Multinational firms in the world wine industry: an investigation into the determinants of most-favoured locations

The objective of the paper is to identify some of the determinants of foreign investment of the largest multinational enterprises (MNEs) operating in the wine industry. The factors that drive firms to invest abroad and those that determine the location of those investments are examined in the case of the world wine industry. The list of the largest MNEs has been compiled using financial databases and company websites. Spearman rank correlation values are calculated between the ranking of the location popularity of host countries and the ranking of the independent variables or indices for the same period. The results of this study have some important implications. They indicate that location-specific advantages of host countries do provide an explication of the internationalization of firms in some preferred countries rather than others.     

Biomass estimation over a large area based on standwise forest inventory data and ASTER and MODIS satellite data: A possibility to verify carbon inventories

According to the IPCC GPG (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Good Practice Guidance), remote sensing methods are especially suitable for independent verification of the national LULUCF (Land Use, Land-Use Change, and Forestry) carbon pool estimates, particularly the aboveground biomass. In the present study, we demonstrate the potential of standwise (forest stand is a homogenous forest unit with average size of 1-3 ha) forest inventory data, and ASTER and MODIS satellite data for estimating stand volume (m³ ha^− 1) and aboveground biomass (t ha^− 1) over a large area of boreal forests in southern Finland. The regression models, developed using standwise forest inventory data and standwise averages of moderate spatial resolution ASTER data (15 m × 15 m), were utilized to estimate stand volume for coarse resolution MODIS pixels (250 m × 250 m). The MODIS datasets for three 8-day periods produced slightly different predictions, but the averaged MODIS data produced the most accurate estimates. The inaccuracy in radiometric calibration between the datasets, the effect of gridding and compositing artifacts and phenological variability are the most probable reasons for this variability. Averaging of the several MODIS datasets seems to be one possibility to reduce bias. The estimates obtained were significantly close to the district-level mean values provided by the Finnish National Forest Inventory; the relative RMSE was 9.9%. The use of finer spatial resolution data is an essential step to integrate ground measurements with coarse spatial resolution data. Furthermore, the use of standwise forest inventory data reduces co-registration errors and helps in solving the scaling problem between the datasets. The approach employed here can be used for estimating the stand volume and biomass, and as required independent verification data.     

Cyclic nucleotides attenuate lipid peroxidation-mediated neuron toxicity

Recent studies suggest that increased lipid peroxidation and lipid peroxidation products, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), contribute to neuronal loss in conditions associated with oxidative stress. The focus of the present study was to determine possible neuroprotective effects of elevated cyclic nucleotide levels against lipid peroxidation and HNE-mediated neural toxicity. Application of 8-bromo derivative analogs of cAMP or cGMP resulted in attenuation of HNE-induced increases in mitochondrial calcium, reactive oxygen species, and neuron loss. Similar results were obtained when neural cells were pretreated with the phosphodiesterase inhibitors zaprinast or isobutylmethylxanthanine (IBMX). These data are consistent with a possible neuroprotective role for elevated cyclic nucleotide levels in disorders associated with increases in lipid peroxidation and HNE.     

Trabecular Bone Analysis in CT and X-Ray Images of the Proximal Femur for the Assessment of Local Bone Quality

Currently, conventional X-ray and CT images as well as invasive methods performed during the surgical intervention are used to judge the local quality of a fractured proximal femur. However, these approaches are either dependent on the surgeon's experience or cannot assist diagnostic and planning tasks preoperatively. Therefore, in this work a method for the individual analysis of local bone quality in the proximal femur based on model-based analysis of CT- and X-ray images of femur specimen will be proposed. A combined representation of shape and spatial intensity distribution of an object and different statistical approaches for dimensionality reduction are used to create a statistical appearance model in order to assess the local bone quality in CT and X-ray images. The developed algorithms are tested and evaluated on 28 femur specimen. It will be shown that the tools and algorithms presented herein are highly adequate to automatically and objectively predict bone mineral density values as well as a biomechanical parameter of the bone that can be measured intraoperatively.     

可实现高扭矩传递的车用功率分流式无级变速器的设计研究

无级变速元件的承载能力一直是限制其应用领域的主要瓶颈,利用重新设计的功率分流机构和液压系统,减少无级变速元件载荷,速比变化范围大幅拓宽,提高低速扭矩表现,以实现500Nm以上的高扭矩传递能力,仿真结果表明改进的定速比传动机构、行星齿轮机构及其控制策略实现了操控性和平顺性要求.     

Exploring metaskills of knowledge-creating inquiry in higher education

The skills of knowledge-creating inquiry are explored as a challenge for higher education. The knowledge-creation approach to learning provides a theoretical tool for addressing them: In addition to the individual and social aspects in regulation of inquiry, the knowledge-creation approach focuses on aspects related to advancing shared objects of inquiry. The development of corresponding metaskills is suggested as an important long-term goal for higher education; these pertain, simultaneously to the individual, collective, and object-oriented aspects of monitoring inquiry. Taking part in collaborative inquiry toward advancing a shared knowledge object is foreseen as a means to facilitate the development of metaskills; the present study examines one undergraduate university course in psychology with that aim. The data consisted of a database discourse and students’ self-reflections after the course, examined by qualitative content analysis. Three analyses investigated discourse evolution, knowledge advancement, and the challenge of the inquiry practices. The student-groups differed markedly in their engagement in the inquiry efforts. The study gave insights concerning novel challenges evoked by knowledge-creating inquiry, relating in particular to commitment, epistemic involvement, dealing with confusion, and the iterative nature of knowledge advancement. We propose the following implication for educational practices: Although dealing with uncertainty and areas beyond one’s expertise, as well as engaging in self-directed collaborative inquiry, may seem overly demanding for students, such experiences are decisive for developing one’s skills in dealing with open-ended knowledge objects in a longer time frame.     

关于贵阳市中心区1：2000 DOM制作的探讨

数字正射影像因其直观性、现势性，越来越多的应用于城市规划、决策等领域。本文介绍了贵阳市中心区1：2000DOM制作流程，包括空三解算、DOM制作、质量控制等。     

传播与介入:建筑媒体的当代角色——“清华建筑思想论坛”第9期评述

<正>2014年12月14日,第9期清华建筑思想论坛以"传播与介入:建筑媒体的当代角色"为主题,在清华大学建筑学院王泽生厅举行。建筑媒体在记录、呈现、传播和推动建筑学科的历史发展上有着举足轻重的作用。当代中国正处在建筑文化百家争鸣的新时期,建筑媒体的取向和判断责任重大、意义深远。本期论坛由清华大学建筑学院王路教授和青锋老师主持,清华大学建筑学院庄惟敏院长致辞,     

有关处理棕色珍珠的简要报道

几年前,在市场上出现了一种处理的棕色珍珠新产品。以往对珍珠颜色的处理是将其漂成白色和染成粉红色、黄色和黑色。一些珍珠供应商认为,这种新品种珍珠是通过某种漂白处理使得深色调的塔希提黑珍珠的颜色变亮形成。测试发现,来自不同生产商的部分棕色珍珠经过了染色处理。令人惊讶的是,尽管这些珍珠在市场上是作为处理品销售,但消费者却欣然地接受并称其为“巧克力珠”。     

玉米须枳椇醋的研制及抗氧化性研究

以枳椇、玉米须为主要原料,采用液态深层发酵法酿造玉米须枳椇保健醋,所酿制的玉米须枳椇醋色泽纯净呈琥珀色,澄清透明,酸味浓郁.对其总酚、黄酮清除DPPH自由基能力及总抗氧化能力进行分析测定.研究结果表明,其总酚、黄酮含量较枳椇醋显著提高,体外抗氧化能力明显增强.