Rocket borne instrument to measure electric fields inside electrified clouds

An apparatus for measuring the electric field in the atmosphere which includes a pair of sensors carried on a rocket for sensing the voltages in the atmosphere being measured is described. One of the sensors is an elongated probe with a fine point which causes a corona current to be produced as it passes through the electric field. An electric circuit is coupled between the probe and the other sensor and includes a high ohm resistor which linearizes the relationship between the corona current and the electric field being measured. A relaxation oscillator and transmitter are provided for generating and transmitting an electric signal having a frequency corresponding to the magnitude of the electric field

Determining distance to lightning strokes from a single station

Electronic system can rapidly determine location of lightning strikes occurring within 30 km range. Longer distances are also determined, but with reduced accuracy. Studies have shown that lightning bolt emits electromagnetic wavefront; distance to lightning is determined from ratio of magnetic to electric field

Atmospheric Electricity Problems

The problems encountered when protecting rockets and launch operations from the dangers of lightning are discussed. This reveals the need for a mesoscale network for observing important parameters that indicate lightning danger, as well as the need to develop a set of rules for forecasting potential lightning danger. Before developing methods to inhibit the generation of electricity inside thunderclouds, it is imperative that the charge seperation mechanism be thoroughly understood. The present state-of-the-art of lightning suppression uses either metallic chaff fibers to produce a continuous discharge current or rocket propelled projectiles to discharge the thundercloud with artificially triggered lightning

TAPEWORMS OF ELASMOBRANCHS (Part III) A Monograph on the Phyllobothriidae (Platyhelminthes, Cestoda)

This monograph aims to provide information on the taxonomic status of all genera associated with the tetraphyllidean family Phyllobothriidae. Full treatments of the three valid species of the type genus, Phyllobothrium, in addition to the 47 valid species of Clistobothrium, Crossobothrium, Marsupiobothrium, Monorygma, Nandocestus, Orectolobicestus, Orygmatobothrium, Paraorygmatobothrium, Ruhnkecestus, and Scyphophyllidium are provided, as is a taxonomic history of the family. Of the valid genera historically associated with the family, only Phyllobothrium is considered to be an unambiguous member of the family. The genera Bibursibothrium, Calyptrobothrium, Cardiobothrium, Clistobothrium, Crossobothrium, Doliobothrium, Flexibothrium, Marsupiobothrium, Monorygma, Nandocestus, Orectolobicestus, Orygmatobothrium, Paraorygmatobothrium, Ruhnkecestus, Scyphophyllidium, and Thysanocephalum are valid, but are considered provisional members of the family. The taxonomic status of the remaining genera was also addressed. Aocobothrium, Dittocephalus, Hoaleshwaria, Phanobothrium, and Shindeobothrium are considered nomina dubia. Phyllobothrideum has been determined to be a nomen ad interim. Bilocularia, Biporophyllaeus, Cyatocotyle, Kowsalyabothrium, Maccallumiella, Mastacembellophyllaeus, Pillersium, Pithophorus, and Polipobothrium are considered genera inquirendae. Anindobothrium, Anthobothrium, Carpobothrium, Caulobothrium, Caulopatera, Ceratobothrium, Dinobothrium, Gastrolecithus, Guidus, Mixophyllobothrium, Myzocephalus, Myzophyllobothrium, Pelichnibothrium, Rhoptrobothrium, Trilocularia, and Zyxibothrium are considered valid, but incertae sedis with respect to their familial placements. Anthocephalum, Echeneibothrium, Rhabdotobothrium, Rhinebothrium, Rhinebothroides, Rhodobothrium, Scalithrium, and Spongiobothrium are valid members of the Rhinebothriidea

Implications of the Creditors’ Influence on Corporate Decisions

Debt-financing potentially causes frictions in firms, as the creditors represent an additional group of stakeholders creating conflicts of interest with other stakeholders. This raises the question how corporate performance is affected by the presence of creditors. Could it be in the firms’ interest to let the creditors influence corporate decisions? In order to answer these questions, three theoretical models, depicting the influence of creditors on firms in the principal-agent-context, are analyzed, compared and discussed. Based on that, a model that combines and extends their assumptions is developed. The results show that it might be preferable to let the creditors influence the firm’s decisions either permanently or at least in some situations. Also, firms should establish a trustworthy relationship with the creditors in order to minimize the costs due to information asymmetries. Overall, creditors should not be seen as a source of conflict and cost factor but rather as a strategic factor that enables firms to make optimal use of their information and thus, to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Keywords: Debt contracts; creditor influence; corporate performance; corporate governance; agency theory.Debt-financing potentially causes frictions in firms, as the creditors represent an additional group of stakeholders creating conflicts of interest with other stakeholders. This raises the question how corporate performance is affected by the presence of creditors. Could it be in the firms’ interest to let the creditors influence corporate decisions? In order to answer these questions, three theoretical models, depicting the influence of creditors on firms in the principal-agent-context, are analyzed, compared and discussed. Based on that, a model that combines and extends their assumptions is developed. The results show that it might be preferable to let the creditors influence the firm’s decisions either permanently or at least in some situations. Also, firms should establish a trustworthy relationship with the creditors in order to minimize the costs due to information asymmetries. Overall, creditors should not be seen as a source of conflict and cost factor but rather as a strategic factor that enables firms to make optimal use of their information and thus, to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Keywords: Debt contracts; creditor influence; corporate performance; corporate governance; agency theory

Sonderprobleme der Unternehmensbewertung

Dem Abschlussprüfer obliegt die Beurteilung der Annahme der Unternehmensfortführung durch die gesetzlichen Vertreter des Unternehmens. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht der Frage nach, ob die globale Wirtschafts- und Finanzkrise einen Einfluss auf das going concern-Berichterstattungsverhalten des Abschlussprüfers genommen hat und belegt einen höheren Anteil von going concernmodifizierten Bestätigungsvermerken in diesem Zeitraum. Untersucht wird, ob sich bei Kontrolle weiterer für die Beurteilung des Vermerks relevanter Risikofaktoren in Krisenzeiten eine zusätzliche Neigung des Prüfers zur Erteilung eines Bestätigungsvermerks mit Hinweis auf Bestandsrisiken beobachten lässt. Dies lässt sich empirisch nicht bestätigen. Allerdings zeigt sich im Krisenjahr 2008 ein signifikant geringerer Einfluss des Jahresergebnisses auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit der Erteilung eines solchen Vermerks. Hiermit einhergehende Implikationen werden analysiert und diskutiert

Pharmacology and metabolism of anidulafungin, caspofungin and micafungin in the treatment of invasive candidosis - review of the literature

Echinocandins represent the newest class of antifungal agents. Currently, three echinocandins, anidulafungin, caspofungin and micafungin are licensed for clinical use in various indications. They act as inhibitors of β-(1,3)-glucan synthesis in the fungal cell wall and have a favorable pharmacological profile. They have a broad spectrum of activity against all Candida species. Higher MIC's have been observed against C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii. Data from clinical trials for invasive Candida infections/candidaemia suggest that the clinical outcome of patients treated with either drug may be very similar. A comparison has been done between caspofungin and micafungin but for anidulafungin a comparative trial with another echinocandin is still lacking. All three drugs are highly effective if not superior to treatment with either fluconazole or Amphotericin B, particularly in well-defined clinical settings such as invasive Candida infections, Candida oesophagitis and candidaemia. Differences between the three echinocandins with regard to the route of metabolism, requirement for a loading dose, dose adjustment in patients with moderate to severe hepatic disease and different dosing schedules for different types of Candida infections have to be considered. Relevant drug-drug interactions of Caspofungin and Micafungin are minimal. Anidulafungin has no significant drug interactions at all. However, echinocandins are available only for intravenous use. All three agents have an excellent safety profile

A rocket borne instrument to measure electric fields inside electrified clouds

The development of a rocket borne instrument to measure electric fields in thunderstorms is described. Corona currents from a sharp needle atop a small rocket are used to sense the electric field. A high ohm resistor in series with the corona needle linearizes the relationship between corona current and electric field. The corona current feeds a relaxation oscillator, whose pulses trigger a transmitter which operates in the 395 to 410 MHz meteorological band. The instrument senses fields between 5 kV/m and 100 kV/m

Reaching the lower stratosphere: Validating an extended vertical grid for COSMO

This study presents an extended vertical grid for the regional atmospheric model COSMO (COnsortium for Small-scale MOdeling) reaching up to 33 km. The extended setup has been used to stably simulate 11 months in a domain covering central and northern Europe. Temperature and relative humidity have been validated using radiosonde data in polar and temperate latitudes, focussing on the polar and mid-latitude stratosphere over Europe. Temperature values are reproduced very well by the model. Relative humidity could only be met in the mean over the whole time period after excluding data from Russian stations, which showed significantly higher values. A sensitivity study shows the stability of the model against different forcing intervals and damping layer heights. © Author(s) 2015