Thermo-oxidative stabilization of poly(lactic acid) with antioxidant intercalated layered double hydroxides

Two antioxidant modified layered double hydroxides (AO-LDHs) were successfully prepared by theintercalation of 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (IrganoxCOOH) and 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (Trolox) in the layered structure of LDH. It was foundthat by anchoring the phenolic moieties to the LDH layers the antioxidant power is retained in the caseof Trolox, and even amplified in the case of IrganoxCOOH. A small amount of the two AO-LDHs wasincorporated into poly(lactic acid), PLA, by solution mixing and melt extrusion. The thermo-oxidativestability of the composites was compared with that of the neat PLA and PLA containing free AOs. SECanalysis indicates that, after a controlled period of ageing, both the AO-LDHs protect the PLA fromchain scission. The oxidation induction time (OIT, DSC) at 230 °C shows also the beneficial effects ofthe presence of the functional filler in the polymer matrix. Further, results from a preliminary migrationtest suggest that the AO species have a low tendency to migrate away from the AO-LDHs embedded inthe polymer matrix thus keeping the AO protected inside the nanofiller layers thereby remaining activefor a longer time.

Kiigazítás recesszió nélkül. Esettanulmány a magyar stabilizációról = Adjustment without recession: A Case Study of Hungarian Stabilization

1995. március 12-én a magyar kormány és a központi bank szigorú kiigazítási és stabilizációs programot hirdetett meg. A cikk az első eredmények számbavételére tesz kísérletet. A program meghirdetése előtt Magyarország két egymást követő év- ben hatalmas fizetésimérleg-hiányt mutatott fel, és nemzetközi megítélése romlani kezdett. A program radikális intézkedései nyomán elkerülhetővé vált a mexikói vál- sághoz hasonló pénzügyi katasztrófa. Sok makrogazdasági mutató jól érzékelhető javulást jelez: lényegesen csökkent a kereskedelmi mérleg és a folyó fizetési mérleg hiánya, a költségvetés elsődleges egyenlege pozitív lett. Az ilyesféle stabilizációs programokat rendszerint súlyos visszaesés és a munkanélküliség nagy növekedése kíséri. Magyarország elkerülte ezeket a mellékhatásokat: a GDP drasztikus vissza- esés helyett valamelyest tovább növekedett, és a munkanélküliség változatlan ma- radt. A javulásnak nagy ára volt: az életszínvonal erőteljes csökkenése, az infláció felgyorsulása, bár a magyarországi infláció még mindig a kézben tartott, mérsékelt infláció sávjában maradt. A cikk ismerteti a program heterodox módszereit: 1. nagy leértékelés, az előre meghirdetett csúszó árfolyam rezsimjének bevezetése, valamint ideiglenes import- vámpótlék kivetése; 2. határozott jövedelempolitika, amely 12 százalékos reálbércsök- kenést kényszerített ki; 3. fiskális intézkedések, köztük jóléti jogosultságok csök- kentése (a program meghirdetése előtt ezek a jogosultságok tabuk voltak); 4. a hitel- kínálat átcsoportosítása a vállalati szektor javára, a jövedelmezőség növekedése; 5. feszített (bár nem mértéktelenül feszített) monetáris politika, amely lehetővé tette a sikeres vállalatok expanzióját; 6. a privatizáció felgyorsítása, nagy és sikeres lépé- sek egyes kulcsszektorok (energia, telekommunikáció) privatizációjában. Végezetül a tanulmány óva int a túlzott magabiztosságtól és felhívja a figyelmet a potenciális veszélyekre. A makrogazdasági javulás még törékeny. A magyar fejlődés legbiztatóbb sajátossága a termelékenység erőteljes és folyamatos növekedése. / === / On March 12, 1995 Hungary s government and central bank announced a tough program of adjustment and stabilization. This study is an attempt to asses the first results. Before the announcement of the program Hungary had a huge current account deficit for two consecutive years, and her international reputation started to decline. The program s radical measures made it possible to avoid a Mexico-style financial catastrophe. Many macroeconomic indicators show tangible improvement: the trade deficit and the deficit on the current account have been reduced significantly, the primary budget shifted to surplus. These kinds of adjustment programs are usually associated with deep recession and a large increase of unemployment. Hungary avoided these adverse side-effects: GDP instead of a drastic decline, continued to grow somewhat, and unemployment remained unchanged. There was a high price for the improvement: a sharp decline in the standard of living, and an acceleration of inflation, although Hungary is still in the range of controlled, moderate inflation. The paper describes the heterodox instruments of the program: (1) large devaluation, followed by a new exchange rate regime of pre-announced crawling peg, and a temporary import surcharge, (2) energetic income policy, enforcing a 12% cut in real wages; (3) fiscal measures, including cuts in welfare entitlements. That happened for the first time: before the program entitlements had been regarded as taboo ; (4) reallocation of credit supply in favor of the enterprise sector; increase of profitability; (5) tight (but not excessively tight) monetary policy, allowing the expansion of successful private busi- ness; (6) acceleration of privatisation, including large and successful steps in the privatisation of some key sectors (energy, telecommunication). Finally the paper warns against excessive self- confidence and draws the attention to potential dangers. The macroeconomic improvement is still fragile. The most reassuring feature of Hungary s development is the impressive and persistent improvement of productivity.

Tudáshasználat és sikeresség- tudásteremtés és -használat a magyarországi borvidékeken (Knowledge-use and success – Knowledge-creation and use on the Hungarian wine-districts)

A cikkben a magyarországi borágazatra vonatkozóan vizsgáljuk a tudáshasználat és sikeresség összefüggését. Magyarország az elmúlt évtizedben elmaradt a magasabb tudást megtestesítő prémium- és szuperprémium- borok irányába mutató világpiaci trendtől. Ennek hátterében vizsgálataink szerint a szőlő- és borágazatban elengedhetetlen és állandóan fejlődő tudás nem eléggé intenzív használata is meghúzódhat. Noha a tudás használata és terjedése ugyan jelentős tényező a különféle vállalkozások sokféleségének magyarázatában, de nem egyértelműen szignifikáns a többféle módon mért sikeresség alakításában. Ugyanakkor azt is megállapíthatjuk, hogy a magyar vállalkozások a tudás saját berken belüli gondozásával és adekvát felhasználásával piaci sikereket érhetnek el. _____ The paper examines the relationship between the use of specific knowledge and success among the Hungarian grape growers and wine makers. In the recent decade Hungary has been left behind by the world trends represented increasing share of premium and superpremium wines (which materialise higher knowledge) in export development. According to the authors’ survey there might be in behind the non-appropriate use and management of knowledge and skills which would be ‘condition sine qua non’ for wine making. However the use and spread of skills is a basic component in explaining the differences of variation among the companies, it is not unambiguous in formulating the business success measured in different indicators. At the same time the authors can conclude that the Hungarian wine enterprises – keeping the idea generation as well as its further development, elaboration and adequate use within the frame of the company – can achieve market success.

Investigating the effect of geographical distances and cultural proximity on the Hungarian wine trade

Wine is a very special product from an economic, cultural, and sociological point of view. Wine culture and wine trade play an important role in Hungary. The effect of cultural and geographical proximity on international trade has already been proven in the international trade literature. The size of bilateral trade flows between any two countries can be approximated by the gravity theory of trade. The gravity model provides empirical evidence of the relationship between the size of the economies, the distances between them, and their trade. This paper seeks to analyse the effect of cultural and geographical proximity on Hungary’s bilateral wine trade between 2000 and 2012, employing the gravity equation. The analysis is based on data from the World Bank WITS, WDI, as well as CEPII, and WTO databases. I apply OLS, Random Effects, Poisson, Pseudo-Poisson-Maximum-Likelihood and Heckman two stage estimators to calculate the gravity regression. The results show that in the case of Hungary, cultural similarity and trade liberalisation have a positive impact, while geographical distance, landlockedness, and contiguity have a negative impact on Hungarian wine exports.

A földrajzi távolság, a kulturális hasonlóság és a szabadkereskedelem hatása a borkereskedelemre = Effects on the global wine trade of geographical distance, cultural and linguistic similarity, and free trade

A globalizálódó világgazdaságban a vezető bortermelő országok egyre jelentősebb borkereskedelmet bonyolítanak le egymás között. Míg Európában a fogyasztók egyre kevesebb bort vásárolnak, addig Amerikában és Ázsiában a bor iránti kereslet folyamatosan bővül: a borkereskedelem földrajzi átrendeződése zajlik. A kulturális hasonlóság és a földrajzi távolság kereskedelemre gyakorolt hatását gyakran a kereskedelemelméletek gravitációs modelljével elemzik. E tanulmány azt vizsgálja, hogy a fő borexportáló országok közötti földrajzi távolság, kulturális hasonlóság és szabadkereskedelem milyen hatással van a nemzetközi borkereskedelemre, annak költségeire. A regressziós becslés eredményei alátámasztják, hogy a borkereskedelem költségei alacsonyabbak, ha a kereskedelmi partnerek kulturálisan hasonlók, földrajzilag közel helyezkednek el egymáshoz, vagy van tengeri kikötőjük, tagjai a WTO-nak, illetve ha kötöttek egymással regionális kereskedelmi megállapodást. Ezenkívül megállapítható, hogy az angolszász, a latin-amerikai és az európai kulturális klaszterek elsősorban egymással kereskednek. A kutatás számos kulturális változó alkalmazásával és több ökonometriai modell, illetve becslési eljárás nagymintás tesztelésével gazdagítja a szakirodalmat. ____ In a globalizing world, major wine-producing countries export considerable quantities to the global wine market and turn over a notable trade, but in what happens European wine regions differ markedly from the New World. Here major wine producers suffered a remarkable fall in domestic wine consumption in recent decades, while New World wine producers increased their production potential and generated new foreign demand. The changes have been joined by geographical relocation of wine consumption and exports. The gravity equation can be derived from demand-side or supply-side theory-consistent estimation methods that suggest relationships between the size of the economies, geographical distances, cultural similarities, and size of their trade. The paper analyses the effects of cultural and geographical proximity, free trade, and linguistic similarity on bilateral trade in the main wine-producing countries, using a cross-section gravity model for 2012. The results suggest that larger countries export more wine, while transport costs rise in line with geographical distance and are higher for landlocked trading partners. Wine export costs are lower if trading partners are culturally similar, share a dominant religion, or are both WTO members with regional trade agreements. Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Latin American and Latin European countries mainly trade wines within their groups. The paper looks to extend the number of trading partners, investigate the effect of language clusters, and confirm that the results are robust by different econometric methodologies.

Stabilization of troponin I for applications in clinical chemistry and forensic medicine. Cardiac troponin I: A time of death marker

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is one of the most useful serum marker test for the determination of myocardial infarction (MI). The first commercial assay of cTnI was released for medical use in the United States and Europe in 1995. It is useful in determining if the source of chest pains, whose etiology may be unknown, is cardiac related. Cardiac TnI is released into the bloodstream following myocardial necrosis (cardiac cell death) as a result of an infarct (heart attack). In this research project the utility of cardiac troponin I as a potential marker for the determination of time of death is investigated. The approach of this research is not to investigate cTnI degradation in serum/plasma, but to investigate the proteolytic breakdown of this protein in heart tissue postmortem. If our hypothesis is correct, cTnI might show a distinctive temporal degradation profile after death. This temporal profile may have potential as a time of death marker in forensic medicine. The field of time of death markers has lagged behind the great advances in technology since the late 1850's. Today medical examiners are using rudimentary time of death markers that offer limited reliability in the medico-legal arena. Cardiac TnI must be stabilized in order to avoid further degradation by proteases in the extraction process. Chemically derivatized magnetic microparticles were covalently linked to anti-cTnI monoclonal antibodies. A charge capture approach was also used to eliminate the antibody from the magnetic microparticles given the negative charge on the microparticles. The magnetic microparticles were used to extract cTnI from heart tissue homogenate for further bio-analysis. Cardiac TnI was eluted from the beads with a buffer and analyzed. This technique exploits banding pattern on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by a western blot transfer to polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) paper for probing with anti-cTnI monoclonal antibodies. Bovine hearts were used as a model to establish the relationship of time of death and concentration/band-pattern given its homology to human cardiac TnI. The final concept feasibility was tested with human heart samples from cadavers with known time of death. ^

The Italian Response to the Growing U.S. Wine Demand

Americans are learning more about wines and consuming them in increasingly greater quantities. Italian wines have experienced a tremendous growth in their share of the U. S. market during the last decade. This article analyzes the marketing and success of the wines of Italy with the American consumer.

A Relationship of Wine Ratings and Wholesale Pricing, Vintage, Variety, and Region

Wine reviews, such as those from Wine Spectator and other consumer publications, help drive wine sales. The researchers in this study utilized standardized wholesale “line pricing” from a major wholesale distributor in the Southwest to compare pricing to the ratings published by Wine Spectator and to determine whether there were any correlations among other key attributes of the wine. The study produced interesting results, including that the wholesale price and vintage of a wine are significant in the prediction of the wine’s rating.

South Beach Wine and Food Festival - Why Participate?

This paper studies why restaurants, wineries, and other exhibiters participate in Wine & Food festivals. We hypothesized [hat the purpose was to acquire new customers thru promotional involvement in the festival. A secondary outcome was to ascertain if there were differences in motivation between the three groups. A survey was conducted of participating companies in one of the largest Food & Wine festivals. We found differences in what motivated winery participants from restaurants or other exhibitors. A discussion of these differences and how festival organizers may aid participants in achieving their goals is presented.

Reaching an Underserved Wine Customer: Connecting with the African American Wine Consumer

Marketing strategies addressing underserved African American wine customers’ needs that also positively impact producers’ and retailers’ clientele was the impetus for this exploratory, qualitative paper. African Americans demonstrate a thirst to elevate their education about and be more involved in the wine industry as evidenced by the proliferation of African American wine-tasting groups designed to help educate and expose their membership to a variety of wines. Moreover, compared to the average adult, African-American wine drinkers are 241% more likely to have spent $20 or more on a bottle of store bought wine (Arbitron, 2005). Despite African Americans’ representation as one of the fastest growing ethnic minority segments in the U.S., wine industry strategies don't appear to connect with this market segment. Like Alice in Wonderland, we characterize this phenomenon by suggesting this market segment is ‘peering through the looking glass’. Three focus groups were conducted to specify possible targeted media strategies as well as to identify attitudes and opinions that influence this segment's wine purchasing and consumption behaviors. Industry strategies were suggested that would appear to benefit producers, retailers, and this customer segment. The results of the research will be used to inform a quantitative instrument in order to generalize findings beyond the context of the exploratory setting.

Drosophila Flight Stabilization Depends on Apparent Distances in Optic Flow Field

To perform daily flight tasks, insects rely heavily on their visual perception of a dynamic environment. They must process visual signals quickly and accurately and update their behavior. Flies are vulnerable to environmental disturbances, such as gusts of wind blowing them off course, but they may use the altered visual field to compensate and regain their original course. In studies using Drosophila melanogaster, it has been shown that their corrective responses can be analyzed by measuring changes in their wing beats. By enclosing a tethered fly in a cuboidal visual arena displaying a computerized optic flow field, it is possible to calculate the change in wing beat amplitudes from an infrared shadow of its wings using photodiodes and a custom wing beat analyzer. In this experiment, manipulations ofthe optic flow field are used to create a field where points have varying relative forward speed, to study how the insect performs corrective maneuvers. The results show that Drosophila have a stronger corrective response to the quickly moving, apparently near points compared to the slower moving, apparently distant points. This implies the flies are distinguishing points based on their relative speeds, inferring distance, and adjusting their corrective actions with this information.

Democratization, stabilization and social movements : the Bolivian case

In this thesis I assessed the state responses to social movements and in turn the impact of these movements on state policy within the context of the democratization occurring in Bolivia. The democratization process is affected by the conflict between political and economic goals. Politically the governments are faced with the demands from social groups. At the same time, the Bolivian government faces an economic crisis which requires stabilization, impairing the same individuals needed for legitimacy and political support. Two cases which depicted the key issues of this thesis are: the indigenous groups in the Bolivian Beni region and the coca growers, mainly of the Chapare area in the Cochabamba department of Bolivia. To achieve support and legitimacy, the new civilian administrations had no choice but to listen to the requests of the social mobilizations. Because of the economic crisis, conflicting domestic pressures and international influence, however, the government could not accede to all their demands.

The Central European initiative : an approach to regional stabilization and democratic consolidation

This thesis examines how multilateral institutions can contribute to democratization and regional stability. It is a case study of the Central European Initiative (CEI), a regional intergovernmental organization founded by Italy and Austria in 1989 to undertake a regional integration process, and of its role in stabilizing post-communist democracies. Documents were collected at the CEI offices in Trieste, Italy, and interviews conducted with CEI officers, and data obtained from the websites of related organizations and of CEI member countries. The thesis probes the relevance of concepts derived from theories of international regimes and social constructivism. It shows that the CEI diffuses norms and institutional rules conducive to consolidating democracies, including the development of a free civil society, a relatively autonomous political society, rule of law, state bureaucracies that are usable by the new democratic governments, and functioning free market economies, addition, and fosters habits of dialogue, socializes participants, and supports the creation of supra-national identities.