The less economic freedom a state has, the more political connections local firms need

Daniel M. Gropper, John S. Jahera Jr. and Jung Chul Park argue this is the case for US bank

X-ray ejecta kinematics of the Galactic core-collapse supernova remnant G292.0+1.8

We report on the results from the analysis of our 114 ks Chandra HETGS observation of the Galactic core-collapse supernova remnant G292.0+1.8. To probe the 3D structure of the clumpy X-ray emitting ejecta material in this remnant, we measured Doppler shifts in emission lines from metal-rich ejecta knots projected at different radial distances from the expansion center. We estimate radial velocities of ejecta knots in the range of -2300 <~ v_r <~ 1400 km s^-1. The distribution of ejecta knots in velocity vs. projected-radius space suggests an expanding ejecta shell with a projected angular thickness of ~90" (corresponding to ~3 pc at d = 6 kpc). Based on this geometrical distribution of the ejecta knots, we estimate the location of the reverse shock approximately at the distance of ~4 pc from the center of the supernova remnant, putting it in close proximity to the outer boundary of the radio pulsar wind nebula. Based on our observed remnant dynamics and the standard explosion energy of 10^51 erg, we estimate the total ejecta mass to be <~ 8 M_sun, and we propose an upper limit of <~ 35 M_sun on the progenitor's mass.Comment: 5 figures, accepted by Ap

Evolutionary Adaptation and Antimalarial Resistance in Plasmodium falciparum

The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has a demonstrated history of adaptation to antimalarials and host immune pressure. This ability unraveled global eradication programs fifty years ago and seriously threatens renewed efforts today. Despite the magnitude of the global health problem, little is known about the genetic mechanisms by which the parasite evades control efforts. Population genomic methods provide a new way to identify the mutations and genes responsible for drug resistance and other clinically important traits

The oil and gas industries of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe in relation to the Comecon energy balance and the world petroleum market

This thesis analyses the development of oil and natural gas in the Soviet Union and Eastern European full members of the Council for Futual Economic Assistance (Comecon) from the end of the Second World War to 1975 and assesses the likely role of hydrocarbon fuels in the Comecon energy balance to 1980. The major part of the thesis is concerned with developments in the 1971- 1975 period, when the Soviet Union, the bloc's principal producer and supplier, experienced a number of technical and economic difficulties in the oil and gas industries and when world prices of oil showed a fivefold increase, which was reflected in turn in increasing prices of other energy raw materials. The objectives of the study are therefore to identify the problems faced in utilising Comecon oil and gas resources, to assess their impact on energy developments in the bloc and on the pattern of Soviet trade in oil and gas, and on relations with other hydrocarbon producers in the changing world market. There exists a number of western studies of Comecon energy developments, published in the early to mid-sixties, some of which suggested that the era of Comecon energy autarchy would come to an end and that the group might become increasingly involved in the world market as a competitive purchaser. This view was maintained in some quarters after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) imposed substantial increases in the selling prices of their crude oil in October 1973 and subsequently. However study of Soviet and Fast European techno-economic material has revealed that before the aforementioned price rises Comecon planners were assessing the possibilities of adjusting energy policy to cope with these difficulties, with the objectives of at least maintaining the export surplus of oil and of developing export trade in gas. Such theories of an impending "Comecon energy crisis" are re-examined, taking into account the capacity of the logistic system to allow planners to re-assess the relationship of oil to coal, gas and other fuels. The examination suggests that although considerable difficulties are known and acknowledged to exist in the Comecon oil and gas industries, the bloc has the opportunity of retaining self-sufficiency in hydrocarbon energy to 1980 and that current policy is directed to the attainment of this objective. The thesis is written almost entirely from Soviet and Post European technical and economic sources. Official Comecon statistical material, supplemented by Ii~ECt OBeD and United Nations publications, have been used to provide basic data. The metric system has been adopted throughout the thesis