S&T activities and firm performance - microeconomic evidence from manufacturing in Shanghai

This paper examines the impact of R&D expenditure and technology import on the level and the growth of productivity, as well as on the general economic performance in manufacturing firms with various ownership structures in Shanghai, China. The empirical analyses are based on the firm-level information of a sample of manufacturing firms for the period 1998–2003. We find clear-cut evidence indicating that firms with foreign participation have a productivity advantage over their domestic counterparts. The expenditures on technology import not only have a direct and positive effect on productivity, but also indirectly enhance the absorptive capacity of firms to facilitate in-house R&D activities. This is particularly true for firms with foreign participation, or for firms in sectors with relatively high technical standards. Furthermore, R&D expenditure and technology import may also have positive effects on profitability and export performance, depending on the ownership structure of the firm and the technical standard in the sector.Science and Technology policy; Science and Technology investment; R&D

Three-way noiseless signal splitting in a parametric amplifier with quantum correlation

We demonstrate that a phase-insensitive parametric amplifier, coupled to a quantum correlated source, can be used as a quantum information tap for noiseless three-way signal splitting. We find that the output signals are amplified noiselessly in two of the three output ports while the other can more or less keep its original input size without adding noise. This scheme is able to cascade and scales up for efficient information distribution in an optical network. Furthermore, we find this scheme satisfies the criteria for a non-ideal quantum non-demolition (QND) measurement and thus can serve as a QND measurement device. With two readouts correlated to the input, we find this scheme also satisfies the criterion for sequential QND measurement

Preliminary Validation Of The Childhood Autism Rating Scale - Second Edition Questionnaire For Parents Or Caregivers (cars2-Qpc) And The Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (gars-2) With A Chinese-Speaking Population

Autism is a neurobiological disorder that is diagnosed through careful behavioral assessment in early childhood. Appropriate measurement of autism is essential for determining appropriate intervention strategies. Whereas, there are only a limited autism measures available for use in China. For this reason, valid and reliable measures of autism for use with Chinese speaking individuals are of critical importance. The purpose of the present study is to begin the process of developing two measures of autism for use with Chinese speaking individuals. The development of the measures of autism with Chinese speaking population was started by translating the Questionnaire for Parents or Caregivers of Childhood Autism Rating Scale - Second Edition (CARS2-QPC) and the Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-Second Edition (GARS-2) into Chinese. The translated versions then were given to a group of 20 Chinese Immigrants. The individual scores were examined to see the relationship between the English version and the Chinese version. The individual scores on the Chinese version and the English version of the CARS2-QPC and the GARS-2 correlated highly and significantly. Therefore, this study provided initial support for these Chinese versions of the CARS2-QPC and the GARS-2. Limitations and recommendations for future research were also discussed