Competition Policy and Innovation

We briefly review the rationale behind technological alliances and provide a snapshot of their role in global competition, especially insofar as it is based around intellectual capital. They nicely illustrate the increased importance of horizontal agreements and thus establish the relevance of the topic. We move on to discuss the organisation of industries in a dynamic context and draw out consequences for competition policy. We conclude with an outlook on the underlying tensions between technology alliances, competition policy, and industrial policy.competition policy; innovation; alliances; industrial policy

Frequency, factors and costs associated with injection site infections: findings from a national multi-site survey of injecting drug users in England.

BACKGROUND: Injection site infections among injecting drug users (IDUs) have been associated with serious morbidity and health service costs in North America. This study explores the frequency, factors and costs associated with injection site infections among IDUs in England. METHODS: Unlinked-anonymous survey during 2003/05 recruiting IDUs from community settings at seven locations across England. Self-reported injecting practice, symptoms of injection site infections (abscess or open wound) and health service utilisation data were collected using a questionnaire, participants also provided dried blood spot samples (tested for markers blood borne virus infections). Cost estimates were obtained by combining questionnaire data with information from national databases and the scientific literature. RESULTS: 36% of the 1,058 participants reported an injection site infection in the last year. Those reporting an injection site infection were more likely to be female and aged over 24, and to have: injected into legs, groin, and hands in last year; injected on 14 or more days during the last four weeks; cleaned needles/syringes for reuse; injected crack-cocaine; antibodies to hepatitis C; and previously received prescribed substitute drug. Two-thirds of those with an injection site infection reported seeking medical advice; half attended an emergency department and three-quarters of these reported hospital admission. Simple conservative estimates of associated healthcare costs range from pound 15.5 million per year to as high as pound 30 million; though if less conservative unit costs assumptions are made the total may be much higher (pound 47 million). The vast majority of these costs are due to hospital admissions and the uncertainty is due to little data on length of hospital stays. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of injection site infections are common among IDUs in England. The potential costs to the health service are substantial, but these costs need more accurate determination. Better-targeted interventions to support safer injection need to be developed and evaluated. The validity of self-reported symptoms, and the relationship between symptoms, infection severity, and health seeking behaviour require further research

Feeding and management practices for racehorses in Turkey

The aim of this study was to gather information on feeding practices, and to identify nutrient imbalances of racehorses in Turkey. 134 racehorses who visited the TJK (Turkish Jockey Club) Racecourse Equine Hospital in Istanbul were referred for professional nutritional advice in 2013. Each horse was examined and body weight (BW), body condition score, exercise level, feeding practices, reasons for the veterinary visit as well as feed and supplement intake were recorded. Intakes of energy, starch, crude nutrients, and minerals were calculated and compared with NRC [15] recommendations. Descriptive data were calculated using commercial statistical software (IBM SPSS Statistics 24, Chicago, IL). The median age of the population was 3 years. The mean BW of the horses was 423.7 ± 38.4 kg and BCSwas 4.4/9 ± 0.7. Nearly all (99.2 %) horses were fed grass hay and 61 % of the horses received alfalfa as well. The average forage intake was 1.08 ± 0.42 % of BW/d. The average intake of concentrate was 1.2 ± 0.46 % of BW. Forty nine percent of the horses were fed supplements and only 12 % received oil. The mean DE intake was 1.03 ± 0.26 MJ DE/kg BW0.75 for thoroughbreds and 0.97 ± 0.19 MJ DE/kg BW0.75 for Arabians. The calculated mean starch intake was 5.0 ± 2.2 g/kg BW and the sugar intake was 1.2 ± 0.4 g/kg BW. Communication between horse owners/trainers and the equine nutritionists is needed with regard to formulating a proper diet for each horse

Measuring the Returns to Lifelong Learning

This paper investigates the returns to lifelong learning, which is interpreted as the attainment of qualifications following entry into the labour market. For a number of reasons our analysis of the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) represents an important addition to the existing evidence base. We allow for financial and non-financial returns to lifelong learning by using as dependent variables both (i) hourly earnings and (ii) CAMSIS score. A fixed effects specification counters the potential biases that arise from unobserved individual heterogeneity and the inclusion of lags allows estimation of how the returns to lifelong learning evolve over a ten year period after the qualification is obtained. We find evidence of earnings and occupation status returns using a broad categorisation of lifelong learning for both men and women, but more variability in returns when disaggregated NVQ-equivalent categories of qualification are considered. Our findings are broadly in line with existing evidence within the UK, which is mostly based on the analysis of cohort studies. 0f particular interest is the finding that returns to women materialise much sooner after the attainment of a qualification, than is the case for their male counterparts.Lifelong learning, earnings, social status

Observation of the Larmor and Gouy Rotations with Electron Vortex Beams

Electron vortex beams carrying intrinsic orbital angular momentum (OAM) are produced in electron microscopes where they are controlled and focused using magnetic lenses. We observe various rotational phenomena arising from the interaction between the OAM and magnetic lenses. First, the Zeeman coupling, proportional to the OAM and magnetic field strength, produces an OAM-independent Larmor rotation of a mode superposition inside the lens. Second, hen passing through the focal plane, the electron beam acquires an additional Gouy phase dependent on the absolute value of the OAM. This brings about the Gouy rotation of the superposition image proportional to the sign of the OAM. A combination of the Larmor and Gouy effects can result in the addition (or subtraction) of rotations, depending on the OAM sign. This behaviour is unique to electron vortex beams and has no optical counterpart, as Larmor rotation occurs only for charged particles. Our experimental results are in agreement with recent theoretical predictions.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

A European research agenda for lifelong learning

It is a generally accepted truth that without a proper educational system no country will prosper, nor will its inhabitants. With the arrival of the post-industrial society, in Europe and elsewhere, it has become increasingly clear that people should continue learning over their entire life-spans lest they or their society suffer the dire consequences. But what does this future lifelong learning society exactly look like? And how then should education prepare for it? What should people learn and how should they do so? How can we afford to pay for all this, what are the socio-economic constraints of the move towards a lifelong-learning society? And, of course, what role can and should the educational establishment of schools and universities play? This are questions that demand serious research efforts, which is what this paper argues for

Good timing: Implementing STEM careers strategy in secondary schools

Good Timing is the final report of a three-year programme of work, commissioned by the Department for Education, and carried out by the Centre for Education and Industry at the University of Warwick (CEI), the International Centre for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby (iCeGS) and Isinglass Consultancy Ltd. The programme explored potential to embed STEM careers awareness in the early stages of secondary education.Department for Educatio