Extreme localism: local taxes and tax competition

Posted by Dr. Teemu Lyytikäinen, SERC The government’s consultation on Local Government Finance leaves many details still to be determined. But there is one thing the document is very clear on: the government has no intention of allowing councils to set their own business tax rates. Why might that be

Karakterisasi Reproduksi Dan Nilai Heterosis Hasil Persilangan Ikan Gurame Bastar Dan Bluesafir [Reproductive Characteristics and Heterosis Value of Bastar and Bluesafir Population of Giant Gouramy Crosses]

Hybridization is one alternative of genetic improvement to increase the production of commercialize commodity. The aim of this study was to determine the character of reproductive performance and the value of heterosis from cross-breeding of giant gouramy (Osphronemus gouramy) strain Bastar and Bluesafir. Crosses were performed in both directions (reciprocal) with naturally spawning system. Two pairs of giant gouramy of each strain were used, each pair contained 4 ? and 1 ?. Every pairs were reared in 3 x 3 m of pond.Reproductive characterization, such as Fecundity, Ovo Somatic Index, egg diameter, egg weight, Fertilization Rate (FR), Hatching Rate (HR), the latency time of hatching, and yolk sack absorbtion period, were observed. Other parameters including larval lenght and Survival Rate (SR) were also observed. Heterosis (H) value was calculated from FR, HR and SR. Result showed that each population and its cross-breed had no different in reproductive characters. Latency time of hatching, egg diameter, egg weight and yolk sac absorbtion period values were 3 ± 0 days; 0.74 ± 0.05 cm; 11 ± 4 mg dan 9 ± 1 days, respectively. Meanwhile fecundity value showed that Blusafir strain had higher fecundity (3661 ± 624), and Ovo Somatic Index percentage (21.96 ± 3.74). The highest HR was presented by ? Bluesafir x ? Bastar (97.95 ± 0.47 %), meanwhile ? Bastar x ? Bluesafir presented the highest FR and SR (99.15 ± 0.34 % and 92.57 ± 0.40 %). Heterosis value showed that cross-breeding between ? Bastar x ? Bluesafir had better HR and SR (1.20 and 2.37), white hand cross-breeding between ? Bluesafir x ? Bastar presented better FR (0.69)

Antimicrobial susceptibility of Gram-positive bacteria isolated from European medical centres: results of the Daptomycin Surveillance Programme (2002-2004)

The antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of 9322 contemporary (2002-2004) Gram-positive bacterial isolates collected from 31 medical centres in 14 countries in Europe were evaluated by broth microdilution methods according to CLSI guidelines. the isolates collected comprised Staphylococcus aureus (4842 isolates), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS; 1942 isolates), Enterococcus faecalis (1147 isolates), Enterococcus faecium (391 isolates), beta-haemolytic streptococci (660 isolates) and viridans group streptococci (340 isolates). the organisms were tested against daptomycin and more than 20 comparator agents in Mueller-Hinton broth, supplemented with calcium to 50 mg/L when testing daptomycin. Overall, methicillin (oxacillin) resistance rates were 26.7% and 77.0% for S. aureus (MRSA) and CoNS, respectively, and the vancomycin resistance rate among enterococci was 6.1%. MRSA rates varied from 0.6% in Sweden to 40.2-43.0% in Belgium, Greece, Ireland, the UK and Israel, and VRE rates varied from 0% in Switzerland to 21.2% in Ireland. More than 99.9% of isolates tested were considered susceptible to daptomycin according to breakpoints established by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the CLSI. Daptomycin was active against all Gram-positive species, with the highest MIC being 2, 8, 0.5 and 2 mg/L for staphylococci, enterococci, beta-haemolytic streptococci and viridans group streptococci, respectively. Daptomycin activity was not influenced adversely by resistance to other agents among staphylococci or enterococci. This novel lipopeptide (daptomycin) appears to be an excellent alternative therapeutic option for serious infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-positive organisms isolated in Europe.JMI Labs Inc, N Liberty, IA 52317 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilTufts Univ, Sch Med, Boston, MA 02111 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Growth Resposes and Mortality of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) after a Pine Sawfly Outbreak

弘前大学University of JoensuuFinnish Forest Research Institute, Vantaa Research CentreProceedings : IUFRO Kanazawa 2003 "Forest Insect Population Dynamics and Host Influences"., Scedule:14－19 September 2003, Vemue: Kanazawa Citymonde Hotel, Kanazawa, Japan, Joint metting of IUFRO working groups : 7.01.02 Tree resistance to Insects | 7.03.06 Integrated management of forset defoloating insects | 7.03.07 Population dynamics of forest insects, Sponsored by: IUFRO-J | Ishikawa Prefecture | Kanazawa City | 21st-COE Program of Kanazawa University, Editors: Kamata, Naoto | Liebhold, Nadrew M. | Quiring, Dan T. | Clancy, Karen M

Business rate retention: growth vs equity

The government has launched its consultation on allowing local authorities to retain business rates. The problem: Commercial development imposes costs on local authorities (to provide services to businesses) and to local homeowners, while the benefits are spread more widely. In other words, commercial development generates benefits for others (externalities) that are ignored when making decisions on whether to allow development. This means that local government will tend not to provide enough sites for businesses. The obvious solution (if you believe in decentralised decision making) is to allow local authorities to retain some of their business rates. This will provide better incentives. But these incentives come at a cost - some councils where the business base doesn't grow will be worse off than they would be under a system which redistributes all business rate growth

Effective length of short Fabry-Perot cavity formed by uniform fiber Bragg gratings

In this paper, we describe the properties of Fabry-Perot fiber cavity formed by two fiber Bragg gratings in terms of the grating effective length. We show that the grating effective length is determined by the group delay of the grating, which depends on its diffraction efficiency and physical length. We present a simple analytical formula for calculation of the effective length of the uniform fiber Bragg grating and the frequency separation between consecutive resonances of a Fabry-Perot cavity. Experimental results on the cavity transmission spectra for different values of the gratings' reflectivity support the presented theory

The Epidemiologic Link between Listeriosis and Ready-to-Eat Food Products

Historically, most food-borne pathogens have been controlled by processing procedures such as pasteurization or cooking. Other bacterial pathogens are usually acquired through eating raw or undercooked meat, raw milk and produce that has been contaminated. However, with Listeria monocytogenes the foods most often implicated both in outbreaks and in sporadic cases are considered ready-to-eat (RTE) with no 112 International Journal of Global Health and Health Disparities further processing. In addition to acquiring the pathogen through raw meats, raw milk and produce the disease has been traced to consumption of deli meats, pasteurized milk, and pasteurized milk products. This is due to some unique characteristics of Listeria monocytogenes; it is relatively resistant to acid and high salt concentrations, it grows well at refrigerated temperature ( even freezing), it persists in the environment, and it readily produces a biofilm that helps it to survive in food production facilities (Swaminathan, 2007). A 1986 survey of 41 meat-processing plants cultured samples from cleaning aids, wash areas, sausage peelers, and food contact surfaces. One-third of the plants cultured positive for Listeria species (American Meat Institute, 1987). The purpose of this literature review is to study the epidemiologic evidence relating contaminated ready-to eat food products to the development of Listeriosis