Financing obstacles among euro area firms: Who suffers the most?

In this study we investigate the determinants of financing obstacles using survey data on a sample of around 5000 firms from the euro area countries. This completely new survey – started at the end of 2009 - gives us the opportunity to test whether firm characteristics such as size, age, economic branch, financial autonomy and ownership are valid predictors of financing obstacles also during the recent financial crisis. Our results show that only age and ownership are robust explanatory variables for firms’ perceived financing obstacles while mixed results are found for size and economic branches. JEL Classification: E22, G30, G10, O16, K40financial crisis, Financing Constraints, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, survey data

Development of ion trap HPLC-MS detection methods for the determination of prevalent mycotoxins in grain and application to real samples

The prevalent trichothecenes deoxynivalenol, nivalenol and HT-2 as well as zearalenone, zearalenol, ochratoxin A and citrinin are typical widespread mycotoxins in temperate climate zones mainly produced by the genus Fusarium, Aspergillus and Penicillium. Consequently, they co-occur frequently in the same agricultural commodities, especially in grain. Their simultaneous determination is highly desirable for screening method devices, due to the continuous need to protect the health of humans and animals by limiting their exposure to mycotoxins. A rapid quantitative method for the simultaneous determination of the above mentioned mycotoxins was developed using HPLC coupled to an ion trap mass spectrometer equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source. It has been specifically developed for the rapid primary screening of cereal samples. The fast HPLC separation and APCI(+) detection which allows to detect mycotoxins of highly different polarity (lipophilic to ionic), make this method suitable for high sample throughput and routine analysis. Additionally, a fast and easy sample cleanup method was developed applying C18 and SAX SPE cartridges for the elution of mycotoxins with a wide range of polarity. Recoveries were in the range of 46-106 % and the limits of detection were between 25 and 125 ppb for different mycotoxins. Wheat and corn was chosen for the analysis of real samples. Fumonisins belong to a substance class of mycotoxins, which was discovered recently (1988) and consists of long-chain methyl branched amino alcohols. Even nowadays the analysis of fumonisins is a big challenge not only because of the risk of the already known fumonisins in food, but also due to the fact that they form degradation and reaction products during food processing, which are not sufficiently characterized yet. A method was developed for the quantification of fumonisins in corn based on reversed phase HPLC/MS and multiple MS. This lead for FB1 to a improved LOD of 0.6 ppb and a LOQ of 8 ppb, which is a factor of five better compared to the former fluorescence method. Furthermore, a reduced chromatographic run time of up to 50 % could be applied successfully even for the analysis of real samples. Various corn products were examined for fumonisin contaminations. Products from the Swiss market were all below the tolerance level of 1 ppm. To overcome matrix effects and guarantee to a reliable quantification of analytes an adequate ISTD was searched. Several approaches using uncomplicated and easy to perform synthesis was carried out adding protection groups to fumonisins. Unfortunately, the obtained products had either a too low stability under acidic conditions or the synthesis was not complete. A total of 48 winter wheat samples from 1998 and 2000 were investigated by HPLC-MS for the presence of the trichothecenes nivalenol (NIV), deoxynivalenol (DON), neosolaniol (NEO), fusarenon-X (F-X), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-ADON), 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15-ADON), HT-2-toxin (HT-2) and T-2-toxin (T-2). Robustness of the applied technique under routine conditions was good and corresponding quality control information is given. The wheat samples were cultivated on a long-term field trial in Switzerland with three different farming systems (biodynamic, bioorganic and conventional). DON was detected in 100%, NIV in 67% and HT-2 in 25% of all wheat samples. Only 48% of the detectable DON concentrations were above the limit of quantification (LOQ, 50 μg/kg). The range varied between 10-206 μg/kg. NIV and HT-2 were detected at concentrations around or below their LOQ (NIV: 100 μg/kg; HT-2: 10 μg/kg). Statistically significant differences between the three farming systems could not be found although there were some indications that wheat from organic farming had lower DON contaminations than that from conventional farming. However, the results indicated that the presence and levels of (selected) trichothecenes may not be suitable as marker to differentiate between the three given farming systems. Furthermore, the results showed that even in years with low or nearly no fungal infection (warm and dry summers) low contaminations of DON in wheat are inevitable

Transferring a technology incubator to address climate change – lessons from Taiwan for Vietnam

Acceleration of climate-friendly technology transfer is a key goal of international climate policy. Technology incubators are institutions that support companies in accessing technological knowledge and developing technologies that are appropriate in the context of their business activities. Taiwan is a showcase of technology incubator experience and thus can support other countries in repeating a rapid technology leapfrogging. Vietnam is a country with a strong written commitment to climate change mitigation and adaptation; it is active in all current mechanisms that generate revenues for mitigation outcomes. Particularly the agricultural and the textile sectors would be appropriate for technology incubation applying Taiwanese experience. This could harness international funding streams through multi- and bilateral climate finance. Such streams are available both for technical assistance as well as implementation of concrete projects

Microstructure and Crystallographic Characteristics of Stenolaemate Bryozoans (Phylum Bryozoa and Class Stenolaemata)

The bryozoan class Stenolaemata is currently represented by the order Cyclostomata. They produce skeletons made exclusively of calcite crystals assembled into different microstructures. Despite extensive previous research, no appropriate crystallographic techniques have been applied to decipher their crystallographic organization. We present an in-depth crystallographic study of the microstructures of three extant species (Fasciculipora ramosa, Hornera robusta, and Cinctipora elegans) using scanning electron microscopy and associated techniques (energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron backscatter diffraction), together with atomic force microscopy and micro-computed tomography. We differentiate two microstructures: foliated and tabular calcite, and establish consistent models of their crystallography. Foliated calcite of Fasciculipora ramosa and Cinctipora elegans consists of co-oriented laths arranged with their c-axes parallel to their elongation axis and to their main surfaces, and one a*-axis perpendicular to the latter (sheet texture). Tabular calcite of Hornera robusta consists of polygonal tablets with the c-axis as fiber axis (axial texture), perpendicular to the tablet surface. The foliated calcite of bryozoans is homeomorph to that of bivalves but has a significantly different crystallography. The tabular calcite of bryozoans lacks the spiral morphology of the tablet-shaped calcite of craniiform brachiopods, and has a different orientation of the c-axis with respect to the constituent tablets.Proyectos CGL2017-85118-P y PID2020116660GB-I00 (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación)Proyecto B-RNM-265UGR18 (Junta de Andalucía)Grupo de Investigación RNM363 (Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía)Open Access financiado por la Universidad de Granada y por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Andalucía (CBUA

Magnetic Field-Induced Superconductor-Insulator-Metal Transition in an Organic Conductor: An Infrared Magneto-Optical Imaging Spectroscopy

The magnetic field-induced superconductor-insulator-metal transition (SIMT) in partially deuterated $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br, which is just on the Mott boundary, has been observed using the infrared magneto-optical imaging spectroscopy. The infrared reflectivity image on the sample surface revealed that the metallic (or superconducting) and insulating phases coexist and they have different magnetic field dependences. One of the magnetic field dependence is SIMT that appeared on part of the sample surface. The SIMT was concluded to originate from the balance of the inhomogenity in the sample itself and the disorder of the ethylene end groups resulting from fast cooling.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

The origin of the phase separation in partially deuterated κ\kappa-(ET)2_2Cu[N(CN)2_2]Br studied by infrared magneto-optical imaging spectroscopy

The direct observation of the phase separation between the metallic and insulating states of 75 %-deuterated $\kappa$-(ET)$_2$Cu[N(CN)$_2$]Br ($d33$) using infrared magneto-optical imaging spectroscopy is reported, as well as the associated temperature, cooling rate, and magnetic field dependencies of the separation. The distribution of the center of spectral weight ($$) of $d33$ did not change under any of the conditions in which data were taken and was wider than that of the non-deuterated material. This result indicates that the inhomogenity of the sample itself is important as part of the origin of the metal - insulator phase separation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Solid State Commu

Diffraction-based determination of single-crystal elastic constants of polycrystalline titanium alloys

Single-crystal elastic constants have been derived by lattice strain measurements using neutron diffraction on polycrystalline Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo and Ti-3Al-8V-6Cr-4Zr-4Mo alloy samples. A variety of model approximations for the grain-to-grain interactions, namely approaches by Voigt, Reuss, Hill, Kroener, de Wit and Matthies, including texture weightings, have been applied and compared. A load-transfer approach for multiphase alloys was also implemented and the results are compared with single-phase data. For the materials under investigation, the results for multiphase alloys agree well with the results for single-phase materials in the corresponding phases. In this respect, all eight elastic constants in the dual-phase Ti-6Al-2Sn-4Zr-6Mo alloy have been derived for the first time

Mosaic structure in the spines of Holopneustes porossisimus

Sea urchin spines of Holopneustes porossisimus are porous singlecrystals, with the pores being filled with a material rich in carbon,silicon, fluorine and sodium. The magnesian calcite constituting thespine is highly strained. Even though the spines appear to be singlecrystalline on a macroscopic scale, the calcitic material exhibits anextended defect network. We find dislocations as well as rotational andother, not yet identified boundaries. We also observe within spinecalcite a patterned distribution of sulphur. Both distributions, that ofthe defect network and that of sulphur resemble in their pattern to eachother and have a similar mesh size of 50 nm. We conclude from theseobservations that they arise from the growth process of the spine andaccount for the mosaicity within the spine single crystals