Umweltfördermaßnahmen in der Landwirtschaft – Teilnehmerauswahl durch Ausschreibungen?

Agri-environmental programs offering uniform payments to farmers achieved only low participation ratios in some regions whereas, in other regions, windfall profits arose. Auctions leading to individual payments equal to farmers’ bids could solve this problem. Simulations showing auctions’ efficiency gains are based on critical assumptions though. In this article the validity of these assumptions is discussed for different auction designs and different subprograms. We find that extensification programs offer the best conditions for successful auctions. However, it seems counterproductive to use auctions for choosing among different areas in environmental contracting.agri-environmental measures, auctions, efficiency, Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy,

A review of methods for assessment of coronary microvascular disease in both clinical and experimental settings

Obstructive disease of the large coronary arteries is the prominent cause for angina pectoris. However, angina may also occur in the absence of significant coronary atherosclerosis or coronary artery spasm, especially in women. Myocardial ischaemia in these patients is often associated with abnormalities of the coronary microcirculation and may thus represent a manifestation of coronary microvascular disease (CMD). Elucidation of the role of the microvasculature in the genesis of myocardial ischaemia and cardiac damage—in the presence or absence of obstructive coronary atherosclerosis—will certainly result in more rational diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for patients with ischaemic heart disease. Specifically targeted research based on improved assessment modalities is needed to improve the diagnosis of CMD and to translate current molecular, cellular, and physiological knowledge into new therapeutic option

The influence of diverse optical wavelengths on growth rate of Chlorella Vulgaris microalgae

The effect of different optical wavelengths on growth and development of microalgae had been examined repeatedly. Many articles had been published over the subject, although the results of these investigations were frequently controversial. Depending on the number of days spent on cultivation process, yield gain could be both significant and barely noticeable. Also, irradiation intensity plays vital part in microalgae functioning

Genetic Analyses of Heme Oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) in Different Forms of Pancreatitis

Contains fulltext : 107993.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Heme oxygenase 1 (HMOX1) is the rate limiting enzyme in heme degradation and a key regulator of inflammatory processes. In animal models the course of pancreatitis was ameliorated by up-regulation of HMOX1 expression. Additionally, carbon monoxide released during heme breakdown inhibited proliferation of pancreatic stellate cells and might thereby prevent the development of chronic pancreatitis (CP). Transcription of HMOX1 in humans is influenced by a GT-repeat located in the promoter. As such, HMOX1 variants might be of importance in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis. METHODS: The GT-repeat and SNP rs2071746 were investigated with fluorescence labelled primers and by melting curve analysis in 285 patients with acute pancreatitis, 208 patients with alcoholic CP, 207 patients with idiopathic/hereditary CP, 147 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and in 289 controls, respectively. GT-repeat analysis was extended to a total of 446 alcoholic CP patients. In addition, we performed DNA sequencing in 145 patients with alcoholic CP, 138 patients with idiopathic/hereditary CP, 147 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and 151 controls. Exon 3 screening was extended to additional patients and controls. RESULTS: S- and L-alleles of the GT-repeat, genotypes and alleles of SNP rs2071746 and non-synonymous variants detected by sequencing were found with similar frequencies in all groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although functional data implicate a potential influence of HMOX1 variants on the pathogenesis of pancreatitis, we did not find any association. As rare non-synonymous HMOX1 variants were found in patients and controls, it is rather unlikely that they will have functional consequences essential for pancreatitis development

Fast Encryption for Set-Top Technologies

In this paper we present two approaches to combine recent results of cryptographic research with the requirements of modern multimedia systems. The first is to evaluate modern block ciphers in a JAVA-environment. The second approach is based on recent developments regarding fast Luby-Rackoff ciphers. Paradoxically, it deals with doing "high-bandwidth encryption with low-bandwidth smartcards". Also, we discuss implementation considerations for a specific multimedia project, the multimedia database for teleteaching at the University of Mannheim

Umweltfördermaßnahmen in der Landwirtschaft – Teilnehmerauswahl durch Ausschreibungen?

Agri-environmental programs offering uniform payments to farmers achieved only low participation ratios in some regions whereas, in other regions, windfall profits arose. Auctions leading to individual payments equal to farmers’ bids could solve this problem. Simulations showing auctions’ efficiency gains are based on critical assumptions though. In this article the validity of these assumptions is discussed for different auction designs and different subprograms. We find that extensification programs offer the best conditions for successful auctions. However, it seems counterproductive to use auctions for choosing among different areas in environmental contracting

Fast Encryption for Set-Top Technologies

In this paper we present two approaches to combine recent results of cryptographic research with the requirements of modern multimedia systems. The first is to evaluate modern block ciphers in a JAVA-environment. The second approach is based on recent developments regarding fast Luby-Rackoff ciphers. Paradoxically, itdeals with doing "high-bandwidth encryption with low-bandwidth smartcards". 6 Also, we discuss implementation considerations for a specific multimedia project, the multimedia database for teleteaching at the University of Mannheim