Management strategies of multinationals in developing countries

To what extent do American, Japanese and European multinationals follow different management strategies in developing countries? What effects do these strategies have on the developing countries involved? The free trade zones in Malaysia offer a seldom opportunity to compare companies from all three geographical areas operating under homogeneous conditions

Engineered microwave control for trapped ions

[no abstract

The alerting effect of the wake maintenance zone during 40 hours of sleep deprivation

Under entrained conditions, the accumulation of homeostatic sleep pressure in the evening is opposed by a strong circadian arousal signal prior to the dim light melatonin onset, called the Wake Maintenance Zone (WMZ). This study aimed at investigating the impact of the WMZ on different cognitive performance tests, as well as on subjective and objective sleepiness. Twelve young male participants completed a constant routine protocol with 40 h of extended wakefulness that included two WMZs. Cognitive tests and saliva samples were assessed hourly, while the electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded continuously. Participants improved in cognitive response inhibition during WMZ1 (13.5 h awake) and sustained attention during WMZ2 (37.5 h awake), but not in higher executive function tests. There were significant EEG power density reductions in the delta/theta frequency range during WMZ1 and in delta/theta, alpha, and sigma/beta ranges during WMZ2, with a greater change in the sigma/beta range during WMZ2 compared toWMZ1. EEG power reductions coincided during WMZ1 with stable subjective sleepiness and sustained attention. During WMZ2, EEG power reductions were more pronounced and coincided with improved sustained attention. Our results suggest the circadian arousal signal in the evening differently modulates cognitive functions and EEG power depending on the duration of prior wakefulness

Running on Empty: Of Hypopinealism and Human Seasonality

The pineal hormone melatonin is the natural transducer of the environmental light-dark signal to the body. Although the responsiveness to photoperiod is well-conserved in humans, only about 25 percent of the human population experiences seasonal changes in behavior. As a consequence, humans seem to have adapted-at least partly-to the seasonal changes in day length. The aim of the study was to demonstrate that the individual melatonin deficit marker DOC (degree of pineal calcification) is related to variation of seasonal phenomena in humans. Out of 3,011 patients in which cranial computer tomography (cCT) was performed for diagnostic reasons, 97 consecutive "healthy" subjects (43 female, 54 male; age 18-68 yrs, mean ± SD: 35.0 ± 13.1) were included. Exclusion criteria were pathological finding in cCT, acute/chronic illness including alcohol/drug abuse, shift work, and medication, which are known to influence melatonin excretion. The degree of pineal calcification (DOC) was semiquantitatively determined using the previously validated method. The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) was performed in a telephone interview. Twenty-six subjects fulfilled the criteria for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or subsyndromal (S) SAD. Seasonality was more pronounced in women than in men (SPAQ seasonality score: 7.8 ± 4.0 vs. 4.9 ± 4.5; p = 0.001) and negatively and significantly associated with age (r = -0.178; p = 0.04). The subjective sleep length significantly varied between seasons (one-way repeated measures ANOVA: F = 45.75; p < 0.0001), with sleep during winter being 53 min (± 70 min) longer than during summer. Controlling for age, the total seasonality score was negatively and significantly associated with DOC (r(94) = -0.214; p = 0.036). Data confirm earlier studies with respect to distribution of seasonality with sex and age. The survival of seasonality in the sleep length of people living in an urban environment underlines functionality of the circadian timing system in modern societies. Moreover, data confirm for the first time that diminished experience of seasonality in behavior is associated with a reduced individual capacity to produce melatonin

Der Grunewald bei Berlin

DER GRUNEWALD BEI BERLIN Der Grunewald bei Berlin / Wahnschaffe, Felix (Public Domain) ( - ) Title page ( - ) Preface ( - ) Die Seenrinne des Grunewalds und ihre Moore / Felix, Wahnschaffe ( - ) Fig. 1 ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 2. Westufer des Grunewaldsees bei hohem Wasserstande ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 3. Westufer des ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 4. Faulschlammkalkablagerung im Schlachtensee ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 5. Nordbucht der Krummen Lanke mit Einmündung des Rienmeistertales ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 6. Erlen-Bruch in Gr. Lichterfelde ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 7. Kiefernbruchwald auf dem Zwischenmoor südl. von Paulsborn ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 8. Krüppelkiefern in Moosbulten (mit Porstbestand ( - ) Photograph: Fig. 9. Das Hochmoor nördlich vom Grunewaldsee ( - ) Die Flora des Grunewaldes / Graebner, Paul ([26]) Photograph: Fig. 10. Einzeln stehende Eichen im Kiefernforst, am Fuße mit Brennesseln ( - ) Die Tiere des Grunewalds / Dahl, Friedrich ([38]) Kultureinflüsse auf Sumpf und Moor / Potonié, Henry ([44]) ColorChart ( -