The EU-US total factor productivity gap : An industry perspective

This paper uses the EU KLEMS industry growth accounting database to explore the determinants of the EU-US total factor productivity (TFP) growth gap which started to emerge in the mid-1990's.Growth determinants, Total Factor Productivity, European Union, Havik, Mc Morrow, R�ger, Roeger, Turrini, klems, eu klems

Habitable Planet Formation in Binary-Planetary Systems

Recent radial velocity observations have indicated that Jovian-type planets can exist in moderately close binary star systems. Numerical simulations of the dynamical stability of terrestrial-class planets in such environments have shown that, in addition to their giant planets, these systems can also harbor Earth-like objects. In this paper, we study the late stage of terrestrial planet formation in such binary-planetary systems, and present the results of the simulations of the formation of Earth-like bodies in their habitable zones. We consider a circumprimary disk of Moon- to Mars-sized objects and numerically integrate the orbits of these bodies at the presence of the Jovian-type planet of the system and for different values of the mass, semimajor axis, and orbital eccentricity of the secondary star. Results indicate that, Earth-like objects, with substantial amounts of water, can form in the habitable zone of the primary star. Simulations also indicate that, by transferring angular momentum from the secondary star to protoplanetary objects, the giant planet of the system plays a key role in the radial mixing of these bodies and the water contents of the final terrestrial planets. We will discuss the results of our simulation and show that the formation of habitable planets in binary-planetary systems is more probable in binaries with moderate to large perihelia.Comment: 27 pages, 11 figures, submitted for publicatio

Pengaruh Pemberian Probiotik Terhadap Trigliserida Darah, Lemak Abdominal, Bobot Dan Panjang Saluran Pencernaan Ayam Kampung

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of probiotics in the ration on levels of serum triglycerides, abdominal fat weight, the weight and length of chicken digestive organs. The research was conducted in October through December 2011 in the poultry cage of Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Agriculture, Diponegoro University, Semarang.The material used in this study is Day Old Chick (DOC) of 200 chicken with initial body weight of an average of 33.58 ± 0.8 grams. Probiotics used are type of mold with each dose of 0.25 g, 0.50 g, and 0.75 g per 100 g ration. The feed used in this study has metabolizable energy (ME) 2750 kcal, 20.9% crude protein, 6.260% fat. Experimental design used was completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 treatments with 5 replicates, each experimental unit 20. Treatment applied in this study is the addition of 0.25 g probiotic / 100 g ration for T1, the addition of 0.50 g probiotic / 100 g ration for T2, the addition of 0.75 g probiotic / 100 g ration for T3, and T0 without probiotics addition.The results showed that addition of probiotics in the ration significantly affected (P <0.05) the levels of serum triglycerides. In treatment T3 was the lowest levels of serum triglycerides and significantly different from T0, T1, and T2. Abdominal fat weight in treatment T1, T2, T3 was not significantly different (P> 0.05) to the control (T0). Digestive organ weights in treatment T0 significantly different (P <0.05) for T2, but not significantly different from T1 and T3. The length of the digestive organs are not significantly different at T0 to T1, T2, and T3. The conclusion of this research is the use of probiotics in chicken rations is capable in lowering serum triglyceride levels but did not affect the weight of abdominal fat. Adding probiotics in chicken rations can increase the digestive organ weight, but not on the length of the organ. The lowest serum triglyceride levels obtained at the level probiotics 0.75 g/100 g (T3). Digestive organ weights obtained at the highest level of probiotics 0.50 g/100 g (T2)

TIE-2 expressing monocytes in human cancers.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are well known as a key player in the tumor microenvironment, which support cancer progression. More recently, a lineage of monocytes characterized by the expression of the TIE-2/Tek angiopoietin receptor identified a subset of circulating and tumor-associated monocytes endowed with proangiogenic activity. TIE-2 expressing monocytes (TEM) were found both in humans and mice. Here, we review the phenotypes and functions of TEM reported so far in human cancer and their potential use as markers of cancer progression and metastasis. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic approaches currently used or proposed to target TEM

Inhibition of an erythrocyte tyrosine kinase with imatinib prevents <i>Plasmodium falciparum</i> egress and terminates parasitemia

With half of the world’s population at risk for malaria infection and with drug resistance on the rise, the search for mutation-resistant therapies has intensified. We report here a therapy for Plasmodium falciparum malaria that acts by inhibiting the phosphorylation of erythrocyte membrane band 3 by an erythrocyte tyrosine kinase. Because tyrosine phosphorylation of band 3 causes a destabilization of the erythrocyte membrane required for parasite egress, inhibition of the erythrocyte tyrosine kinase leads to parasite entrapment and termination of the infection. Moreover, because one of the kinase inhibitors to demonstrate antimalarial activity is imatinib, i.e. an FDA-approved drug authorized for use in children, translation of the therapy into the clinic will be facilitated. At a time when drug resistant strains of P. falciparum are emerging, a strategy that targets a host enzyme that cannot be mutated by the parasite should constitute a therapeutic mechanism that will retard evolution of resistance

Planet Formation in Binary Stars: The case of Gamma Cephei

Over 30 planetary systems have been discovered to reside in binary stars. For small separations gravitational perturbation of the secondary star has a strong influence on the planet formation process. It truncates the protoplanetary disk, may shortens its lifetime, and stirs up the embedded planetesimals. Due to its small semi-major axis (18.5 AU) and large eccentricity (e=0.35) the binary $\gamma$ Cephei represents a particularly challenging example. In the present study we model the orbital evolution and growth of embedded protoplanetary cores of about 30 earth masses in the putative protoplanetary disk surrounding the primary star in the $\gamma$ Cep system. We assume coplanarity of the disk, binary and planet and perform two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of embedded cores in a protoplanetary disk. The presence of the eccentric secondary star perturbs the disk periodically and generates strong spiral arms at periapse which propagate toward the disk centre. The disk also becomes slightly eccentric (with e_d = 0.1-0.15), and displays a slow retrograde precession in the inertial frame. For all initial separations (2.5 to 3.5 AU) we find inward migration of the cores. For initial semi-major axes (a_p \gsim 2.7), we find a strong increase in the planetary eccentricity despite the presence of inward migration. Only cores which are initially far from the disk outer edge have a bounded orbital eccentricity which converges, roughly to the value of the planet observed in the $\gamma$ Cep system. We have shown that under the condition protoplanetary cores can form at around 2.5 AU, it is possible to evolve and grow such a core to form a planet with final outcome similar to that observed.Comment: 12 pages, 17 figures, accepted by Astronomy & Astrophysic