966 research outputs found
Exploring Wild and Local Fruits as Sources of Promising Biocontrol Agents against Alternaria spp. in Apples
Biological control agents (BCAs) are a promising option for managing postharvest diseases. Their environmentally friendly nature makes them valuable for sustainable and eco-friendly postharvest disease management. This study evaluated the antagonistic potential of epiphytic yeasts isolated from a local apple genotype known as âNigĚde ElmasÄąâ and a range of wild fruits: rosehip, hawthorn, and wild pear. There were 375 yeast isolates obtained and screened in vitro and in vivo. Initially selected were 32 isolates able to inhibit the growth of Alternaria alternata mycelia in the in vitro experiments and identified using molecular methods as candidate BCAs. These isolates were identified as Aureobasidium pullulans using sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the translation elongation factor EF-1Îą gene (EF1Îą). Based on two rounds of in vivo screening, four isolates were subsequently selected for their capability to control the infection of apple fruits under high inoculum pressure. Finally, their volatile and non-volatile antimicrobial activity was tested against Alternaria spp. These findings showed how wild fruits and a local apple genotype could represent a promising source for new BCA isolation. However, further studies are needed to reveal the mechanisms of action of these putative BCAs for application during the postharvest processing and storage of apples
Pay or delay: the role of technology when managing a low income
This paper reports on a qualitative study of 38 low-income individuals living in the North East of England. The participants' experiences of money, banking and the role digital technology plays in their financial practices were identified through semi-structured interviews in people's homes and group workshops. A grounded theory analysis of these data characterises how technology both helped and hindered participants to keep close control of their finances. These findings suggest design opportunities for future digital banking technologies that extend the already sophisticated practices of individuals managing a low income, focusing on: delaying, prioritising, planning, watching, and hiding monetary transactions
An integrated vapor source with a porous silicon wick
A micro vapor source has been developed for calibrating micro gas chromatograph (ÎGC) systems. By utilizing a porous silicon wick in a micro diffusion system, vapor generation with excellent stability has been achieved. The source has shown uniform and repeatable vapor generation for n-decane with less than a 0.1% variation in 9 hours, and less than a 0.5% variation in rate over 7 days. The evolution rate follows the diffusion model as expected, although the room temperature rate is higher than theoretically predicted. Equipped with a refillable reservoir, this vapor source is suitable for extended ÎGC field deployment. (Š 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56056/1/1449_ftp.pd
Access to finance: an empirical analysis
YesFinancial access is gradually being recognised as an important input to economic development.
Using World Bank (2007) database, this study measures the extent of financial access in developed
and developing countries. Further, it develops a new Socio-Economic Development Index, which incorporates
financial access. It then compares socio-economic development of various countries as shown by
Human Development Index (HDI) alone and by the new index incorporating financial access. The results of
the study show that Spain ranks highest in terms of financial access followed by Belgium, Malta and South
Korea. In addition, the ranking of countries in terms of HDI changes if financial access is taken into accoun
Sources of pro-cyclicality in east Asian financial systems
Procyclicality is a normal feature of economic systems, but financial sector
weaknesses can exacerbate it sufficiently to pose a threat to macroeconomic and financial
stability. These include shortcomings in bank risk management and governance, in
supervision and in terms of dependence on volatile sources of funds. The paper tests
econometrically for the importance of such features leading to pro-cyclicality in the financial
systems of 11 East Asian countries. This analysis makes it possible to identify specific policy
measures for East Asian countries that could limit the extent to which financial systems
exacerbate pro-cyclicality
The effects of financialisation and financial development on investment: Evidence from firm-level data in Europe
In this paper we estimate the effects of financialization on physical investment in selected western European countries using panel data based on the balance-sheets of publicly listed non-financial companies (NFCs) supplied by Worldscope for the period 1995-2015. We find robust evidence of an adverse effect of both financial payments
(interests and dividends) and financial incomes on investment in fixed assets by the NFCs. This finding is robust for both the pool of all Western European firms and single country estimations. The negative impacts of financial incomes are non-linear with respect to the companiesâ size: financial incomes crowd-out investment in large companies, and have a positive effect on the investment of only small, relatively more credit-constrained companies. Moreover, we find that a higher degree of financial development is associated with a stronger negative effect of financial incomes on companiesâ investment. This finding challenges the common wisdom on âfinance-growth nexusâ. Our findings support the âfinancialization thesisâ that the increasing orientation of the non-financial sector towards financial activities is ultimately leading to lower physical investment, hence to stagnant or fragile growth, as well as long term stagnation in productivity
- âŚ