Mechanistic modelling of pilling. Part I: Detailing of mechanisms

Mechanistic models of pilling are discussed in general terms, and a framework for pilling simulations is thereby created. A fundamental flaw in earlier models of pilling is revealed. A more comprehensive model of fibre diffusion and withdrawal from the fabric is proposed, and this is solved in general terms to find the rate of fuzz growth. Fuzz wear-off and entanglement into pills are discussed. Fibre fatigue is introduced, and it is demonstrated that this potentially increases the rate of withdrawal of anchor fibres.

Deduced amino acid sequences surrounding the fusion glycoprotein cleavage site and of the carboxyl-terminus of haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of the avirulent thermostable vaccine strain I-2 of Newcastle disease virus

A single-tube RT-PCR technique generated a 387 bp or 300 bp cDNA amplicon covering the F-0 cleavage site or the carboxyl (C)-terminus of the HN gene, respectively, of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain 1-2. Sequence analysis was used to deduce the amino acid sequences of the cleavage site of F protein and the C-terminus of HN protein, which were then compared with sequences for other NDV strains. The cleavage site of NDV strain 1-2 had a sequence Motif of (112)RKQGRLIG(119), consistent with an avirulent phenotype. Nucleotide sequencing and deduction of amino acids at the C-terminus of HN revealed that strain 1-2 had a 7-amino-acid extension (VEILKDGVREARSSR). This differs from the virulent viruses that caused outbreaks of Newcastle disease in Australia in the 1930s and 1990s, which have HN extensions of 0 and 9 amino acids, respectively. Amino acid sequence analyses of the F and HN genes of strain 1-2 confirmed its avirulent nature and its Australian origin.

Development of a cell culture method for quantal assay of strain I-2 of Newcastle disease virus

Repeated titrations of strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) are more conveniently undertaken in cell cultures rather than in embryonated eggs. This is relatively easy with mesogenic and velogenic strains that are cytopathic to various cell lines, but is difficult with avirulent Australian isolates that are poorly cytopathic. Strain V4 for example has been shown to be pathogenic iin vitro only to of chicken embryo liver cells. Strain 1-2 was reported to produce cytopathic effect (CPE) on chicken embryo kidney (CEK) cells. The present studies confirmed this observation and developed a quantal assay. CEK cells infected with strain 1-2 developed CPE characterized by degeneration, rounding, granularity and vacuolation, and the formation of synctia. End points were readily established by microscopic examination of fixed and stained cells. In virus infectivity studies on strain 1-2, where multiple titrations are required and where large numbers of samples are used, titration using CEK cell grown in microtitre plates is recommended. Such studies may not be feasible in embryonated eggs.

The continuing relevance of Germany's engine for CEE andthe EU

The article looks first into the nature of the relations between Germany and the CEE countries a decade since the accession of the CEE countries to the EU. The relations are characterized as normalised and intensive with diverse levels of closeness and co-operation reflecting of the conceptual and ideological compatibility/differences. Next, the article focuses on the German attitude to the euro zone crisis. Germany has become a hegemon in the rescue effort aimed at stabilisation and economic invigoration of the euro zone. However, German hegemony has developed by default, not by design: her leading position is linked with considerable political and financial costs. Germany moved central stage and took the position of a reluctant hegemon. However, German role is contested internationally (it has not the support of the French government in key areas) as well as internally (particularly by the Federal Constitutional Court and the Bundesbank).The article argues that the new situation makes the German-CEE relations increasingly relevant for both sides. The German leadership of the EU increasing split along the north-south divide requires backing by the Northern group countries to which the CEE in general belongs. Given a number of reasons the CEE countries implement three distinctive strategies of co-operation with Germany in European politics. Also military co-operation, which remained rather limited so far, may receive new impulses, given the financial austerity. © 2013 The Regents of the University of California.

Understanding the transformation of Germany's CDU

This book analyses the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), one of Europe’s most successful and influential political parties. The CDU might have been expected to struggle in the circumstances of a more diverse, secular reunified Germany, yet it has prospered to an extent almost unparalleled in western Europe. Chapters consider the CDU’s policies (the factors driving them, their variation across Germany, the relationship to women, and the welfare state), its organisational development and change, and its position within the party system. Contributors particularly emphasise the diversity of the CDU, and the way it varies across Germany���s regions. The CDU is compared to other Christian Democratic parties, and special consideration is given to the CDU’s Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). This book was published as a special issue of German Politics.

Let's stick together? Explaining boundaries to territorial policy variation:the case of Germany's prisons legislation

This article offers an initial impact assessment regarding the introduction of new legislative responsibilities at the Land level in a case study of prisons policy (Strafvollzug). Combining an analysis of new legislation produced across the 16 Länder since the responsibility for prisons policy was transferred to the Land level, and insights into the mechanics of policy development obtained through a series of interviews with senior politicians and officials, this article finds that the desire among Länder to legislative independently has varied, with substantial backing for co-ordination in the development of new legislation. This has helped to confound expectations of a ‘competition of harshness’ which many expected to result from decentralisation. However, even before the 2006 reforms, there were substantial variations between the Länder when it came to implementing prisons policy, so consideration of the sub-national level in this area remains essential.

Aranyszabály helyett adósságfék - a német példa = Debt-brake instead of the golden rule - the case of Germany

Az Európai Unió megújuló gazdasági kormányzási rendszerének egyik meghatározó pillére a diszkrecionális gazdaságpolitikával szemben megfogalmazott szabályalapúság lesz. A minden korábbinál erősebb és vélhetően hatékonyabb szabályok bevezetésének legelkötelezettebb híve Németország. Az elmúlt évtizedekben a folyó költségvetési kiadások hiányból történő finanszírozásának tilalmát előíró aranyszabályt inkább kevesebb, mint több sikerrel alkalmazó Németország most arra vállalkozott, hogy nem csak saját hatáskörben vezeti be az ún. adósságféket, hanem követendő példaként állítja azt a többi tagország elé is. Írásunkban az aranyszabály, illetve az adósságfék előnyeit és hátrányait vesszük számba a német tapasztalatok felhasználásával. / === / The need to strengthen rules-based fiscal policy has emerged as a widely shared consensus amongst policy-makers in the recent economic and financial crisis. Germany has become the most devoted advocator of the new regime, where more innovative and effective fiscal rules are supposed to play an even bigger role than before. Germany supports such a move however not only in rhetoric but also in practice. It decided to abandon its several decade old golden rule and to adopt a more sophisticated one, the so-called debt-brake. This article provides a cost-benefit analysis of both the previous and the new fiscal rule.

Az értékesítés és a marketing kapcsolatának piaci tájékozódásban betöltött szerepe és meghatározó tényezői (Role of the sales and marketing relationship in market orientation and its determining factors)

A szerző kutatásában azt vizsgálja, hogy az értékesítés területén dolgozó munkatársak piaci megfigyeléseit milyen mértékben képesek beépíteni a marketingvezetők a menedzsmentmunkába. Az értékesítési munkatársak piaci megfigyelései mindig naprakészek, ráadásul jelentősebb ráfordítás nélkül hozzáférhetők. A marketing- és a sales munkatársak közötti hagyományosan konfliktusokkal terhelt kapcsolat miatt azonban a vállalatok sokszor mégsem aknázzák ki a piaci tájékozódásnak ezt a lehetőségét. A nagyvállalati mintán empirikusan tesztelt modell szerint a menedzserek azon képessége, hogy felhasználják a vállalaton belül rendelkezésre álló információkat, alapvetően nem egyéni, hanem szervezeti képesség. Azok a menedzserek, akik olyan cégeknél dolgoznak, ahol a vállalati továbbképzések során más részlegek munkájába is bekapcsolódhatnak, nagyobb mértékben támaszkodnak a munkatársak piaci megfigyeléseire döntéseik meghozatala során. _____ The author examines in her research that to what extent marketing leaders can build market experience of sales employees into the management activity. Because of the traditionally problematic relationship between marketing and sales employees, companies do not exploit this opportunity of market orientation. According to the model tested on a big corporation sample, the capacity of managers to use information available within the company is basically not an individual but organisational capacity.

The H I chronicles of LITTLE THINGS blue compact dwarf galaxies

Star formation occurs when the gas (mostly atomic hydrogen; H I) in a galaxy becomes disturbed, forming regions of high density gas, which then collapses to form stars. In dwarf galaxies it is still uncertain which processes contribute to star formation and how much they contribute to star formation. Blue compact dwarf (BCD) galaxies are low mass, low shear, gas rich galaxies that have high star formation rates when compared to other dwarf galaxies. What triggers the dense burst of star formation in BCDs but not other dwarfs is not well understood. It is often suggested that BCDs may have their starburst triggered by gravitational interactions with other galaxies, dwarf-dwarf galaxy mergers, or consumption of intergalactic gas. However, there are BCDs that appear isolated with respect to other galaxies, making an external disturbance unlikely.^ Here, I study six apparently isolated BCDs from the LITTLE THINGS sample in an attempt to understand what has triggered their burst of star formation. LITTLE THINGS is an H I survey of 41 dwarf galaxies. Each galaxy has high angular and velocity resolution H I data from the Very Large Array (VLA) telescope and ancillary stellar data. I use these data to study the detailed morphology and kinematics of each galaxy, looking for signatures of starburst triggers. In addition to the VLA data, I have collected Green Bank Telescope data for the six BCDs. These high sensitivity, low resolution data are used to search the surrounding area of each galaxy for extended emission and possible nearby companion galaxies.^ The VLA data show evidence that each BCD has likely experienced some form of external disturbance despite their apparent isolation. These external disturbances potentially seen in the sample include: ongoing/advanced dwarf-dwarf mergers, an interaction with an unknown external object, and external gas consumption. The GBT data result in no nearby, separate H I companions at the sensitivity of the data. These data therefore suggest that even though these BCDs appear isolated, they have not been evolving in isolation. It is possible that these external disturbances may have triggered the starbursts that defines them as BCDs.^