Behavioural aspects of foraging in the parasitoid Nemeritis canescens

Imperial Users onl

R&D Investment Level and Environment as Predictors of Firm Acquisition

R&D investments contribute to the development of firm technology resources, and the possession of such resources often increases a firm’s attractiveness as a potential acquisition target. However, the value ascribed to a firm’s technology resources by would-be acquirers may be moderated by its industry’s environmental characteristics. Using data from 2886 firms, we find that investments in R&D predict acquisition likelihood and that R&D investments are most strongly associated with acquisition of firms under conditions of high environmental munificence and dynamism. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed

Factual Causation: The Missing Link in Hydraulic Fracture—Groundwater Contamination Litigation

A speech-based material that early can assess a child's hearing is needed to provide an indication of a hearing impaired child's language development. Being able to identify and discriminate between different sounds is a requirement for interpreting speech. Hearing assessments that examine speech perception can therefore, unlike, for example, pure tone audiometry, examine a hearing impaired child's perceptual language skills and provide a basis for intervention. The purpose of this work is to evaluate a new auditory material on 3-year-old children. The auditory material is based on the Ling-6-sounds and the main question was which of the sounds in the test were adequate for test of discrimination. Furthermore, it was investigated how the test works with children aged 3:0–3:11 years and how age and gender affect the result. Twenty-four children aged 3:0–3:11 years were tested using a computer based test. The goal  for the child was to discriminate between pairs of sounds and react to an odd pair. Several instruction techniques were tested by two different test administrators. The results of the tests indicated that equal pairs of sounds (/do/-/do/, /s/-/s/) gave more correct responses. The test section where only two different pairs were used generated more adequate responses than the test section with six different pairs. Differences in age influenced the outcome more than sex and different instructions. There is also a need for improved instructions and sounds. Generally, children became more involved in the test when given instructions that were short and direct

Complementary Resources and the Exploitation of Technological Innovations

Technological innovation often results when the resources of a small firm are combined with those of a large one. This is because small and large firms characteristically possess complementary resources whose combination can facilitate innovation success. The possession of complementary innovation-producing resources by small and large firms helps explain patterns of interaction among firms in dynamic, technology-based industries. Propositions are developed that outline how typical resources of small and large firms can be used to explain industry-level phenomena surrounding technological change

Shared affinities : the effect of shared neoliberal orientation on foreign policy behaviors /

In the literature, scholars have linked various aspects of the economic philosophy of neoliberalism to a variety of foreign policy behaviors. However, these studies typically only utilize one aspect of neoliberalism in their analyses. In this dissertation, I examine three types of foreign policy behaviors, foreign aid efforts, economic sanctioning behavior, and interstate conflict onset, using a multi-faceted definition of neoliberalism. By using this definition to create proxies, I provide a more comprehensive analysis of the effect of neoliberalism on behaviors. Further, this definition allows me to include individual level factors capture the effect of leadership on foreign policy behaviors. In three empirical chapters, I examine the effect of neoliberalism on behavior and generally find results matching my expectations.Dr. A. Cooper Drury, Dissertation Supervisor.Includes bibliographical references

Selected Re-Emerging and Emerging Trends in Oil and Gas Law as a Result of Production From Shale Formations

Taking the statements in the above paragraph as true, there is also another consequence to these developments. There has been a proliferation of oil and gas leasing and drilling in areas that have little prior experience, or little recent experience, with such activities. This has caused a resurgence of oil and gas law and raised issues that have been either dormant or nonexistent. This Article will address some of the re-emerging and emerging oil and gas litigation issues that are the byproduct of shale development activities. Specifically, this Article will discuss: 1. Production in paying quantities and shut-in royalties; 2. Oil and gas lease drafting, and in particular, the use of termination clauses; 3. The impact of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act on oil and gas law; and 4. Allegations of groundwater contamination caused by hydraulic fracture stimulation

Concentration and separation of trace metal ions by reversed-phase adsorption chromatography

The concentration and separation of trace metal ions chelated with either bis(2-hydroxyethyl)dithiocarbamate (HEDC) or 1,3-dimethyl-4-acetyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (DMAP) by reversed-phase adsorption chromatography has been studied. Both reagents form water-soluble, neutral metal chelates that can be adsorbed onto a reversed-phase stationary phase;The concentration of metals of the hydrogen sulfide group from very dilute solution by chelation with HEDC and subsequent adsorption on a small column of Amberlite XAD-4 resin is described. Selectivity is achieved by pH adjustment or by the use of masking agents. The metal chelates are eluted from the column with acidic ethanol and determined by AAS;The adsorption properties of five XAD resins and three activated carbons have been studied for removing metal ions chelated with HEDC from industrial wastewater. Amberlite XAD-4 and Nuchar WV-B activated carbon were found to have the highest adsorption capacities. The adsorbents can be regenerated with methanol;The HEDC chelates of Co(III), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Hg(II) have been separated by reversed-phase HPLC. Co(III), Cu(II), and Ni(II) can be determined in the range of 0.005 - 10.0 mg/L, while Hg(II) can be determined in the range of 0.02 - 25 (mu)g/L after an on-line preconcentration step;The synthesis and characterization of DMAP is described. This reagent forms stable chelates with Zr(IV), Th(IV), and U(VI). The UO(,2)(DMAP)(,2) chelate has been prepared and characterized. A procedure for concentrating trace amounts of U(VI) chelated with DMAP onto XAD-4 resin is described