but it cannot assume what is each state's individual responsibility. The Marshall Plan with Africa aims to develop a joint agenda with the countries of Africa. Yet because the African countries did not participate in developing the concept, the plan derived so far is more of a plan for Africa, identifying which measures the BMZ would like to implement in order to contribute to sustainable and inclusive economic growth in Africa. Africa is becoming increasingly differentiated, and developing a joint strategy with individual countries or groups of countries that reflects the varying speeds at which changes are occurring would be a decisive step. The plan does not cover sufficient ground on this issue. In order to develop a coherent Africa concept for the German federal government, the participation of the most important ministries needs to be improved, and the chancellor needs to be in charge of the overall management. The paper concludes that Germany's Africa policy needs to be redesigned. The Marshall Plan has generated a shift, but it does not provide sufficient guidance to new horizons and away from the well-beaten track of traditional development cooperation. The departure to a new age that is defined by increased cooperation with democratic African countries which are capable of reform, and by a courageous and consistent stance in relation to non-democratic countries, has not yet taken place

Performance of roof and ceiling systems in tropical thermal environment

The roof of a building is normally considered to be the covering on its top or the form that crowns it and may manifest it self in any shape or form. However depending on whether a roof is experienced from within an architectural space or with out perception of it can differ. From out side roof implies the crowing from described above , once in side given space it may be perceived as top most covering of the building or the ceiling of that immediately space. Among the building envelop elements, the thermal importance of roof in tropical buildings is immense. Due to the sun angles in the tropics, roofs are exposed to the sun more often than the walls. The solar altitudes in the lower tropics in particular are so high that all slopes of all roofs are exposed to the sun virtually from sun rise to sunset (Fig. 1a ) .Thus, climate - conscious building designers in the tropics refer the role roof plays in sun protection as the "Roof Problems"(Cf. Knigsberger & Lynn, 1965: 7ff

Performance of roof and ceiling systems in tropical thermal environment

The roof of a building is normally considered to be the cover on its top that crowns it and roof may manifest it self in any shape or form depending whether a roof is experienced from within an architectural space or with out perception of it .Among the building envelop elements, the thermal importance of roof in tropical buildings is immense. Due to the sun angles in the tropics, roofs are exposed to the sun more often than the walls. The solar latitudes in the lower tropics in particular are so high that all slopes of all roofs are exposed to the sun virtually from sun rise to sunset (Fig. 1a ) .Thus, climate-conscious building designers in the tropics refer the role of roof plays in sun protection as the "Roof Problems"(Cf. Koenigsberger & Lynn, 1965: 7ff) Refference -An experimental study of the effect of roof cover on indoor thermal comfort, Emmanul M.R. (December 2000), a report submitted to the senate research committee of the university of Moratuwa ,( src grant no 2000/01/02 ) Additionally, roofs are important in rainwater runoff in the wet tropics. Materials and methods of construction that keep the rain water away are important considerations in this region. Roof is also the costliest among the super -structure elements in a low cost tropical building and its aesthetic appeal too, cannot be ignored in the tropical context. The ceiling of a given space defines the immediate upper limit of that space and may refer to the under side of the roof itself . The space of the ceiling can be manipulated as desired. The ceiling may even exit as living and ceiling of a particular space could be the floor of a space above it. Countries in the tropics, which form a wide belt around the middle of earth, do not share a univalent cultural or social frame Topography creates some climatic irregularities like typhoons and tropical cyclones. But generally, the climate is characterized by intense sunshine, heavy rain fall, prevailing winds, high humidity and equable temperatures. Evaporative cooling is greatly reduced due to the high humidity, which averages about 75% or more ( Temperature average between 22 C and 32C with only minor seasonal variation). Climate is clearly one of the prime factors of culture and form of built environment

Projet recherche Café - Burundi. Financement FAC. 1990 - 1996. Catalogue des rapports annuels. Volume 1. Technologie. Volume 2. Entomologie. Volume 3. Agronomie

Bilan des opérations de recherche sur le café au cours de la période 1990 - 1996 en technologie : définition des normes de qualité des cerises de café, étude des arômes indésirables (goût de pomme de terre, GPDT), influence des facteurs agronomiques sur la qualité du café, étude des procédés de traitement post-récolte du café, contrôle des nuisances causées par les stations de dépulpage - lavage; en entomologie : étude des populations de ravageurs (Antestiopsis orbitalis et Trirhithrum coffeae), lutte contre Antestiopsis orbitalis, amélioration de la qualité des cerises de café (GPDT); en agronomie : amélioration des productions par une meilleure utilisation de l'espace (paillage et légumineuses de couverture), amélioration des productions par une meilleure utilisation des pratiques culturales, amélioration des productions par l'utilisation rationnelle des engrai