Impact of investment policies on German direct investment in developing countries : an empirical investigation

By using better data on German foreign direct investment (FDI) than previous studies, the author found that: (i) developing countries might attract more FDI flows by easing investment restrictions or implementing incentives - but the effect of incentives could be modest and does not justify costly subsidies; (ii) a source country's policy instrument (public garantees) is an important determinant of German FDI outflows to developing countries - a factor that has been overlooked in the past, and (iii) industrial countries can substantially encourage their companies to invest in developing countries by offering public garantees. The case of Germany has shown that the actual costs involved are very low, as defaults are rare. Thus once it is decided that public support should be used to direct more FDI to developing countries, source countries'policies might be more effective than host countries'policies especially if the latter involve high foregone tax revenues.Environmental Economics&Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Foreign Direct Investment,ICT Policy and Strategies,Poverty Assessment

Foreign direct investment in developing countries : the case of Germany.

Direktinvestition; Entwicklungsländer; Deutschland;

A Telemarketing Supervisor\u27s Reference Manual to Humanistic Skills

This thesis will focus on the study of telemarketing management and the need for a telemarketing management guide. A reference manual will be developed to help a supervisor understand the skills needed to be an effective supervisor. This manual will also be a reference to help the supervisor evaluate their skills and give them the information needed to increase their skills as well as develop new skills. Telemarketing Supervisor training usually consists of how to give evaluations and explaining company goals. Supervisors are not usually given an overview of the proactive humanistic skills needed; communication, interpersonal leadership, etc. The humanistic, motivating skills are the skills most needed to be an effective supervisor. If a telemarketing supervisor is expected to carry out the goals and objectives of the company, he or she needs the people skills to do so. Technical knowledge alone won\u27t help the employee deal with people. The purpose of this study is to show that interpersonal leadership, communication, problem solving, motivating, listening and knowing how to learn are necessary for a telemarketing supervisor to be effective in today\u27s work environment. The reference manual will not be a teaching manual . This manual will be divided into sections that focus on each of the needed skills. Roleplaying won\u27t teach a person the humanistic skills but it helps the person learn the steps to develop those skills. As the telemarketing supervisor\u27s skill increases, the more effective they become. Research provided considerable evidence that these skills are needed

Functional mammalian spliceosomal complex E contains SMN complex proteins in addition to U1 and U2 snRNPs

Copyright @ 2011 The Authors. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0), which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Spliceosomes remove introns from primary gene transcripts. They assemble de novo on each intron through a series of steps that involve the incorporation of five snRNP particles and multiple non-snRNP proteins. In mammals, all the intermediate complexes have been characterized on one transcript (MINX), with the exception of the very first, complex E. We have purified this complex by two independent procedures using antibodies to either U1-A or PRPF40A proteins, which are known to associate at an early stage of assembly. We demonstrate that the purified complexes are functional in splicing using commitment assays. These complexes contain components expected to be in the E complex and a number of previously unrecognized factors, including survival of motor neurons (SMN) and proteins of the SMN-associated complex. Depletion of the SMN complex proteins from nuclear extracts inhibits formation of the E complex and causes non-productive complexes to accumulate. This suggests that the SMN complex stabilizes the association of U1 and U2 snRNPs with pre-mRNA. In addition, the antibody to PRPF40A precipitated U2 snRNPs from nuclear extracts, indicating that PRPF40A associates with U2 snRNPs

Adenosine receptor expression and function in rat striatal cholinergic interneurons

1. Cholinergic neurons were identified in rat striatal slices by their size, membrane properties, sensitivity to the NK(1) receptor agonist (Sar(9), Met(O(2))(11)) Substance P, and expression of choline acetyltransferase mRNA. A(1) receptor mRNA was detected in 60% of the neurons analysed, and A(2A) receptor mRNA in 67% (n=15). 2. The A(1) receptor agonist R-N(6)-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine (R-PIA) hyperpolarized cholinergic neurons in a concentration dependent manner sensitive to the A(1) antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX, 100 nM). 3. In dual stimulus experiments, the A(2A) receptor antagonist 8-(3-chlorostyryl)caffeine (CSC, 500 nM) decreased release of [(3)H]-acetylcholine from striatal slices (S2/S1 0.78±0.07 versus 0.95±0.05 in control), as did adenosine deaminase (S2/S1 ratio 0.69±0.05), whereas the A(1) receptor antagonist DPCPX (100 nM) had no effect (S2/S1 1.05±0.14). 4. In the presence of adenosine deaminase the adenosine A(2A) receptor agonist 2-p-((carboxyethyl)phenylethylamino)-5′-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS21680, 10 nM) increased release (S2/S1 ratio 1.03±0.05 versus 0.88±0.05 in control), an effect blocked by the antagonist CSC (500 nM, S2/S1 0.68±0.05, versus 0.73±0.08 with CSC alone). The combined superfusion of bicuculline (10 μM), saclofen (1 μM) and naloxone (10 μM) had no effect on the stimulation by CGS21680 (S2/S1 ratio 0.99±0.04). 5. The A(1) receptor agonist R-PIA (100 nM) inhibited the release of [(3)H]-acetylcholine (S2/S1 ratio 0.70±0.03), an effect blocked by DPCPX (S2/S1 ratio 1.06±0.07). 6. It is concluded that both A(1) and A(2A) receptors are expressed on striatal cholinergic neurons where they are functionally active

New enzymes with potential for PET surface modification

This work describes newly isolated organisms and their potential to modify the surface of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Out of the different screening processes, four bacterial and five fungal strains were isolated. A PET model substrate was synthesized (bis (benzoyloxyethyl) terephthalate) and used in the screening process, mimicking the polymer in its crucial properties and having the advantage of defined hydrolysis products. On this model substrate, extracellular enzyme preparations from the isolated microorganisms showed a maximum activity of 8.54 nkat/L. All enzyme preparations showed esterase activity on p-nitrophenyl-acetate while no activity was found on p-nitrophenyl decanoate or p-nitrophenyl palmitate. Increased hydrophilicity of PET fabrics after enzyme treatment was found based on rising height and water dissipation measurements

Untersuchung zur Genauigkeit von scanbaren Bissnahmematerialien bei Verwendung mit dem Cerec 3D-System

Bei der Herstellung von Restaurationen mit dem Cerec 3D®-System (Sirona Dental Systems GmbH, Bensheim) besteht die Möglichkeit, die antagonistischen Kauflächen in die Konstruktion über den Scan eines Bissregistrats mit einzubeziehen. Durch Berücksichtigung der Informationen des Registrats bei der Herstellung der vollkeramischen Restauration sollen umfangreiche Einschleifmaßnahmen am Patienten entfallen. Die vorgestellte Untersuchung hat das Ziel festzustellen, mit welcher Präzision das Registrat Informationen an das Cerec 3D®-System übergibt. Untersucht wurde die Genauigkeit für die simulierte klinische Situation im Mund sowie die Labor-Situation am Gipsmodell. Es wurden neun scanbare Materialien verschiedener Hersteller im Vergleich untereinander bzw. im Vergleich zu einem primär nicht-scanbaren Material, dessen Oberflächen konditioniert wurde, vermessen. Die Registratherstellung erfolgte an stilisierten antagonistischen Teil-Kiefermodellen, die zur Simulation der Mundsituation in einem Artikulator montiert wurden. Diese Modelle wurden zunächst mechanisch vermessen. Zur Beurteilung der Registrate dienten die Cerec®-internen Höhenangaben, aus denen mit einem eigens dafür entwickelten Algorithmus die Wiedergabegenauigkeit durch Vergleich mit den mechanisch gewonnenen Daten berechnet wurde. Es wurden verschiedene Vorgehensweisen bei der Herstellung und Vermessung der Registrate durchgeführt. Das präziseste Vorgehen bei der Simulation der chairside-Behandlung ist durch möglichst geringe Manipulationen am Registrat charakterisiert. Das Einkürzen des Registrats auf Randleistenlänge sollte ohne Abnahme des Registrats von den Zähnen erfolgen. Das Konditionieren der Nachbarzähne mittels Scanspray wird in einem Arbeitsschritt auch auf die Registratoberfläche ausgeweitet. Dann betragen die Abweichungen zur Oberfläche des Originalmodells im Mittel 1 bis 14 µm, je nach Material. Die Abweichungen beim Umsetzen der Registrate auf ein Gipsmodell liegen hingegen im Mittel zwischen 36 und 98 µm

Medication Persistence Rates and Factors Associated with Persistence in Patients Following Stroke: A Cohort Study

Abstract Background Medication nonadherence can be as high as 50% and results in suboptimal patient outcomes. Stroke patients in particular can benefit from pharmacotherapy for thrombosis, hypertension, and dyslipidemia but are at high risk for medication nonpersistence. Methods Patients who were admitted to the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, with stroke between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2002 were analyzed. Data collected were pre-stroke function, stroke subtype, stroke severity, patient outcomes, and medication use at discharge, and six and 12 months post discharge. Medication persistence at six and 12 months and the factors associated with nonpersistence at six months were examined using multivariable stepwise logistic regression. Results At discharge, 420 patients (mean age 68.2 years, 55.7% male) were prescribed an average of 6.4 medications and mean prescription drug cost was $167 monthly. Antihypertensive (91%) and antithrombotic (96%) drug use at discharge were frequent, antilipidemic (73%) and antihyperglycemic (25%) drug use were less common. Self-reported persistence at six and 12 months after stroke was high (> 90%) for all categories. In the multivariable model of medication nonpersistence at six months, people aged 65 to 79 years were less likely to be nonpersistent with antihypertensive medications than people aged 80 years or more (Odds ratio (OR) 0.11, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.03–0.39). Monthly drug costs of Conclusion Patients reported high medication persistence rates six and 12 months after stroke. Identification of factors associated with nonpersistence (such as older age and prior disability) will help predict which patients are at higher risk for discontinuing their medications.</p