Complementarity Among Vertical Integration Decisions: Evidence from Automobile Product Development

This paper examines complementarity among vertical integration decisions in automobile product development. Though most research assumes that contracting choices are independent of each other, contracting complementarity arises when the returns to a single vertical integration decision are increasing in the level of vertical integration associated with other contracting choices. First, effective coordination may depend on the level of (non-contractible) effort on the part of each agent; contracting complementarity results if coordination efforts are interdependent and vertical integration facilitates a higher level of non-contractible effort. Second, effective coordination may require the disclosure of proprietary trade secrets, and the potential for expropriation by external suppliers may induce complementarity among vertical integration choices. We provide evidence for complementarity in product development contracting by taking advantage of a detailed dataset that includes the level of vertical integration and the contracting environment for individual automobile systems in the luxury automobile segment. Using an instrumental variables framework that distinguishes complementarity from unobserved firm-level factors, the evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that contracting complementarity is an important driver of vertical integration choices. The findings suggest that contracting complementarity may be particularly important when coordination is important to achieve but difficult to monitor.

Gestational diabetes mellitus- right person, right treatment, right time?

Background: Personalised treatment that is uniquely tailored to an individual’s phenotype has become a key goal of clinical and pharmaceutical development across many, particularly chronic, diseases. For type 2 diabetes, the importance of the underlying clinical heterogeneity of the condition is emphasised and a range of treatments are now available, with personalised approaches being developed. While a close connection between risk factors for type 2 diabetes and gestational diabetes has long been acknowledged, stratification of screening, treatment and obstetric intervention remains in its infancy. Conclusions: Although there have been major advances in our understanding of glucose tolerance in pregnancy and of the benefits of treatment of gestational diabetes, we argue that far more vigorous approaches are needed to enable development of companion diagnostics, and to ensure the efficacious and safe use of novel therapeutic agents and strategies to improve outcomes in this common condition

Calculating NMR parameters in aluminophosphates : evaluation of dispersion correction schemes

Periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations have recently emerged as a popular tool for assigning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra. However, in order for the calculations to yield accurate results, accurate structural models are also required. In many cases the structural model (often derived from crystallographic diffraction) must be optimised (i.e., to an energy minimum) using DFT prior to the calculation of NMR parameters. However, DFT does not reproduce weak long-range "dispersion'' interactions well, and optimisation using some functionals can expand the crystallographic unit cell, particularly when dispersion interactions are important in defining the structure. Recently, dispersion-corrected DFT (DFT-D) has been extended to periodic calculations, to compensate for these missing interactions. Here, we investigate whether dispersion corrections are important for aluminophosphate zeolites (AlPOs) by comparing the structures optimised by DFT and DFT-D (using the PBE functional). For as-made AlPOs (containing cationic structure-directing agents (SDAs) and framework-bound anions) dispersion interactions appear to be important, with significant changes between the DFT and DFT-D unit cells. However, for calcined AlPOs, where the SDA-anion pairs are removed, dispersion interactions appear much less important, and the DFT and DFT-D unit cells are similar. We show that, while the different optimisation strategies yield similar calculated NMR parameters (providing that the atomic positions are optimised), the DFT-D optimisations provide structures in better agreement with the experimental diffraction measurements. Therefore, it appears that DFT-D calculations can, and should, be used for the optimisation of calcined and as-made AlPOs, in order to provide the closest agreement with all experimental measurements.PostprintPeer reviewe

Status and Tenure for Academic Law Librarians: A Survey

The debate surrounding the issue of faculty and academic status for librarians has captured the attention of contributors to library literature for many years. This ongoing concern eventually led to collective action: in 1959, a report of the University Libraries Section of the Academic Status Committee of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) “strongly recommended” professional librarians be granted academic status and privileges. Opinion pieces have since abounded, with some convinced that the perceived benefits attached to “faculty status” are the due of the librarian, while others are just as strongly convinced that “status” too often comes with added responsibilities and few rewards. In June 2001, the ACRL board reaffirmed a statement supporting the granting of faculty status for librarians. The 2001 ACRL statement reinforces the view that faculty status for librarians is a double-edged sword. If this statement is applied by universities or law schools, librarians will find themselves being evaluated alongside their teaching faculty colleagues. Full-time jobs and lack of release time and funding for research activities put librarians at a disadvantage when being evaluated in a large faculty pool, and they may find themselves trying to satisfy two sets of criteria: those relating to their primary job performance as librarians and those needed to meet “faculty” standards. The law librarians at Texas Tech School of Law Library do not now have faculty or other professional status. In considering whether to seek such status, some discussion among the librarians ensued as to whether they would benefit. In order to make a determination regarding this question, a nationwide survey was conducted to assess the current state of law librarian status and tenure, with results which may have considerable value to universities and colleges considering granting faculty status to their librarians

Quaternary marine deposits of the Springdale - Hall's Bay area, Newfoundland

Quaternary glaciomarine deposits form a complex sedimentary succession in the Springdale - Hall's Bay area of north-central Newfoundland. Marine incursion due to isostatic depression was extensive throughout the Indian Brook and South Brook valleys, reaching at least 10 km inland. Sedimentological, palaeontological, and geomorphological analyses have permitted reconstruction of the history of sea level change for the area since 12,470 years B.P. Stratified coarse sediment sequences with surfaces ranging up to 75 m above the present sea level were a result of higher sea-level stands. A succession of ice-contact deltas, representing the proximal units associated with the marine incursion, and a series of successively lower terraces (indicating isostatic rebound) are present. Most of the deposits were formed in ice-contact fan-deltas, but deposits at two sites are interpreted as ice-distal fans. Clay and silt were deposited by a combination of suspension settling and sediment gravity flows in low energy, distal locations. Dropstones indicative of ice rafting are present throughout the clay strata. Vanadium concentrations in these deposits indicate deposition in brackish-marine environments. Shells of Mya arenaria, BaIanus hameri, Macoma ballhica, and Hiatella arclica found in life positions also indicate brackish depositional environments. Four 14C dates were obtained from the marine fossils giving an age range of 11,300 ± 120 to 12,470 ± 380 years B.P. This suggests that the silt and clay deposits represent the distal sediments associated with glaciomarine delta formation. RÉSUMÉ Les dépôts glaciomarins d'âge Quaternaire forment une succession sédimentaire complexe dans la région Springdale - baie Hall, dans le centre nord de Terre-Neuve. L'incursion marine reliée à l'enfoncement isostatique à affecté de grandes surfaces dans les valines des ruisseaux Indian et South, pénétrant jusqu'à 10 km à l'intérieur des terres. Les analyses sédimentologiques, paléontologiques et géomorphologiques ont permis de reconstruire l'histoire des variations du niveau marin pour la région dépuis 12,470 B.P. La présence de séquences sédimentaires grossieres et stratifies sont le produit de niveaux marins plus élevés. Il y à une succession de deltas formes au contact du glacier et de la mer, qui représentent les unités proximales associées à l'incursion marine, et une seiie de terrasses à des niveaux successivement plus bas (qui indiquent un rebondissement isostatique). La plupart des dépôts se sont formée dans des cones deltaiques au contact du glacier et de la mer mais, à deux endroits, les dépôts sont interpréts comme étant des cones formés à distance du glacier. L'argile et le silt ont été déposés par une combinaison de suspension et de courants de turbidité en des milieux distaux et de basse énergie. Des cailloux de délestage, indicateurs de transport par glaces flottantes, sont présents dans toutes les couches d'argile. Les concentrations en vanadium de ces dépôts indiquent des milieux marins saumatres. Les coquilles de Mya arenaria, de Balanus hameri, de Macoma ballhica, et de Hiatella artica, trouvdes en position de vie, indiquent aussi des milieux de déposition saumatres. Quatre datations par 14C obtenues sur des fossiles marins ont donné un intervallede 11,300 ± 120 à 12,470 ±380 B.P. Ceci suggére que les dépôts de silt et d'argile représentent des sédiments distaux associés à la formation de deltas glaciomarins. [Traduit par le journal

Decrease in health-related quality of life associated with awareness of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in Scotland

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can significantly reduce health-related quality of life (QoL), but it is not clear if reduction is associated with the infection or with being aware of one's infection status. Understanding the impact of a HCV diagnosis on QoL is essential to inform decision-making regarding screening/testing and treatment. Using a cross-sectional design, we assessed QoL in 2898 people who inject drugs (PWID), surveyed in Scotland during 2010 using EQ-5D. Multifactorial regression compared self-reported QoL between PWID who were (i) chronically HCV-infected and aware of their infected status, (ii) chronically HCV-infected but unaware, and (iii) not chronically infected. Median time since onset of injecting was 10years; not chronically infected PWID were younger and had shorter injecting careers than chronically infected PWID. Median EQ-5D was highest for the not chronically infected and the chronic/unaware groups (0.73) compared with the chronic/aware group (0.66). After adjustment for demographic and behavioural co-factors, QoL was significantly reduced in chronic/aware compared with chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.09, p=0.005); there was no evidence for a difference in QoL between not chronically infected and chronic/unaware PWID (adjusted B=-0.03, p=0.13). Awareness of one's chronic HCV status was associated with reduced health-related QoL, but there was no evidence for further reduction attributable to chronic infection itself after adjusting for important covariate differences

24R,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 Protects against Articular Cartilage Damage following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Transection in Male Rats

Osteoarthritis (OA) in humans is associated with low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25 (OH)D3]. In vitamin D replete rats, radiolabeled 24R,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [24R,25 (OH)2D3] accumulates in articular cartilage following injection of [3 H]-25(OH)D3. Previously, we showed that 24R,25(OH)2D3 blocks chondrocyte apoptosis via phospholipase D and p53, suggesting a role for 24R,25(OH)2D3 in maintaining cartilage health. We examined the ability of 24R,25(OH)2D3 to prevent degenerative changes in articular cartilage in an OAlike environment and the potential mechanisms involved. In vitro, rat articular chondrocytes were treated with IL-1β with and without 24R,25(OH)2D3 or 1α,25(OH)2D3. 24R,25(OH)2D3 but not 1α,25(OH)2D3 blocked the effects of IL-1β in a dose-dependent manner, and its effect was partially mediated through the TGF-β1 signaling pathway. In vivo, unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transections were performed in immunocompetent rats followed by intra-articular injections of 24R,25(OH)2D3 or vehicle (t = 0, 7, 14, 21 days). Tissues were harvested on day 28. Joints treated with vehicle had changes typical of OA whereas joints treated with 24R,25(OH)2D3 had less articular cartilage damage and levels of inflammatory mediators. These results indicate that 24R,25(OH)2D3 protects against OA, and suggest that it may be a therapeutic approach for preventing trauma-induced osteoarthritis

Teaching Introductory Psychology in the Community College Classroom: Enhancing Student Understanding and Retention of Essential Information

Here the authors describe a study conducted to determine whether a “Test Yourself” procedure, administered either before or after a lecture, might improve students’ retention of the information, as well as stimulate critical thinking

Transformation Kinetics and Mechanism of the Sulfonylurea Herbicides Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl and Halosulfuron Methyl in Aqueous Solutions

Little is known about how popular herbicides react and degrade in soil or aquatic environments. Two of these herbicides include Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl (PE) and Halosulfuron Methyl (HM), which are part of the sulfonylurea herbicide category. Both are post-emergence herbicides and are so highly effective that they need to be applied only at rates of grams per hector. Because these herbicides inhibit the key enzyme that participates in protein synthesis in plants, they can have a major effect on sensitive agricultural areas such as legumes or pastures for grazing. Typically these types of herbicides only degrade because of microbial influences or chemical hydrolysis. To understand the pathway and conditions for chemical hydrolysis degradation, ISTC’s Wei Zheng collaborated with researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct several laboratory experiments. Full results reported in Zheng, Wei et al (2008). "Transformation Kinetics and Mechanism of the Sulfonylurea Herbicides Pyrazosulfuron Ethyl and Halosulfuron Methyl in Aqueous Solutions." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 56(16), 7367-7372. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf800899eOpe