Search results for "comparison"
showing 10 items of 701 documents
Models and solution methods for the uncapacitatedr-allocationp-hub equitable center problem
2017
Hub networks are commonly used in telecommunications and logistics to connect origins to destinations in situations where a direct connection between each origin–destination (o-d) pair is impractical or too costly. Hubs serve as switching points to consolidate and route traffic in order to realize economies of scale. The main decisions associated with hub-network problems include (1) determining the number of hubs (p), (2) selecting the p-nodes in the network that will serve as hubs, (3) allocating non-hub nodes (terminals) to up to r-hubs, and (4) routing the pairwise o-d traffic. Typically, hub location problems include all four decisions while hub allocation problems assume that the valu…
Empirical and theoretical study of atelostomate (Echinoidea, Echinodermata) plate architecture: using graph analysis to reveal structural constraints.
2015
AbstractDescribing patterns of connectivity among organs is essential for identifying anatomical homologies among taxa. It is also critical for revealing morphogenetic processes and the associated constraints that control the morphological diversification of clades. This is particularly relevant for studies of organisms with skeletons made of discrete elements such as arthropods, vertebrates, and echinoderms. Nonetheless, relatively few studies devoted to morphological disparity have considered connectivity patterns as a level of morphological organization or developed comparative frameworks with proper tools. Here, we analyze connectivity patterns among apical plates in Atelostomata, the m…
Absorption of Structural Funds – International Comparisons and Correlations
2013
Abstract Structural Funds represent one of the main instruments which The European Union uses to sustain regional development and to eliminate disparities between members. Specialized literature is relatively poor when it comes to approaching this subject. In the period 2002-2006, several papers were written, which identified the absorption process's influence factors, but all these materials represented ex-ante analysis, the empirical testing of theories being virtually impossible. The present paper, based on available statistical data related to the absorption process, aims at testing these factors, trying to elucidate the great differences obtained by the EU members within Central and Ea…
Eco‐tourism Certification – Does it Make a Difference? A Comparison of Systems from Australia, Costa Rica and Sweden
2010
Abstract In the current context of climate change, discussions about tourism sustainability are gaining increased momentum. Over the past decade, some operators worldwide have started to certify their products and services as ecotourism or sustainable tourism. A certification or approval is considered to be a sign of general high product quality as well as an indication of environmentally and socially sound products. In this research note, we examine three different ecotourism certification and approval systems – from Sweden, Costa Rica and Australia. The note is based on a literature review of three different approval systems, conducted parallel to the planning of the Norwegian approval sy…
L'éducation en Afrique sub-saharienne. Les indicateurs d'efficience et leur utilisation politique
2005
05047; National audience; Cet article examine l'idée selon laquelle les systèmes éducatifs africains ne souffriraient pas tant d'un manque de ressources que d'une mauvaise utilisation de celles-ci. Deux arguments soutiennent cette idée. Le premier relève d'une comparaison internationale de l'efficience fondée sur un indicateur -part des dépenses d'éducation dans le PIB / durée moyenne de scolarisation- défectueux. Le second rrelève de l'estimation des fonctions de production scolaire dont l'interprétation commune des résultats est incorrrecte. Cette double argumentation, discutable, dissuade une forte augmentation de l'aide et encourage l'expansion de systèmes dont la médiocrité, conforme à…
Skills, Job Mobility and Productive Efficiency
2017
Making use of a survey that directly assesses the participants’ cognitive skills, I study the relation between skills and job mobility in a large international comparison of 32 countries. Motivated by the canonical on-the-job search model, I measure job mobility by the ratio of the job-finding rate on the job to the transition rate into unemployment. A higher ratio of these rates induces, ceteris paribus, first-order stochastic dominance in the distribution of workers over jobs, indicating a more efficient allocation of resources across firms. On average across the 32 countries, a one-standard-deviation increase in numeracy skills is estimated to double the ratio of the job-finding rate on …
Pathways to higher education for first and second generation immigrants in France, Switzerland and Canada: how educational tracks and aspirations mat…
2014
Despite their different histories as countries of immigration, Switzerland, France and Canada all have a sizeable immigrant population, some of which do experience obstacles in their educational and professional careers. However, both access rates of immigrant students as well as institutional routes to higher education vary remarkably between the three countries. On the one hand, France and Switzerland offer both academic and vocational routes to higher education, whereas academic routes prevail in Canada. On the other hand, immigrant students are underrepresented in Swiss and French higher education, while they generally seem to be much more successful in Canada. In this paper we wish to …
Characterization of the interstitial lung and peripheral blood T cell receptor repertoire in cigarette smokers.
2005
T lymphocytes modulate the pulmonary inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clonality within the interstitial lung and peripheral blood T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire in smokers. Interstitial T lymphocytes were isolated from surplus tissue of 16 patients (63 +/- 9 [+/- SD] yr old, 11 male) undergoing surgery due to lung cancer (n = 15) or emphysema. TCR clonality was assessed by PCR amplification followed by spectratyping. Nearly all TCR of interstitial lung lymphocytes showed oligoclonal bands (CD4(+) subset 13/16 patients, 81%; CD8(+) 100%) indicating a specific differentiation. Peripheral blood T lymphocytes (PBL) TCR (especially CD4(+)) had less oligoclonal b…
Palliative Care Needs and Integration of Palliative Care Support in COPD
2021
Background The provision of palliative care for severe COPD remains low, resulting in unmet needs in patients and carers. Research Questions What are the palliative care needs of patients living with severe COPD and their caregivers? What views of accessing and providing palliative care and factors influence these experiences. To what extent have palliative care and COPD services been integrated? Study Design and Methods A multicentre qualitative study was undertaken in COPD services and specialist palliative care in the United Kingdom involving patients with severe COPD, their carers, and health professionals. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and were analyzed using fram…