1,993 research outputs found
Depletion forces between two spheres in a rod solution
We study the depletion interaction between spherical particles of radius R
immersed in a dilute solution of rigid rods of length L. The computed
interaction potential is, within numerical accuracy, exact for any value of
L/R. In particular we find that for L of order R, the depth of the depletion
well is smaller than the prediction of the Derjaguin approximation. Our results
bring new light into the discussion on the lack of phase separation in
colloidal mixtures of spheres and rods.Comment: 12 pages including figures. 5 eps figures. LaTeX with REVTe
Establishing a Certified Public Sector Auditor qualification : The Danish case and its implications
This paper examines recent attempts to professionalize Danish public sector auditing by the establishment of a certification of public sector auditors known in Danish as Certificeret Offentlig Revisor (COR). The establishment of the COR-certification has led to a dispute over the public sector auditing jurisdiction between a coalition of public sector auditors and the professional bodies of the private sector auditors. The paper outlines the process that led to the decision to create the COR-certification, analyse the COR coalitionâs attempt to build a network of support for its jurisdictional claim of expertise, and discusses the general implications of the case for the ongoing attempt to create a European certification of public sector auditors. *) Paper presented at the 5th EIASM International Conference on Accounting, Auditing & Management in Public Sector Reforms, Amsterdam September 3-5, 200
Feasibility Study of Back2School, a Modular Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Youth With School Attendance Problems
There is large heterogeneity among youth with school attendance problems (SAPs). For this reason, protocols for the treatment of SAPs need to be flexible. Back2School (B2S) is a new manual-based, modular transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral intervention to increase school attendance among youth with SAPs. It also aims to increase the self-efficacy of these youth and their parents. B2S includes evidence-based modules addressing youth anxiety, depression, and behavior problems, together with modules focused on parent guidance and school consultation. The current study examined the feasibility of evaluating B2S in an randomized controlled trial and acceptability of the B2S program in a non-randomized trial, including both qualitative and quantitative data, in preparation for a randomized controlled trial of its effectiveness. Youth, parents, and teachers completed questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. School attendance data were collected from school registers. Twenty-four youth with a SAP (defined as more than 10% absenteeism during the last 3 months) were recruited from primary and lower secondary schools in Aarhus Municipality, Denmark. Their parents also participated in B2S. Two of the 24 families withdrew during the intervention, after sessions two and six respectively. Of the remaining 22 families, 19 (86%) completed all 10 sessions. Parents and youth rated their satisfaction with B2S as high, and high levels of satisfaction were maintained 1 year after the intervention. Teacher satisfaction was lower than that of youth and parents, but the majority found the school's participation in the intervention helpful. Preliminary evaluation of intervention outcomes showed significant increase in school attendance and decrease in psychological symptoms, as well as a significant increase in self-efficacy for both youth and parents. Based on this feasibility data, adaptations were made to the B2S manual and study procedures prior to commencement of a randomized controlled effectiveness trial. The main adaptation to the manual was to increase school consultation. The main procedural adaptation was to broaden recruitment. Furthermore, it was necessary to increase level of staffing by psychologists because treatment delivery was more time consuming than expected.Pathways through Adolescenc
Achieving peak brightness in an atom laser
In this paper we present experimental results and theory on the first
continuous (long pulse) Raman atom laser. The brightness that can be achieved
with this system is three orders of magnitude greater than has been previously
demonstrated in any other continuously outcoupled atom laser. In addition, the
energy linewidth of a continuous atom laser can be made arbitrarily narrow
compared to the mean field energy of a trapped condensate. We analyze the flux
and brightness of the atom laser with an analytic model that shows excellent
agreement with experiment with no adjustable parameters.Comment: 4 pages, 4 black and white figures, submitted to Physical Revie
Crowdfunding as Donations to Entrepreneurial Firms
The bulk of today's (âpreorder-,â âreward-,â âgift-,â and âdonation-basedâ) crowdfunding raises funds for small, private entrepreneurial ventures without granting funders private claims to the projectsâ income or the ability to guarantee the realization and delivery of project outcomes. We theorize and show empirically â via a mixed-method approach applied to a representative and remarkably informative case â that the payoff structure for crowdfunders, akin to a public good contribution problem, leads to the tangible value of main project outputs exerting little influence on contributions to crowdfunding. This then raises the question of which funder motivations fund seekers may have to address to crowdfund their projects. We demonstrate the especially large role of non-pecuniary motivations and pinpoint three particular motivations that profit-seeking entrepreneurs may stimulate to be financed through crowdfunding. The findings hold important implications for entrepreneursâ crowdfunding strategies, platform design, and our understanding of how this funding institution works in general. The study also adds to emerging research on the implications of the public good nature of crowdfunding
a case study of the implementation of the EU eigth directive in Denmark 1984-2003
This paper analyses the complex process through which EU's Eighth Company Law Directive on the qualification of statutory auditors (1984) was implemented in Denmark. The Directive envisaged one group of âstatutory auditorsâ in each member state. However, in Denmark there were two groups of auditors: the state authorised auditors who had a long education and high status, and the registered auditors who had a shorter education, lower status and whose clients were mainly medium and small sized businesses. An exemption was made in the Directive to allow the registered auditors to continue to audit despite that they did not have the required âuniversity levelâ education. This made the issue of education central to the long-term survival of the registered auditors and it consequently became the object of a long conflict between the parties with an interest in auditor education and qualifications: the profession, the state and the educational institutions.
This case illustrates the processes of audit regulation in a small European state with a highly developed economy where auditors are approved and regulated by the state but through processes heavily influenced by the profession. It provides an interesting contrast to other studies carried out on the implementation of this Directive, e.g. in the UK (Cooper et al, 1996) and in Greece (Caramanis, 1999), and perhaps some insight into the difficulties which may be encountered in implementing the new Eighth Directive proposed by the Commission in May 2003.
Key Words:
EU; Eighth Directive; accounting profession; Denmark; harmonisation; regulation
Optical waveform sampling of a 320 Gbits/s serial data signal using a hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguide
We propose using a hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguide for ultra-high-speed serial data waveform sampling. 320 Gbit/s serial optical data sampling is experimentally demonstrated with +12 dB intrinsic four wave mixing conversion efficiency
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