Successful rural SMEs – which catalysts work?

This study is concerned with exploring the determinants of success in the context of rural locations. Generally, it is assumed that success can be measured in quantitative terms such as growth and profitability, while occasionally surrogate measures such as growth and employment are used (Storey, 1994). However, other research suggests that success may be measured in a much more personalised way by each stakeholder, which necessarily encompasses both quantitative and qualitative measures (Beaver & Jennings, 1995). Despite this plurality of methods, and despite different definitions, there are certain common characteristics, which influence the success potential of SMEs in a rural context. Whilst previous research has considered the subject of growth (of employment, market share, turnover) and profit as key determinants of success, this study will provide a richer and deeper understanding of what may characterise the term ‘success’ with respect to the English definition of rurality than is currently presented in the literature

OFDI FROM CHINA: A DELIBERATELY MACRO RE-EVALUATION

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical overview of the recent phenomenon of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) from China, from a more macro and historical perspective. Design/methodology/approach The paper critically reviews the extant literature and re-assesses available data on OFDI from China. Findings It is argued that despite the explosion of academic interest the phenomenon was neither unpredicted nor sudden. Originality/value The paper also argues that OFDI from China is not yet so important and neither presents insurmountable challenges to the established literature on FDI. </jats:sec

Spin and energy relaxation in germanium studied by spin-polarized direct-gap photoluminescence

Spin orientation of photoexcited carriers and their energy relaxation is investigated in bulk Ge by studying spin-polarized recombination across the direct band gap. The control over parameters such as doping and lattice temperature is shown to yield high polarization degree, namely larger than 40%, as well as a fine-tuning of the angular momentum of the emitted light with a complete reversal between right- and left-handed circular polarization. By combining the measurement of the optical polarization state of band-edge luminescence and Monte Carlo simulations of carrier dynamics, we show that these very rich and complex phenomena are the result of the electron thermalization and cooling in the multi-valley conduction band of Ge. The circular polarization of the direct-gap radiative recombination is indeed affected by energy relaxation of hot electrons via the X valleys and the Coulomb interaction with extrinsic carriers. Finally, thermal activation of unpolarized L valley electrons accounts for the luminescence depolarization in the high temperature regime

Derivative products and innovation in Islamic finance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the possibility of structuring an Islamic option which includes an element of risk sharing as opposed to risk transfer. Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted in this research involved a combination of a wa’ad (promise) and murabaha (cost plus sale) and examining if they could form a risk-sharing Islamic option. The payoffs were assumed to be dependent on bi-period outcomes. Findings – The paper attempted to create a hybrid risk-sharing option by combining elements of both wa’ad (promise) and murabaha (cost plus sale). The results yielded are dependent on the eventual direction of the market (in-the-money, at-the-money and out-the-money). While the results are not definitive, they do provide arguments for the adoption of a risk-sharing, as opposed to a risk-transfer, methodology when it comes to structuring risk management instruments. Research limitations/implications – One of the major limitations of this research is the inability to assess the Shariah compliance of the proposed instrument. Shariah compliance is determined by a Shariah Supervisory Board, and every effort has been made to ensure that Shariah financial principles are adhered to in the creation of this structure. Practical implications – The structure provides some interest arguments in the creation of risk management tools under a Shariah financial framework. The structure illustrates the benefits of having a risk-sharing mode over the conventional risk-transfer stances of most risk management tools. Originality/value – The paper offers a new way of structuring a risk management tool in Islamic finance. It explores the highly debated area of derivatives in Islamic finance and proposes a new way of creating a risk management tool that involves some elements of risk sharing

Spin-dependent direct gap emission in tensile-strained Ge films on Si substrates

The circular polarization of direct gap emission of Ge is studied in optically-excited tensile-strained Ge-on-Si heterostructures as a function of doping and temperature. Owing to the spin-dependent optical selection rules, the radiative recombinations involving strain-split light (cG-LH) and heavy hole (cG-HH) bands are unambiguously resolved. The fundamental cG-LH transition is found to have a low temperature circular polarization degree of about 85% despite an off-resonance excitation of more than 300 meV. By photoluminescence (PL) measurements and tight binding calculations we show that this exceptionally high value is due to the peculiar energy dependence of the optically-induced electron spin population. Finally, our observation of the direct gap doublet clarifies that the light hole contribution, previously considered to be negligible, can dominate the room temperature PL even at low tensile strain values of about 0.2%

Thermosensitive self-assembling block copolymers as drug delivery systems

Self-assembling block copolymers (poloxamers, PEG/PLA and PEG/PLGA diblock and triblock copolymers, PEG/polycaprolactone, polyether modified poly(Acrylic Acid)) with large solubility difference between hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties have the property of forming temperature dependent micellar aggregates and, after a further temperature increase, of gellifying due to micelle aggregation or packing. This property enables drugs to be mixed in the sol state at room temperature then the solution can be injected into a target tissue, forming a gel depot in-situ at body temperature with the goal of providing drug release control. The presence of micellar structures that give rise to thermoreversible gels, characterized by low toxicity and mucomimetic properties, makes this delivery system capable of solubilizing water-insoluble or poorly soluble drugs and of protecting labile molecules such as proteins and peptide drugs

Optical spin injection and spin lifetime in Ge heterostructures

We demonstrate optical orientation in Ge/SiGe quantum wells and study their spin properties. The ultrafast electron transfer from the center of the Brillouin zone to its edge allows us to achieve high spin-polarization efficiencies and to resolve the spin dynamics of holes and electrons. The circular polarization degree of the direct-gap photoluminescence exceeds the theoretical bulk limit, yielding ~37% and ~85% for transitions with heavy and light holes states, respectively. The spin lifetime of holes at the top of the valence band is found to be ~0.5 ps and it is governed by transitions between heavy and light hole states. Electrons at the bottom of the conduction band, on the other hand, have a spin lifetime that exceeds 5 ns below 150 K. Theoretical analysis of the electrons spin relaxation indicates that phonon-induced intervalley scattering dictates the spin lifetime.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Novel Potent Muscarinic Receptor Antagonists: Investigation on the Nature of Lipophilic Substituents in the 5- and/or 6-Positions of the 1,4-Dioxane Nucleus

A series of novel 1,4-dioxane analogues of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) antagonist 2 was synthesized and studied for their affinity at M1-M5 mAChRs. The 6-cyclohexyl-6-phenyl derivative 3b, with a cis configuration between the CH2N+(CH3)3 chain in the 2-position and the cyclohexyl moiety in the 6-position, showed pKi values for mAChRs higher than those of 2 and a selectivity profile analogous to that of the clinically approved drug oxybutynin. The study of the enantiomers of 3b and the corresponding tertiary amine 33b revealed that the eutomers are (2S,6S)-(-)-3b and (2S,6S)-(-)-33b, respectively. Docking simulations on the M3 mAChR-resolved structure rationalized the experimental observations. The quaternary ammonium function, which should prevent the crossing of the blood-brain barrier, and the high M3/M2 selectivity, which might limit cardiovascular side effects, make 3b a valuable starting point for the design of novel antagonists potentially useful in peripheral diseases in which M3 receptors are involved

Primera cita de Cloudina carinata Cortijo et al., 2010 en Sudamérica, Formación de Tamengo, Grupo de Corumbá, Brasil Brazil

It is herein presented the unprecedented occurrence of Cloudina carinata Cortijo et al., 2010 in the American continent. This new occurrence expanded the geographic distribution of this species, until now reported from sections in Spain and Siberia. The assembled biomineralizing metazoans Cloudina carinata, Cloudina lucianoi (Beurlen & Sommer, 1957) and Corumbella werneri Hahn et al., 1982 are presented for the first time from the Tamengo Formation, Corumbá Group, Porto Figueiras section, Corumbá Municipality, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil. This new occurrence could be employed as an additional biostratigraphic tool for international correlation of the terminal Ediacaran, as well as for palaeobiogeographic and palaeoecologic reconstructions.Se documenta en este resumen la primera aparición de Cloudina carinata Cortijo et al., 2010 en el continente americano. Esta nueva aparición extiende la distribución geográfica de esta especie, hasta ahora restringida a España y Siberia. Se presenta por primera vez en la Formación de Tamengo (Corumbá, Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil) la asociación de metazoos mineralizados compuesta por Cloudina carinata, Cloudina lucianoi (Beurlen & Sommer, 1957) y Corumbella werneri Hahn et al., 1982. Esta asociación podría ser útil como marcador bioestratigráfico en las correlaciones internacionales del Ediacárico terminal, así como para futuras reconstrucciones paleobiogeográficas y paleoecológicas