bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Biomass production and carbon accumulation in silver birch stands in Oxalis site type
Authors: Varik Mats , Aosaar Jürgen , Uri Veiko 
Published: March 2011

Biomassi produktsioon jänesekapsa kasvukohatüübi arukaasikutes
Present study was carried out in three silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) stands in the Oxalis site type in South-Estonia. The above-ground biomass, above-ground biomass production and foliar characteristics of 14-, 32- and 45-year-old silver birch natural stands were studied. The above-ground biomass and production of the stand was estimated in August 2008 using dimension analysis (model tree method). The above-ground biomasses in the 14-, 32- and 45-year-old silver birch stands growing on forest land were 39.9; 140.3 and 224.3 t ha-1 respectively. All results are given in dry mass (DM). Current annual production (CAP) of stem mass ranged 4.7-7.5 t ha-1. Leaf area index (LAI) ranged 2.5-4.4 m2 m-2 in the studied stands. Based on these results, stands of silver birch growing in Oxalis site type are very productive and may exceed the respective values presented in yield tables used in Estonian forestry.
Morphometric parameters of pine needles in Tolkuse bog in the dune field in Southwest Estonia
Authors: Ots Katri , Tilk Mari 
Published: March 2011

Männiokaste morfomeetriast Edela-Eesti luitemaastikku ilmestavas Tolkuse rabas
Needle characteristics of Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Tolkuse bog (SW Estonia) their length, dry weight and area are discussed. Samples of needles and peat were collected from seven small forest stands in Tolkuse bog in summer 2004. The sampling sites were selected from transect across the bog margin towards its centre (site I - bog margin, site VII - bog centre). Sample branches (n = 30) were collected from the southern sides of the crowns of three trees at heights of 1.5 and 3.0 m. Soil analysis of the samples showed that the pH of peat in Tolkuse bog was in the range 3.3-4.2. The nutrient concentrations of Tolkuse bog peat (% of dry mass) varied as follows: total N 0.7-1.5, total P 0.07-0.14, total K 0.02-0.06, Ca 0.14-0.51 and Mg 0.06-0.22. As compared with other sampling sites a significantly higher concentration of nutrients was observed in the peat at site V. This may explain the best growth of the needles at this site. Site VII, located in the centre of the bog between hollows where bog water is closest to the surface, had the smallest measurements of needles. This indicates that this site has the least favourable conditions for pine growth. Needles growing in the crown at a height of 3 m from the ground had a considerably smaller needle area than those at a height of 1.5 m from the ground.
About management and research of forest genetic resources
Authors: Maaten Tiit , Kurm Malle 
Published: March 2011

Metsageneetiliste ressursside majandamisest ja uurimisest
Conservation and management as well research on forest genetic resources are getting more important around the world including Europe and Estonia. There are two main cornerstones by the increasing relevance: international agreements and rapidly developed methods for investigation of genetic structure and diversity by different organisms, including forest trees. In light of given background an overview about recent developments as well historical overview about movements in the past will be given in this paper. This review focuses on (i) genetical aspects by different silvicultural systems (ii) history and results of provenance trials (iii) tree breeding theory and results (iiii) in situ conservation of forest genetic resources (iiiii) development of methods for gene technology in the past and nowadays, including development of genetically modified trees (iiiiii) international processes influencing management and conservation of forest genetic resources.
The management and protection of soil cover: an ecosystem approach
Authors: Kõlli Raimo , Kanal Arno 
Published: March 2011

The management and protection of soil cover: an ecosystem approach
There is need for increased societal awareness of the importance of soil management for varying specific uses and for protection of the environment. The main purpose of the study was to analyze the role of soils in the formation and function of ecosystems, to elucidate the properties and mechanisms which play the main role in plant-soil mutual relationships, and to generalize the pedoecological principles of soil management and protection in conditions of Estonia. The treatment is a departure from the pedocentric viewpoint and is based on an ecosystem approach. The relationships between soil and plant covers are tested quantitatively on the basis of the ecosystems' phytoproductivity and fluxes of organic carbon, and qualitatively on the ground of humus forms and site types. On the basis of personal research and data available in literature, the constraints limiting soil cover functioning, the soil degradation features which occurred in actual time and the measures and activities for prevention of soil degradation are analyzed. Problems connected with biodiversity and soil environment protection ability as they relate to soil cover management and protection are discussed. For sustainable land use and to avoid deterioration of soil properties, the experience of local farmers, scientific research and monitoring of degradation features are needed. The soil cover is protected (or sustainable land use is attained) in circumstances when soil fertility and functioning is maintained adequately for the soil types' characteristics. Soil cover should be considered as a medium through which it is possible to improve the environmental status of the area.
Incivilités, logements sociaux et modes de gouvernance
Authors: Ouellet Frédéric , Lemieux Frédéric , Sauvêtre Nadège 
Published: March 2011

Est-ce que le mode de gouvernance adopté influence les perceptions, les représentations et l'intervention face à des ruptures de l'ordre social ? Cette étude s'intéresse à cette question et met en relief deux types de logements sociaux dont le mode de gestion est passablement différent. Le premier est géré par les autorités municipales (habitation à loyer modique [HLM]) et le deuxième est administré collectivement par les communautés qui y habitent (coopérative d'habitation [COOP]). La comparaison met en évidence le rôle du mode de gouvernance quant au jugement et à la fréquence des incivilités. L'étude porte sur un sondage effectué auprès de 364 résidents de logements sociaux qui se situent à l'intérieur de cinq quartiers de la ville de Montréal. Les résultats démontrent que le niveau de cohésion et de contrôle social informel est plus élevé dans les coopératives que dans les HLM et ils expliquent la fréquence des incivilités qui s'y produisent, les jugements que les résidents portent sur leur gravité relative et les stratégies d'intervention qu'ils privilégient.
Factors predicting the feasibility of monitoring lower-limb muscle motor evoked potentials in patients undergoing excision of spinal cord tumors
Authors: Rajshekhar Vedantam , Velayutham Parthiban , Joseph Mathew , Babu K. Srinivasa 
Published: March 2011

Object
This prospective study on intraoperative muscle motor evoked potentials (MMEPs) from lower-limb muscles in patients undergoing surgery for spinal cord tumors was performed to: 1) determine preoperative clinical features that could predict successful recording of lower-limb MMEPs; 2) determine the muscle in the lower limb from which MMEPs could be most consistently obtained; 3) assess the need to monitor more than 1 muscle per limb; and 4) determine the effect of a successful baseline MMEP recording on early postoperative motor outcome.

Methods
Of 115 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for spinal cord tumors, 110 were included in this study (44 intramedullary and 66 intradural extramedullary tumors). Muscle MEPs were generated using transcranial electrical stimulation under controlled anesthesia and were recorded from the tibialis anterior, quadriceps, soleus, and external anal sphincter muscles bilaterally. The effect of age (≤ 20 or > 20 years old), location of the tumor (intramedullary or extramedullary), segmental location of the tumor (cervical, thoracic, or lumbar), duration of symptoms (≤ 12 or > 12 months), preoperative functional grade (Nurick Grades 0–3 or 4–5), and muscle power (Medical Research Council Grades 0/5–3/5 or 4/5–5/5) on the success rate of obtaining MMEPs was studied using multiple regression analysis. The effect of the ability to monitor MMEPs on motor outcome at discharge from the hospital was also analyzed.

Results
The overall success rate for obtaining baseline lower-limb MMEPs was 68.2% (75 of 110 patients). Eighty-nine percent of patients with Nurick Grades 0–3 had successful MMEP recordings. Muscle MEPs could not be obtained in any patient in whom muscle power was 2/5 or less, but were obtained from 91.4% of patients with muscle power of 4/5 or more. Analysis showed that only preoperative Nurick grade (p ≤ 0.0001) and muscle power (p < 0.0001) were significant predictors of the likelihood of obtaining MMEPs. Responses were most consistently obtained from the tibialis anterior muscle (68%), but in the other 32% MMEPs could not be recorded from the tibialis anterior but could be recorded from another muscle. The ability to monitor MMEPs was associated with better motor outcome at discharge from the hospital (p = 0.052).

Conclusions
The likelihood of obtaining lower-limb MMEPs is significantly greater in patients with better functional grades and higher motor power. Muscle MEPs are most consistently obtained from the tibialis anterior muscle but other muscles should also be monitored to optimize the chances of obtaining MMEP responses from the lower limbs.
Use of cerebrospinal fluid amyloid-β and total tau protein to predict favorable surgical outcomes in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
Authors: Tarnaris Andrew , Toma Ahmed. K. , Chapman Miles D. , Keir Geoff , Kitchen Neil D. , Watkins Laurence D. 
Published: March 2011

Object
The prognostic value of CSF biomarkers in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) has not been adequately studied to date. The aim of this study was to identify CSF markers of favorable surgical outcome in patients with iNPH undergoing the insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Methods
Ventricular CSF was collected intraoperatively from 22 patients with iNPH and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to analyze the levels of amyloid-β 1–42 (Aβ1–42) and total tau protein. The Black grading scale was used to assess outcomes at 6 months. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were obtained and discriminant function analysis was undertaken to provide sensitivity and specificity figures for each marker as well as their combination.

Results
The mean age of the patients was 71.45 years (± 9.5 years [SD]). Follow-up was achieved in 21 patients. Seventeen patients had a favorable outcome and 4 patients had unfavorable outcome at 6 months. An Aβ1–42 level of 180 pg/ml had a sensitivity of 35% and a specificity of 20% for predicting a favorable outcome at 6 months. A total tau level of 767 pg/ml will have a sensitivity of 17% and a specificity of 20% for predicting a favorable outcome at 6 months. A combination of Aβ1–42 and total tau levels predicted favorable outcomes with a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 82.4%.

Conclusions
In this pilot study a combination of Aβ1–42 levels and total tau protein levels predicted favorable surgical outcomes at 6 months with adequate accuracy to be of clinical use. Further study in a larger group with longer follow-up is warranted.
Les sociétés françaises de services et d'ingénierie en informatique, historique et perspectives
Authors: Horaist Jacques 
Published: March 2011

French computer service and software engineering companies, background and outlook,
by Jacques Horaist.

The importance of the French computer service and software engineering companies lies not in their percentage of the national turnover, which is modest, but rather in their dynamic outlook and in the impact of their activities. In this respect they are a fine example of the "developed tertiary sector" in which much hope is stored, particularly with regard to generating employment.

The technological progress which has been maintained over the last thirty years has meant that costs of equipments have been kept down, with the result that companies can afford to install more and more hardware and consequently increase their need for services. To date, as is demontrasted in the first part of the article, the French computer service companies owe their development mainly to software engineering and userdesigned software based on their creativity, the fruits of their research, the quality of their staff and sound financial management. The fact that they have come to occupy the number two place on the world market is proof of their ability and of the soundness of their approach In recent years, the increasing demand for mass produced hardware and software has led to the industrialization of software production. The new software products are faring very well in France under the driving force of Amercan companies-mainly the hardware producers themselves. The text goes on to point ou that, rather than jumping headlong into this type of production, which involves new business methods, the French computer service companies prefer to consolidate their position. The outlook for demand, taking into consideration foreseeable technological advances, seems to point to a strong trend towards customdesigned applications, with a high intellectual content, particularly in the realm of the data processing networks. But such development will be irregular because of force of habit and the desire among certain users to get the most out of their past investments.

If they are to make the most of the situation and maintain their lead, the French computer service and software engineering companies will have, in conjunction with their public or private partners, to find a way round the problems of setting up a market on the European scale, financing their research and training their staff.
Une méthode d'analyse interne des modèles macro-économétriques multinationaux : présentation et application au modèle de R.C. Fair
Authors: Laffargue Jean-Pierre 
Published: March 2011

An internal analysis procedure
of macroeconometric multinational models:
presentation and application to the R.C. Fair's model,
by Jean-Pierre Laffargue.

This paper introduces a new evaluation procedure of multinational models and gives an application to the multi-country system which has been built by R.C. Fair. The first step is to modify the numerical values of parameters in order to make all the countne's structures similar (i.e. only differing in size). Then the consequences of economic policy can be allocated between a world and a differential component. These components are independent and it is easy to give them an economic interpretation. In the following steps, countries' structural specificities are progressively remtroduced. Simulations show how these peculiarities change the results which have been obtained in their absence. These modifications then receive economic interpretations.
La concurrence dans le commerce de détail en France
Authors: Écalle François 
Published: March 2011

Competition in the retail trade in France,
by François Ecalle.

First of all this article describes certain characteristics of competition in the retail trade which are inherent in the very nature of the activity. It stresses the fact that poor consumer information and the differences between the services provided do not necessarily prevent the free play of competition; they just temper it and keep it from being too harsh.

It goes on to give the results for the sector of a survey of concentration measured by "arrondissement", showing that, in general concentration is quite limited, although in certain zones or sectors the levels were higher.

The effect of the barriers set up by the French legislation on new commercial installations (the Royer Law) is also noted. The aim and provisions of this law might have led us to expect a sharp drop in the number of new supermarkets starting up. But it does not seem to have been enforced too harshly. Here again, big differences can be seen from one place to another and from one product to another.

Finally, certain indicators are mentioned suggesting that competition has been generally intense in the retail trade in recent years. The legislation does threaten to check it, however, without any real economic justification, in numerous regions.
Econométrie de l'investissement et enquêtes de conjoncture
Authors: Poret Pierre 
Published: March 2011

Econometrics of investment and business surveys,
by Pierre Poret.

The usual model of the accelerator (which relates capital to production) does not provide for the measurement of the role played by Keynesian demand constraints, which can limit production just as easily as insufficient returns.

At most, this near-accounting equation we find in most of the major macro-econometric forecasting models can tell us something about the production function selected. If we wish to conserve them, however, we can seek to improve them by reconsidering the supposed characteristics of the production function. In this way we show how business surveys shed an original and useful light on the possible deformations of the production function and on depreciation behaviours.

Models based on more than one school (Keynesian, classical, etc.) in which market constraint is unduly represented by production are theoretically biassed towards the acceptation of the Keynesian hypothesis. We therefore propose another formulation of the Keynesian accelerator, based on balances of opinion from surveys and on predictable demand trends, and allowing quite a rich description of behaviours (taking into account past anticipation errors and demand uncertainties). Finally, we present estimations made with more general models based on two schools (Keynesian and classical) and compare these estimations with the results of surveys on the number of investors with financial constraints. Both approaches showd the same trend: the effect of profitability has increased on average since the mid-seventies.

This study also brings out the threefold value of business survey results: they bring additional information to shed more light on the meaning of statistics or quantitative results, they provide direct knowledge of anticipations and give "leading indicators" which can be integrated into econometric modelling.
Quelques propositions d'indicateurs d'analyse du commerce bilatéral
Authors: Mathis Jean 
Published: March 2011

Quelques propositions d'indicateurs d'analyse du commerce bilatéral,
par Jean Mathis.

L'analyse du commerce extérieur bilatéral nécessite l'utilisation d'indicateurs. Ceux-ci sont passés en revue en partant des plus simples pour aboutir, par des combinaisons successives, à des formulations plus riches de sens économique.

L'article cherche à répondre à deux questions. Quels sont, tout d'abord, les indicateurs qui permettent d'analyser les spécificités d'une relation bilatérale (entre deux pays ou deux zones) au-delà des caractéristiques globales du commerce extérieur des partenaires ? Les indicateurs habituellement utilisés ne sont-ils pas, d'autre part, entachés de biais statistiques ?

Les critiques formulées et les solutions proposées sont illustrées par une analyse du commerce extérieur des grands pays industriels.
La réorientation du système fiscal britannique (1979-1986)
Authors: Santini Jean-Jacques 
Published: March 2011

The reorientation of the british tax system (1979-1986),
by Jean-Jacques Santini.

A number of studies carried out in the United Kingdom in the 1970s seemed to indicate that the British tax system led to distortions in resource allocation which were prejudicial to the operations of the economic system.

In the light of these findings, when Mrs Thatcher's government came to power in 1979 it immediately brought in a tax reform policy. The measures included in this policy, which were numerous and often far- reaching, affected taxes on households as well as company taxation.

The study presented here describes the various measures complemented and attempts to judge their possible impact on the British economic system. Although it is still difficult to draw up a conclusive report on the results of this tax reform policy (which is not yet complete, several of the projected reforms having not yet been implemented, and which includes structural alterations which are slow to alter behaviour), three conclusions seem to stand out:
the réorientation of the fiscal system since 1979 has been a major one, as can be seen from the change in the spread of taxation over households and companies on the one hand and the respective weight of direct and indirect taxation on the other;
the short-term impact of the reforms introduced has sometimes been quite marked, whether positive (as in the case of the investment tax reform carried out between 1984 and 1986) or negative (the increase in direct taxation introduced in 1979);
generally speaking, the British tax system seems better oriented now than in 1979 with regard to the achievement of economic policy objectives: the incentive to work has been increased, financial savings should progress and be better oriented towards productive investment, the quality of investment should improve and employment should be encouraged.

JEL: 321
La maquette Tfe : analyse du mode de fonctionnement du système monétaire et financier français
Authors: Laury Béatrice 
Published: March 2011

The Tfe model : analysis of the way in wich the french monetary and financial system functions,
by Béatrice Laury.

By highlighting the underlying dynamics beneath the equilibrium observed ex post between the different financial flows, the Tfe model is above all a complement to the accounting approach of the Tables of Source and Use of funds for the economy (Tfe) in the making of economic projections and in the analysis of the monetary and financial aspects of economic policy. In also showing the articulation between financial intermediation circuits and capital markets in the financing of the economy, it becomes a privileged instrument for analysing the profound changes in the French financial system today, which are reflected, for example, in the increased role of the capital markets in covering agents' borrowing needs. Without being a true model of the monetary and financial system — it is a short- term, static and parametered instrument— the Tfe model was designed above all as a means of reflection on how the financial sphere of the economy functions and how it interacts with real variables.

JEL. 310
Dix ans d'élections européennes en Bretagne : 1989-1999
Authors: Nicolas Michel , Pierre Patrick 
Published: March 2011

La Bretagne figure au nombre des trois régions, avec l'Alsace et Rhône-Alpes, à s'être très majoritairement exprimée en faveur de Maastricht. En dépit d'une forte abstention, notamment dans la consultation de 1999, les trois dernières élections au Parlement européen y dessinent une nouvelle géographie électorale, dépassant les traditionnels clivages de la gauche et de la droite.
Sur cette terre de sensibilité modérée, k vote anti européen est minoritaire et hétérogène : on y trouve aussi bien le parti communiste que l'extrême droite, Chasse pêche nature et tradition, les chevènementistes et, depuis peu, un électorat d'extrême gauche. Il recoupe logiquement les territoires ayant refusé Maastricht.
Le vote européen, pour sa part, domine largement. Représentant le courant d'origine démocrate-chrétienne et les partis de gouvernement associés à la construction européenne, il regroupe 64,2 % des suffrages exprimés.
Les multiples sensibilités qui s'affichent à l'occasion des consultations européennes traduisent bien le mouvement de recomposition politique qui se dessine au tournant du siècle.